When I imagined prison, I pictured long, unchanging days with the same people. What I didn’t see coming was the nonstop shuffle of inmates in and out—especially at a camp like this one.
Why Camps Empty Out So Fast
- Short sentences or final stop. Camps house non-violent prisoners with under four years left, so a steady stream is always heading home.
- RDAP churn. Cumberland runs the nine-month Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). Only about one in five federal facilities offers it, so guys transfer in just for the program, graduate, then transfer back out—either to a more relaxed camp or one closer to family.
- Every three months. Each RDAP class finishes on a set cycle, so departures spike every quarter. Even non-RDAP inmates are usually in the home stretch, so exits happen between cycles, too.
The Surprise Transfer
I’ve been here three months and already watched four close friends leave. Last Tuesday a fresh list crackled over the loudspeaker right after dinner: “Report to the bubble.” They came back holding giant green duffels—code for you’re on the bus at dawn. No warning, no destination, no chance for a goodbye pizza party.
All of them had less than a month left. We found out later they were shipped to a camp that’s closing. My guess? Clear beds here for incoming RDAP students. Whatever the reason, it stung—especially losing my daily training partner and fellow yoga fiend overnight.
Lesson Learned
Camp life is great for meeting people from every walk of life… but lousy for building anything permanent. The roster shifts too quickly to count on consistency.
What’s Next
This revolving door has introduced me to some colorful characters, and I plan to write about them soon. Right now I’m knee-deep in the birthday books you all sent—reading, writing reports, and soaking up every page.
Good news on the health front: the sinus misery is finally gone. I’m up to 5 miles per run and 17 miles a week in my half-marathon plan. An “abnormal” head X-ray result is still floating out there (thanks, prison healthcare), but I feel strong and optimistic.
Stay tuned—more stories coming your way.
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