due to mature subject matter, viewer discretion is advised. i don't beat around the bush when it comes to the racist term. i'm absolutely a racist. >> inmates in racial conflict. >> he was involved in assaulting an offender. >> anything can pop off from this situation. you got haters everywhere you go. >> but some seek conflict elsewhere. >> child molesters are the crap on the bottom of my boot if i was out tending stalls.

>> they were kicking and knees and punching and brutally at that. >> him and his cell mate had 22 shanks hidden in their light fixture. >> i make mine ten inches long. i had plenty of handle room and blade. >> and we turned cameras over to the inmates to recall personal thoughts in private. >> nothing but you and your thoughts and these brick walls. if you ain't strong you're going to crumble. nobody want to die in jail with they blood and they guts all around them themselves but now i'm in the state breaking up an eight taking it to the eight. if i can't appeal i'm going to bring it to these pigs.

grab an ice pick and bring it to the ribs. leave a scar from their belly to their jiv. some say for life some [ bleep ] ride with swords some [ bleep ] others finding christ. some live for peace, others live for war, you can live humble, or you can fight to the death. a couple of bars throw away bars man, donations. that's the d-boy life. >> carlton wright takes the rage he felt on the streets of new jersey and pours it into rap. now he is one of more than 2,000 inmates at the wabash correctional facility in southwestern indiana. >> i had a great home and a great mother but by the same token when i step outside my front door it's the jungle. coming home from school you may get into a fight or get jumped or may get shot or harassed by

the police. but when you grow up that becomes normal. you get accustomed to it and some people can make it out of the neighborhood. you know, if you can see an alternative lifestyle but a lot of people are consumed in a lifestyle that leads to prison or death. >> the street doesn't give you bright endings. i ran the streets and did the street life. and i'm in here washing clothes by hand and eating [ bleep ] chips. on the streets i wear a shirt and throw it away. buy a new one. here i have to wash it. make due in prison. things you think you never do on the street is a luxury in here. this is your kitchen, your bathroom, your laundry room, your bedroom all in one cell. >> and you share it with another person. >> another grown man who farts

and pisses and whatever else he does. you stuck in here and you forced to deal with it. so you better pray you got a cool cellie or it won't work. in prison it's reality, man. people watch movies of prison and you say that's sad and you turn it off and forget about it but this is our life. we wake up every day to this, living with these rules and no privileges, you know what i mean. there's no going home from this. >> and wright is a long way from home. >> this is my first time ever in indiana. i never lived in indiana before being incarcerated. i ended up in kentucky but i crossed the state line looking for wal-mart and ended up in indiana. >> wright was looking for a wal-mart but his trip involved more than shopping. >> i was pimping on my girlfriend, you can call it a girlfriend or a female

companion. i was pimping from state to state for income. i got good communication skills. communication is my occupation. i'm talkative and meet different people. a lot of people are looking to have a good time. my co-defendant was a pretty lady. basically sells itself. sex is a billion dollar industry. >> wright's troubles began when they met a potential john at their hotel. it was christmas eve. >> went back to his home and spent time there. things on the way back to the hotel, things got heated, and she pulled a weapon out and she shot him. >> the victim was shot in the head. wright threw him out of the vehicle and left him for dead but he survived. and a short time later wright and his companion were sent to jail. she received 30 years and he received the maximum. for robbery, bodily injury, criminal confinement. >> i believe the laws is

stronger on black guys here. my whole jury was white. i didn't have any of my peers. they couldn't understand this type of crime or what happened. they just associated black people with violence. he did it, convict him. >> wright believes his race is a detriment at wabash. >> i'm on the wrong side of the color margin. this prison is predominantly white. you have people with swastikas and hitler tattoos. this is their prison. they are comfortable with doing it because it's their prison. >> gerald ritchie is the inmate that wright tries to avoid. >> people like to dance around the racist word. i'm absolutely a racist. people like to say we're in a post racial society and race doesn't matter and it is

insignificant. if race didn't matter there wouldn't be different races. >> ritchie is four months away from completing a two-year sentence. he is a member of a prison gang called the saxon knights. >> the aryan brotherhood and saxon knights are white supremacist organizations. they share similar ideologies in their creeds and bylaws. >> here i have the saxon knights representatives. and other ones right there that is my saxon knights crest with the bolts. >> he was the president for the organization at one time. the organizations take possession of certain parts of the facility such as where they were working out. the saxon knights will say they own that part of the facility and no other offenders can go on that turf. >> ritchie and two other white inmates dished out consequences

when they attacked a black inmate. coming up -- >> the three white guys assaulting the one guy here. >> the prison staff break down the assault and two other inmates bridge the racial divide. >> doing this on camera is a jeopardizing situation the for real but i'm 185 pounds of something vicious and i don't think they want to see that [ bleep ].

