Sergeant James Booker

Not knowing that they was quite desperate for staff, quite desperate for someone with a background coming from the military that they were looking for. So that started my journey into the correctional process. And that was back in 1983. So that's when I started. So I stayed there, transitioned from Florida State Prison to Gainesville Road Prison. And then from Gainesville Road Prison, I then

I transferred into the Bride County Sheriff's Department, and I got to the Bride County Sheriff's Department in 1986, I believe, 1986. I retired recently. I've been retired now 12 years now, this September.

I transferred into the Bride County Sheriff's Department, and I got to the Bride County Sheriff's Department in 1986, I believe, 1986. I retired recently. I've been retired now 12 years now, this September.

I transferred into the Bride County Sheriff's Department, and I got to the Bride County Sheriff's Department in 1986, I believe, 1986. I retired recently. I've been retired now 12 years now, this September.

Well, I love to tell this thing. Most people think in Florida that there's like, you know, multitude of prisons. It's only one prison in the state of Florida. It's only one. And that's Florida State Prison. That is the only building that bears the name prison, which is Florida State Prison. Everything else is a correctional facility or it's a work camp or something of that nature.

Well, I love to tell this thing. Most people think in Florida that there's like, you know, multitude of prisons. It's only one prison in the state of Florida. It's only one. And that's Florida State Prison. That is the only building that bears the name prison, which is Florida State Prison. Everything else is a correctional facility or it's a work camp or something of that nature.

Well, I love to tell this thing. Most people think in Florida that there's like, you know, multitude of prisons. It's only one prison in the state of Florida. It's only one. And that's Florida State Prison. That is the only building that bears the name prison, which is Florida State Prison. Everything else is a correctional facility or it's a work camp or something of that nature.

So I actually worked at the only prison in the state of Florida. So at that prison, it was like, the very, very hardcore. And I'm like, again, I'm gonna age myself. These are guys that, as we say, stood on business, these guys, yeah, they, they were not snitches. These guys would kill you at the drop of a hat.

So I actually worked at the only prison in the state of Florida. So at that prison, it was like, the very, very hardcore. And I'm like, again, I'm gonna age myself. These are guys that, as we say, stood on business, these guys, yeah, they, they were not snitches. These guys would kill you at the drop of a hat.

So I actually worked at the only prison in the state of Florida. So at that prison, it was like, the very, very hardcore. And I'm like, again, I'm gonna age myself. These are guys that, as we say, stood on business, these guys, yeah, they, they were not snitches. These guys would kill you at the drop of a hat.

You know, they weren't meant something they, they, they, they truly lived by code and their, their code was serious. Um, and being a young man coming out of the military, And going into such a place and coming from a disciplined place, believe it or not, that place has real discipline within the prison community. And I don't think a lot of people understand that.

You know, they weren't meant something they, they, they, they truly lived by code and their, their code was serious. Um, and being a young man coming out of the military, And going into such a place and coming from a disciplined place, believe it or not, that place has real discipline within the prison community. And I don't think a lot of people understand that.

You know, they weren't meant something they, they, they, they truly lived by code and their, their code was serious. Um, and being a young man coming out of the military, And going into such a place and coming from a disciplined place, believe it or not, that place has real discipline within the prison community. And I don't think a lot of people understand that.

You can't do a lot of things because you're an inmate. You can't do certain things like you want to do unless you get permission. If a guy want to stab a guy, he got to get permission. He just can't go stab this guy. It doesn't work like that. I think people, when they see TV, they think, oh, this guy, You know, you see a movie and a guy stabbed a guy. No, it's not like that. It's politics.

You can't do a lot of things because you're an inmate. You can't do certain things like you want to do unless you get permission. If a guy want to stab a guy, he got to get permission. He just can't go stab this guy. It doesn't work like that. I think people, when they see TV, they think, oh, this guy, You know, you see a movie and a guy stabbed a guy. No, it's not like that. It's politics.

You can't do a lot of things because you're an inmate. You can't do certain things like you want to do unless you get permission. If a guy want to stab a guy, he got to get permission. He just can't go stab this guy. It doesn't work like that. I think people, when they see TV, they think, oh, this guy, You know, you see a movie and a guy stabbed a guy. No, it's not like that. It's politics.

It's big politics. And if you're from a certain part of Florida, then you're basically in that bus with those guys from Miami. Are you in part of central Florida or wherever you are? And if you're a guy coming in from another state. You got to pick a bus. And it's totally different. And I think people don't really know the dynamics that goes on there.

It's big politics. And if you're from a certain part of Florida, then you're basically in that bus with those guys from Miami. Are you in part of central Florida or wherever you are? And if you're a guy coming in from another state. You got to pick a bus. And it's totally different. And I think people don't really know the dynamics that goes on there.

It's big politics. And if you're from a certain part of Florida, then you're basically in that bus with those guys from Miami. Are you in part of central Florida or wherever you are? And if you're a guy coming in from another state. You got to pick a bus. And it's totally different. And I think people don't really know the dynamics that goes on there.

Because if you think about it, you got some of the most ruthless guys that you would ever know. Every guy you see on Channel 6, 7, and 5 on the 6 o'clock news that did a heinous crime, most of them ended up there. And they're all in one place. Just think about that for a minute. You got a lot of predators, a lot of psychopaths. You got a lot of mental health. You got all this in one place.