Do we ever stop to think about what we consider private? What are the things that we love to do alone when no one else watching us or bothering us. Those little things in life that we never really focus on as being something we would not want to be done in the open. In the life of an inmate, there are a lot of things that become not so private.

Privacy is the ability to take a shower behind a shower curtain or door. In prison, showers are either in a gym shower setting where there is no cover so all can watch and stare or if you are lucky there are some prisons where there are shower stalls. But, there is still no door in a stall. Oh sure, there is a courtesy cover that stands no more than four feet high.

Privacy is the ability to go to your bathroom, close your door and do the natural bodily functions. In prison, you are lucky enough if you can get into your own cell when your cellmate is not there in order to go. But if you live in a dorm setting, you have go along toilet row where there are no courtesy walls – there is the possibility that someone else could be sitting right next to you.

Privacy is the ability to open and seal your own mail. In prison, no mail passes through the front gate without being checked (unless it falls under certain “confidential correspondence”). An inmate will receive the mail opened, search, and read. An inmate cannot seal an envelope to be mailed; they must tuck the flap in and put it in the mailbox.

Privacy is the ability to be able to talk on the phone to your family without eavesdroppers. In prison, inmates run the risk of having their conversation recorded and listened to by staff and by inmates.

Privacy is the ability to have a moment with your significant other. In prison, an inmate can normally only see their significant other in the visiting room – being monitored by staff. The lucky few inmates in California can have a “family visit” which is time spent with your significant other or other immediate family members (parents, spouse, children) for up to 72 hours without having anyone watching every move you make. However, there are relatively few who can enjoy this time alone because of the number of people who are denied the right to have visits (death row, lifers, trafficking, maximum security, disciplinary security, and sex offenders).

Privacy is the ability to live in your own place without being searched unless the searching party has a search warrant. In prison, inmates are subject to having their cells and body searched at will of the staff. And they do not have to be nice about it. They can go through every part of the cell, in all of the paperwork, in all of the clothes, in all of the food just to look for contraband. Their only justification – you are an inmate. Body searches are normally limited to a pat search, but under certain circumstances, they can require you to be undressed.

Privacy is the ability to be able to go places without everyone knowing about it. In prison, all inmate movement (cell move, medical, out to court, packages, job assignment, program ducats, committee meetings, counselor meetings, etc.) is recorded on what is called a DMS (Daily Movement Sheet). These movement sheets are available not only to staff but also to inmates. So everyone knows why you went to the doctor or when you are getting a package or if you received a pay raise.

So never take privacy for granted. All those little things that we as free people get to do, those who are behind the fences cannot enjoy them.