at the wabash valley correctional facility in southwestern indiana prison officials allowed us to give cams are to the inmates to record their personal thoughts in their cells. among them was carlton wright. >> doing time is a [ bleep ], man, nothing but you and your

thoughts and these brick walls. if you ain't strong you going to crumble. until you walked in my shoes and did this you can't tell what it's like. it's hard, man. doing time is hard. >> wright says he has felt vulnerable because of the color of his skin. >> other prisons are populated with hispanics and blacks but this is a highly populated prison with white inmates. >> but not every inmate at wabash is concerned with maintaining a racial divide. these two have found common ground in personal style. davis helps harris to figure out what to do with his afro-like hair. >> it's harder to braid a white dude's hair than a black guy's. i have to part it certain ways and i got to put more rubber

bands in it to hold it. >> my hair has been growing five months. but it is starting to get to the length where i can get it where i want it. in a month i will do more with it. >> but both men know that their friendship comes with risks. >> there are white guys that wouldn't get. the white guys who do get it they mess with black guys, they con have sate with it and the ones who don't you going to know because they have swastikas or they ain't with it. even going this on camera is a jeopardizing situation for real. they be why you doing that on camera. and anything can pop off from this situation. [ bleep ] you got haters everywhere you go. >> why do you do it? >> because i'm not afraid of nobody. i got 30 years. what you going to do to me that i can't do to you. i'm 185 pounds of something real

vicious and i don't think they want to see that [ bleep ]. >> davis's sentence is for dealing cocaine. harris has ten years for theft and burglary but he has been crossing racial lines before prison. >> you have your white organizations and your black organizations and you have like me i'm a white organization that is affiliated with a black organization. this says white boy from the hood. that is where i'm from. i can't change where i'm from. i can change where i'm going but not where i'm from. my nickname is insane gangster. they have been calling me that for ten years now. we have black members in the insane but more white than black. it's more white people. gds are more our black branch as far as we are. we are just a branch off of

them. brothers is a struggle. we struggle to survive together. me personally i don't have too many problems. i haven't had words with nobody since i was transferred here. i hang out with a little bit of everybody. a lot of blacks and a lot of whites. i meet in the middle. >> gerald ritchie, a member of the saxon knights doesn't believe such harmony between blacks and whites is possible. >> we're two different beings from head to the toe from root to crown and we are not compatible. the only time a white dude is compatible with a black dude is if he is a fag or b wants to be black. that's the cold hard truth about it. people are going to watch this on the news and hate me for it. believe that. >> and prison officials believe that racial pride might have

contributed to an assault that landed ritchie in the secured confinement unit. >> what you see here is you see ritchie and another guy, a guy out here. and basically they are just hanging out. it is it premeditated. >> the men are waiting for a black inmate to exit his cell. >> he is immediately met by ritchie who was standing there waiting for the door to be opened. he assaults him and chases him around. this guy is a spectator at this point. another inmate comes running from this side. the three white guys running around and assaulting the one guy here. they corner him and they get on him before the officers can respond. >> the victim received treatment at a nearby hospital and ritchie was transferred to the segregation unit. >> he has been extremely disruptive and disorderly in the general population.

i have gimp him multiple chances. that's the reason i chose to put him in administrative segregation. >> ritchie felt the prison went too far and had something to stay to staff about it. >> with all due respect to you guys mind your business if i'm not killing this man or joey down the range ain't getting raped just be cool, man, be cool. we don't want no trouble we live here. ritchie says the fight was over a small debt. >> it was over a couple dollars. there was a few choice words and i don't want to go too deep into it because i'm not the only one involved in this. i don't want to implicate anyone else or anything of that nature. coming up -- >> this is what i don't like to see. >> inmate made shanks and an inmate who makes it. >> if it is big enough for your hand it is big enough to be a weapon.

