The superstar Lindsay Lohan has been through a lot. I think by this time we have all heard about her troubled personal life. The star of “I Know Who Killed Me” has had run-ins with the law on several occasions. This last time, she has finally drawn some time in jail. I think it may be good for her.

The problem is that many young stars tend to get in trouble. They are adored by millions and usually swing out of control at an early age. Being brought to justice may help her get her life on track. I hope she does her time and uses it wisely!

One thing that every inmate knows about is personal loss. That’s why I feel for the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake. While it’s true that I didn’t suffer as much as they have, I did go through some tough times in my life. There is good news for those people though; they have people who are willing to help. That is not always the case for the average inmate.

One thing I know about is feeling alone during a crisis. When life takes a turn for the worst, it can be a lonely feeling. I hope the people of Haiti will soon receive the benefits of all those who are reaching out to them. May god bless them and keep them safe until help arrives!

I was glad to hear that one of my good friends was released last week. Phil and I spent many days discussing the business of the day and we were very close. Phil is a really great guy and I am glad to hear he has finally made it home. Phil is returning to his home state of North Carolina and will be staying with family. I say good luck to you Phil and I hope that you will receive nothing but the best in your new life!

Once you get into prison life, you start to realize that there are different layers of prisoners. One group that usually has it pretty well is the trustees. These inmates are recognized for their good behavior by the powers that be and are given special duties and rights that the other inmates do not have.

At the receiving center, this was also the case. The trustees were allowed to have some benefits, such as a pool room, single cells, and sometimes better food. In exchange, the trustees performed tasks given to them that required some trust on the part of the administration. They were allowed out of their cells to do them when everyone else was on lockdown.

There has always been the perception that all trustees will “snitch” when they get the chance. While this is sometimes true, it is not always the case. They do sometimes provide services to the other inmates by being “Mules” that is, they would sometimes deliver items such as cigarettes and food to other inmates who could not send or receive them otherwise.

One of the most interesting things about the receiving center was the grapevine. I met many people there who had been in other institutions and who knew a great deal of people. It’s funny how they knew so many when I knew relatively few. I did know one guy from jail who went before me and sent a letter back. Other than that, I didn’t know anyone.

There were many however who knew who was in what institution and long of a sentence they had. I think that many of the Brothers had relatives who were locked up and able to communicate with them. Many people had been locked up before and knew the system and many of its inmates. I was always amazed at this and hope I will never be in a position to use the knowledge of the many people I met!