I've been working in a prison!
Scythe
Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
As some of you may know, I'm an engineer working for Honeywell, a huuje company that does tonnes of engineering stuff all over the world.
The department I work in does security installations in prisons. We're upgrading every prison in my state with fancy-shmancy computer-controlled whiz-bangery. I've been working on <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=wacol&ie=UTF8&ll=-27.582356,152.920439&spn=0.006932,0.010042&t=h&z=17" target="_blank">this</a> particular prison. My job is to write the programs for the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) that control all of the electronic locks around the place. Some blocks have an electronic lock on every cell door, some have manual control. The PLCs also control showers, gates, roller doors, rising steps, etc. I also am mostly responsible for the head-end security server that controls everything in the prison, and the graphical interface that the guards use to open doors and suchlike.
We use some fairly high-tech stuff to monitor the prison. A couple hundred cameras, all streaming over the network to our servers. The fences have touch-detecting wire stuff on them that uses time-domain-reflectometry to calculate where on the fence it was touched, and we spin PTZ cameras around to look at that spot and start recording. Other nifty stuff like that.
It's a mildly interesting job, I get to see a side of society's machinations from the inside. The reason I made this thread is so you lot can ask questions about what it's like on the inside, and suchlike.
I've been lucky so far and I've mostly had to work on complete refits, not upgrade jobs. Upgrades often involve fitting new equipment to live prisons, full of prisoners. We're almost finished this job, next one I work on might be a live one.
It's possible that I might be able to grab a few pictures of some interesting things from inside the prison. It's technically a no-no, but I think the risk is minimal. Mention something you'd like a picture of and I'll see what I can do.
--Scythe--
P.S. First person to make a joke about "lol all of Australia is a prison lolol" gets a complimentary clobbering around the head.
The department I work in does security installations in prisons. We're upgrading every prison in my state with fancy-shmancy computer-controlled whiz-bangery. I've been working on <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=wacol&ie=UTF8&ll=-27.582356,152.920439&spn=0.006932,0.010042&t=h&z=17" target="_blank">this</a> particular prison. My job is to write the programs for the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) that control all of the electronic locks around the place. Some blocks have an electronic lock on every cell door, some have manual control. The PLCs also control showers, gates, roller doors, rising steps, etc. I also am mostly responsible for the head-end security server that controls everything in the prison, and the graphical interface that the guards use to open doors and suchlike.
We use some fairly high-tech stuff to monitor the prison. A couple hundred cameras, all streaming over the network to our servers. The fences have touch-detecting wire stuff on them that uses time-domain-reflectometry to calculate where on the fence it was touched, and we spin PTZ cameras around to look at that spot and start recording. Other nifty stuff like that.
It's a mildly interesting job, I get to see a side of society's machinations from the inside. The reason I made this thread is so you lot can ask questions about what it's like on the inside, and suchlike.
I've been lucky so far and I've mostly had to work on complete refits, not upgrade jobs. Upgrades often involve fitting new equipment to live prisons, full of prisoners. We're almost finished this job, next one I work on might be a live one.
It's possible that I might be able to grab a few pictures of some interesting things from inside the prison. It's technically a no-no, but I think the risk is minimal. Mention something you'd like a picture of and I'll see what I can do.
--Scythe--
P.S. First person to make a joke about "lol all of Australia is a prison lolol" gets a complimentary clobbering around the head.
Comments
<i>"So, your ancestors discovered a new country, with massive natural resources, a vastly larger landmass, no hostile nations on every side and only defended by a nomadic people with minimal knowledge of warfare, and you decided to send the convicts & stay <b>here</b>?"</i>
A picture of the control panel or monitor array? I have hots for that kind of technology.
Edit: I got a question: Is the prison a giant single concrete block or is it a modular design, with individually replaceable cell-containers?
Clearly, it should have the voice of SHODAN.
Wouldn't know, don't work in live prisons. There is the occasional problem with chronic masturbators though. They mostly end up in the maximum security wing. Crazies.