♪ but the fire is so delightful ♪ nothing melts away the cold like a hot, delicious bowl of chicken noodle soup from campbell's. ♪ let it snow, let it snow

in my neck of the woods if

you got a problem with a guy, you -- and mind you, nobody calls the cops. you go outside, one of you get beat up. you go back into the bar and the guy that won buys the beer. >> my name is joshua coffey. but everybody calls me country. >> why do they call you country? >> because i was raised in the sticks. i stole some copper from a local junk yard and the proprietor of the junk yard owed me money and like an idiot i stole from him instead of going about it the correct way. figure i learned that lesson the wrong way.

>> joshua coffey has served six years at the wabash correctional facility. his job helps him stay focused. >> i came at 4:30 this morning and leave about 5:30. i work 13 hours. >> stacking. >> stack in the line. >> i do it to get out of my cell and get freedom and eat a little better. the food that they serve doesn't taste bad. but its appeal is horrible. some of the food looks like cat food and i'm not even joking. i swear if you put the food that they give us in a bowl and put a can of premium quality cat food and put it there in front of an inmate i'm not even saying a

cat, put it in front of a person that is locked up they'll probably eat the cat food. >> tonight is macaroni, mixed vegetables and a cookie. not everyone agrees on the best meal, there seems to be a consensus on the worst. >> the sloppy joe is bad. but that chicken a la king oh, my god. >> [ bleep ]. >> i swear you could take a can of alpo and dump it on the plate and i would rather eat that. >> coffey is due to be released on patrol in three months and has a message for his future self. you're a dumb ass ain't you you are sitting on the couch drinking a beer and laughing at yourself right now ain't you? you're an idiot. >> nice hands, baby. >> short of being released the

strongest sense of free dom most inmates experience is their time in the outdoor recreation yards. >> see that left hand? >> for the record we won that game. >> while rec is a time to enjoy federal reserve air and exercise is it one of the times when the inmates exchange contra brand including shanks. >> they are patting down the convicts to make sure they don't have weapons. there was a tip there was going to be trouble. the officers line them up and pat them down looking for weapons as they come back in. a lot of times they will find a bunch of stuff on the grass. >> as the patdowns are conducted other officers walk the yard looking for discarded weapons. >> going around where the offenders were standing watching the game. on this bench over here is always a good place. you will see a shank buried just

under the grass. that is where they kick it with their foot in the grass if they want to dispose of it. this is what i don't like to see. this right here. those are razor blades. that's not something you want to step on or not something i like picking up. i don't care if you think that is a harmless piece of plastic if you melt it in here it is a slashing tool. they are good at it. >> one inmate in particular at wabash has a reputation for his production of homemade weapons. >> brandon has been in possession of multiple weapons in multiple times. not only does he make the weapons but stores them for organizations or individuals of organizations.

at one time him and his cell mate had 22 shanks hidden in their light fixture. >> brandon would craft knives out of any object he found on prison grounds. >> if it was big enough to put in your hand with a little left over it was big enough to be sharpened into a weapon. usually i would just keep it on me because it's no good if it's hidden somewhere. if someone comes on to you and [ bleep ] you ain't got it on you you can't tell them hold on i have to get my knife. thankfully i never had to use one. usually if someone sees one it keeps them at bay. i was prepared to use it. siverly was 17 years old when he and a group of friends broke into a home and beat and robbed the occupant. he accepted a plea bargain and received 20 years. but while at wabash he received

four extra years for possession of a 7-inch long shank. >> that's a baby. before that, i always tried to make them ten inches long. that way i had plenty of handle room and plenty of blade. >> he is housed in the secured confinement unit. while he doesn't like it he does understand it. >> from their standpoint how can you have somebody who keeps repeatedly getting caught making mass quantities of knives in population and keep population safe even if that perp is not stabbing people he is making the knives that are stabbing people. >> with few possessions, siverly has refocused from weapons to art. >> president barack obama commander-in-chief of the united states of america. i figured we fight is a good

statement. president obama being half black had to fight to get where he got. >> i'm not racist. but then again i know where the lines are in here. so i know that if something goes down, just because i'm not racist doesn't mean if there is a race riot they're not going to stab me too. i'm not going to arm a black so a race riot could pop off at any time and all the black guys have a knife and only a couple of white guys have a knife. i don't want to arm anyone who going to potentially come back and use it on me. coming up. >> they think they are gq material. >> inmate picture day at wabash. >> the feet can't be on the wall. >> so strict here. >> and carlton wright causes a disturbance. >> i came back.

