It was pretty fascinating.
Guards are subject to manipulation which can lead to jail time, just as us volunteers are. Here is one story they told us which I found interesting:
A guard began working as a new hire at the jail. He came across an inmate he grew up with back in the day. The two had been friends but lost touch over the years.
The inmate began asking him for one small wish - a hamburger. The inmate said, "I'm facing 7 years in prison. All I want is a hamburger before I leave. Can you please bring me one?" The guard said, "No way. It's against the rules." The inmate asked every day for nearly six months. Just one small favor from an old friend.
One day the guard was out on his lunch break. He happened to be eating a burger. He thought of the inmate, and decided what the heck. He picked up a burger, returned to the jail, and gave it to him.
The next day, the inmate said, "My girlfriend is waiting in the lobby. She's got a little bit of dope on her. Bring it to me. I want to get a fix one last time before I head to prison." The guard said, "Absolutely not." The inmate said, "If you don't do it, I'll tell your supervisor about the burger. You'll lose your job."
The guard was intimidated at the thought of his supervisor finding out plus his "old buddy" turned out to be a snake. He went and got the dope.
Now the inmate says, "I want you to go to the corner of X St. and X Ave. and do a drug deal for me. Don't worry, we'll take care of you. There's some money in it for you. If you don't do it, I'll rat on you about bringing me the dope."
The guard did it.
He now has a 5-year stay at the jail he once worked in.
------ The inmates have also asked their tutors, "Hey, my mom wants to give me a letter but can't afford postage. She's in the lobby. Can you just bring me the letter?" The letter will have drugs cooked down and turned into an adhesive on the seal or it'll be a letter written in code.