<!--quoteo(post=1672051:date=Mar 4 2008, 07:58 PM:name=Abra)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Abra @ Mar 4 2008, 07:58 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1672051"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Does the lock systems speak? Like: "CELL DOOR 3 OPENED. PRISONER, STEP IN!" If not, pleeeease make it have that! And in a scary dominant voice too!
A picture of the control panel or monitor array? I have hots for that kind of technology.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There's intercoms on every door in the prison, so if you've got a particularly scary sounding guard, I suppose so. I'll see if I can nab you one of the master control room. It looks pretty f'ing awesome. Nine 21 inch LCDs. Mmmm.
<!--quoteo(post=1672052:date=Mar 4 2008, 07:59 PM:name=Faskalia)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Faskalia @ Mar 4 2008, 07:59 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1672052"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I hope you make the interface buttons BIG and SHINY so that even a burger flipper couldn't miss the "flood cells with crazy knock-out gas" button. There is knock out gas, right?
Edit: I got a question: Is the prison a giant single concrete block or is it a modular design, with individually replaceable cell-containers?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They do use knockout gas on the particularly nasty prisoners in the maximum security wing. Sometimes they have to knock him out entirely to move him out of his cell, sometimes they just use it to calm him down.
The buildings are just heavily-built normal buildings. Reinforced bessa bricks (cinder blocks) and super freaking heavy duty doors. Windows are shatterproof glass (about 8mm thick) or perspex.
I'll take my camera to work tomorrow, need some more stuff to photographise.
--Scythe--
I'll see if I can nab you one of the master control room. It looks pretty f'ing awesome. Nine 21 inch LCDs. Mmmm.
[...]
--Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
/moist
Edit: Added an apostrophe.
I hope Scythe has installed a morality core. Otherwise SCyTHeOS might try to flood the prison with a deadly neurotoxin.
And develop a cake fetish.
And develop a cake fetish.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I was waiting for that. Well done.
And develop a cake fetish.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
haha i lol'd
I have no soul, otherwise, I'd have laughed my arse off.
Sounds amazing!
Hope you don't have one "open all cellblocks by mistake" button in there. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
I almost made my job for the LA County Sheriffs Department, I would of been working in jails for a bit until I either transferred or was allowed to be put out on patrols.
Inmate cells smell nasty.
Remember, stay away from the K-11s. lol
lol
When I did my tour of Twin Tours, each "pod section" I guess you can call it had it's own private'ish shower.
The cells are fail-closed, duh. There's also a HUUGEE UPS that powers the entire site for a day or so if we lose mains power.
Each cell in the prison has its own shower. There isn't any shower block. The prisoners get two ten minute showers per day at their own leisure. Lucky mongrels, the rest of the city is on a 140L per day water restriction. Shower length is a recommended three minute maximum. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
--Scythe--
Each cell in the prison has its own shower. There isn't any shower block. The prisoners get two ten minute showers per day at their own leisure. Lucky mongrels, the rest of the city is on a 140L per day water restriction. Shower length is a recommended three minute maximum. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
--Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Easy solution for you:
Stab a guy!
Also, speaking as an industry electrician, what kind of PLC's do you use?
Also, speaking as an industry electrician, what kind of PLC's do you use?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
While that's technically possible, the wires are housed inside a steel conduit inside a bessa block. The conduits leads down into the lock cavity that is secured by a 4mm stainless steel plate with security screws holding it in. The lock itself is entirely constructed out of stainless steel with a 5mm thick casing all over. They weigh about ten kilograms, and cost a couple thousand bucks, apiece.
If I can track down some batteries for my camera, I'll snap some piccies today.
--Scythe--
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison4.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
The main control room monitors.
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison1.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
A closeup of the site overview page.
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison5.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
The server room.
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison6.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Another angle.
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison7.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Here are the main set of servers, 3tb of storage per server.
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
You shall not pass.
<img src="http://www.tjhowse.com/prisonpix/prison3.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Really.
I'll try to get some better shots soon, There are some much more impressive perspectives on the fence. I'll also try to snap a piccie of a cell or two.
--Scythe--
lol
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/siege.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::siege::" border="0" alt="siege.gif" />
That WOULD be the point.