[ bleep ], [ bleep ].

msnbc. i'm ver even ka de la cruz. six people dead after a 66.5 earthquake hit mexico city. there aren't reports of widespread damage. friends of the man accused of killing a virginia tech police officer say he showed no signs of violent tendencies. he committed suicide after shooting the officer thursday afternoon. his motive remains unclear. i'm veronica de la cruz. now back to "lockup." due to mature subject matter, viewer discretion is advised. on the first wednesday of every month, inmates gather in the yard of indiana's wabash

valley correctional facility to have their pictures taken by prison staff. it gives inmates an opportunity to connect with loved ones. >> i'm waiting to get my picture taken. i have a friend out there writing me off and on. i will send her one and my grandma and my mom and dad. >> all the housing units. >> reporter: for inmate willing to pay $1.22 mike cardinal will take a photo and a set of four prints to send to friends and family. >> what is the biggest challenge for you taking these pictures? >> trying to please them all. they think they are gq material. >> you get four pictures on one sheet. all prisons you get one picture for it. >> tim harris is one inmate who never misses picture day. >> every month. this one right here is a photo

that i took at last month's pictures which you can see it has a different background. we took these ones inside of rec. i got my fro out. this one i didn't send out too much. i passed them out to the guys i hang out with here. so they have a picture of me for their photo album. >> the sun is bright. >> so to make a good picture. >> i can't see too much. the sun is too bright and reflecting off the screen. i guess when it prints out we'll see how good they are. >> feet can't be on the wall. >> so strict here. >> privileges like this are reserved for inmates with good behavior records. carlton wright has mostly stayed out of trouble. >> i can't see it? >> carlton wright came to prison in 2010.

and since he's been in he's received a few conduct reports, nothing severe. i heard he has a mouth on him and he is disrespectful. >> that's the only option. there's no point in seeing it then? >> pretty much. >> didn't you like it. >> wabash does what they want to do. i'm not like a lot of the inmates. i obey the rules but sometimes they want you to be like puppets. don't do this, don't do that. do it like this, do it like that. [ bleep ] here, eat here, can't talk to that person, get off the door. all these [ bleep ] rules, [ bleep ] i'm in jail and i'm [ bleep ] rules. think i'm going to come to prison and start following rules. >> wright says his attitude is the result of growing up in a tough new jersey neighborhood.

>> i grew a hard exterior because i didn't want to be the victim. over the course of the time it became a part of my character. >> and wright's character was put to the test. >> he came back from recreation and noticed that his tv was missing. he knew someone took it and he was upset about that. >> this is the penitentiary. are you series? [ bleep ] killed for that [ bleep ] from real for real. >> surveillance video shows another inmate standing outside wright's cell. he enters the cell and exits with wright's television. the inmate places the tv inside another cell. >> i saw the tv was gone. i came back. [ bleep ] got ugly [ bleep ]. >> he approached offenders and called them out wanting to know if they took his tv. >> i started to go cell to cell [ bleep ] searching everybody [ bleep ].

>> the behavior created problems with other inmates. >> i'm not looking for trouble but not ducking none either you feel me? this is the penitentiary. you have to stand tall ten toes down. it's the wrong place to be a bitch. it's principle. you get killed for stealing on the streets. as wright continued the tirade the staff were concerned it would lead to a fight and sanctioned wright for taking matters into his own hands. he was transferred to administrative segregation in the custody control unit, or ccu. >> welcome to the belly of the beast. i hate lockup. for real for real. it makes time hard. when you in ccu you don't get nothing but a bar of soap, some toothpaste and my hair [ bleep ] i ain't able to get a haircut or

a shave [ bleep ] i'm back here slumming it. this is the downside of prison. violence happens. what you expect. you expect us not to clash and at the end of the day you better pray you be the one left standing. >> arkansas authorities investigate the stolen tv he has petitioned to be put back in the housing unit. >> i don't know if he will return to p house because of the animosity for the accusations about his it have. we'll be evaluating his housing assignment. >> while authorities determine a staff housing option for wright he will stay in confine mt. >> these people put you in situations to try crumble you or

break you. that's what i'm doing. i'm surviving. >> gerald ritchie is also in a confinement unit and he is not happy about it. >> they had punishment in mind when they built this place. that's a fact. let's make these guys understand if you come to prison, this is how you're going to live. this is how you're going to live and we're going to take these rules to the nth degree. >> ritchie says even though he is in confinement the fight was not racially motivated but he admits his tattoos are. >> my swastika. even though it's not best artistically, it's one of the ones that i'm most proud of. it means the most on the whole. it's empowering and uplifting. it's a cymbal that elicits a response from others and from me myself. that's what symbolism does for you.

that is what it has done since the beginning of whenever. my right hand says mein which means mine in german and my left hand says ehre which means honor. this is what hitler gave the ss. they are meant to say something without blurting at you. when i see these in the mirror it makes me feel good. i'm on the right track. >> when weather permits confinement inmates are allowed one hour of outdoor recreation. it's in a small cage-like enclosure but is it the one chance that ritchie has to see friends like brandon siverly. >> what's happening? >> chillen. >> it's hot out. >> it's better out here in the afternoon. [ bleep ] you don't get to see the sun a lot. >> witchy is a good dude. don't let anyone say you can't make friends in prison. you see that that's why i don't

play basketball. >> you see that that's why i don't play basketball. it ain't even rocking. >> that's 0-3 right there. i'm on a roll. coming up -- >> well there was a child molester that got mouthy with one of my buddies and it escalated quickly and he took an ass whooping. >> an act of violence threatens joshua coffey's release. >> they grab him and shove him against the rail. ♪ [ gong ] strawberry banana! [ male announcer ] for a smoothie with real fruit plus veggie nutrition new v8 v-fusion smoothie. could've had a v8.

you all quick walk around my cell and show you what is going on in my cell. this is my bed right here. this is what i sleep on. this is my celly rack which is

five feet above me where another grown ass man sleeps at. to the left is my window. this is my window. that's the gate teasing me with freedom. and right there is the highway, i think. see the cars running by going places i can't go. feel me? i'm trying to paint the picture for you so you can understand what i'm going through. >> carlton wright's picture will change little in the next 24 years. that's when he is eligible for to role after his sentence. >> you want to go out right now? all right. but he has had one bit of good news. he has been released from the confinement unit. he was sent there for threatening inmates. >> what happened with the guy who stole your tv? >> i don't know. i ain't seen him yet. >> did you get your tv back?

>> i got another one. >> the guy who stole your tv was never prosecuted? >> i don't know. this is wabash. you're going to bump into him again. it is hard to live in a place like this for 40 years without a altercation. when you put a bunch of angry people in a small facility [ bleep ]'s going clash. [ bleep ] happen like that. you never know what [ bleep ] going to happen. you have to know how to let [ bleep ] go. you could be in the infirmary fighting for your life, have some [ bleep ] you know but it come with this prison [ bleep ] man. kids don't see that [ bleep ]. they see money. they see this but they don't see the consequence of the actions that come with it until it's too late. you can't experience [ bleep ] until you live in it.

>> me personally i don't have no problem with anybody. i may believe in my own set of personal values, but i mean i'm -- i don't hate over people because of who or what they are. >> but there is one type of person joshua coffey doesn't tolerate and one week away from his release that intolerance will keep coffey in prison longer. >> right here you see offender anderson walking up the steps and coffey walking up behind him. they are preparing to assault someone in a cell. >> there was a child molester that got mouthy with one of my buddies and it honestly it just kind of escalated quickly and he took an ass whooping. >> the first offender enters the cell with offender coffey

standing outside the door watching for staff so they don't see this. anderson rifles through the anderson's stuff. it appears anderson is talking to the victim and they are having a disagreement. >> child molesters, they should take them, chop off their junk, put them on an island and let them live together. if somebody molested my son i don't want to come back to prison but i probably would for murder. >> here in just a second you will see where the victim gets up and starts to run out of the cell and tries to defend himself and they grab him and shove him against the rail and begin kicking him and hitting him. they are getting slammed in the door. right here you see both of them pushing him back into the cell. all the meanwhile they are kicking and kneeing and inch punching and brutally at that. when they decide that the victim has had enough i guess or

they're worried about getting caught they depart the area and the victim is standing on the upper range. his face is bloody and he is holding his head. he has been worked over good. >> i don't regret it one bit. >> did you beat him because he is a child molester or something else? >> 50/50 honestly. child molesters are the -- they're the crap on the bottom of my boot if i was out tending stalls. honestly the guy has 50 years and i hope the rest of the time he is incarcerated he takes a whooping at least once a month. >> the incident resulted in a postponement of coffey release. >> he received commissary loss, segregation time which was suspended and loss of good time. >> i only lost a week.

but a week is a week. i regret losing time that i could have spent with my family. and you know what, i apologize. i'm sincerely apologize, guys. to be honest i lied why i lost a week. it's hard to tell them the truth. when they see this they're going to know the truth. but that's why i apologized. you know, hopefully by then it will have -- everything is smoothed out. there's some people that they honestly they don't deserve a second chance. now i might be up with of those people. i don't know. because honestly i had a second chance. i get released this time this is my third chance. coming up -- >> every choice has consequence, man. before you do something you have

to think what is the possible consequence that can happen behind this? >> wabash inmates deal with the consequence of their choices. >> some prison sentences don't end. it's a hard pill to swallow.

i'm here bleeding lie a [ bleep ] with 50 years. you know what 50 years feel like? people forget about you, man not out of spite like [ bleep ] but more or less like life is busy man and the average person ain't going to slow down and reach out. >> the notion of being forgotten is something that every inmate has to contemplate at some point in their incarceration. >> how do they look? >> different. >> man. i can't do that over, man?

>> you got me right this where your finger is right there. >> right here? >> tim harris serving ten years makes it a point to never miss the prison's photo day so he can send pictures of himself to loved ones. >> i should have one in there with sweat pants on. >> right there. >> i took a couple pictures to send to friends and family. and this is what they look like. as you can see they are not the greatest quality ever but they are pictures. they look at them and get the idea. it's nice to see your loved ones. it's hard for me now. my brother me being locked up and his kids. he wrote me and said the kids talk about you to everybody all the time and tell how you used to do everything with them. it's depressing and stressing and hard to deal with.

they ask about me and know i'm locked up. they understand that uncle's locked up. i hate them having to know i'm locked up. but i put myself here and maybe telling how i feel about it will keep them from coming down this road. >> gerald richie is one week away from completing his two-year sentence. >> do the right thing. got it figured out. got it licked. i got it licked i promise. i don't have the opportunity to get out twice and got out and came back both times. and i've got brothers in here that are never getting out. you talk to people and makes me feel like i'm selfish you know like i'm not taking advantage of something that i absolutely need to take advantage of. some prison sentences don't end. it's a hard pill to swallow, boy. i'm not trying to die in here.

[ bleep ] this. i'm good at it [ bleep ] this. got the get out, stay sober and find a job. if i'm not drinking or doing drugs own employed how can you go wrong? what could happen? >> in spite of seeing his release get delayed by seven days because he chose to assault another inmate, joshua caffey is preparing to go home. >> you got a job? >> my brother owns a construction company. i got a job as soon as i want it hopefully as long as he is not pissed at me for something. >> that's the one good thing if it's not good i wear a hat anyway. >> you will not be wearing a hat out here.

>> i guarantee i will with wearing a hat. this is my fishing hat now. i swear to god it is. i will wear my hat every time fishing. wearing the hat will remind me not to come back. i can't come fishing if i'm in jail. first day out i have that all the way down. i have nothing. so i'm going to the welfare office and get me my little $137 worth of food stamps so i can eat. i will go to the salvation army to make sure i have hygiene materials or clothes i need. but once i got all those things done i will see a reentry coordinator and call my parole officer and call the na coordinator and then going to the french lick casino. every choice has a consequence, man.

before you do something you have to think, what is the possible consequence that can happen behind this? you know. and a lot of people don't think about that and don't ponder the outcome of what they doing. they just do it until they realize this consequence is too harsh for what i just did and before you know it you paying with your life, man. i'm paying with my life. i got 50 years. that's life. i'm 27. 50 plus 27, 77 years old. are you serious? come on, man. that's life.