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The Lucifer Effect
concerns they may have or to share their reactions. They agree to these terms and
then sit and wait while they listen to music piped in over the intercom.
Susie apologizes for their having to wait so long, but it seems that the prison-
ers are taking a longer time than usual tonight because they are enjoying double
desserts. That does not sit well with some visitors, who have other things to do
and are getting impatient to see their prisoner and this unusual prison place.
After conferring with the warden, our receptionist informs the visitors that
because the prisoners have taken so long to eat, we will have to limit the visiting
time to ten minutes and admit only two visitors per inmate. The visitors grumble;
they are upset with their kids and friends for being so inconsiderate. "Why just
two of us?" they ask.
Susie replies that the space inside is very tight and there is a fire law about
maximum occupancy. She adds, as an aside, "Didn't your child or friend tell you
about the limit of two visitors when he invited you here?"
"Damn! No, he didn't!"
"I'm sorry, I guess it must have slipped his mind, but now you will know next
time you visit."
The visitors try to make the best of it, chatting among themselves about this
interesting study. Some complain about the arbitrary rules, but, remarkably, they
meekly comply with them, as good guests do. We have set the stage for them to
believe that what they are seeing in this lovely place is standard, and to distrust
what they might hear from their irresponsible, selfish kids and buddies, who are
likely to complain. And so they too become unwitting participants in the prison
drama we are staging.
Up-Close and Impersonal Visits
Prisoner 819's parents are the first to enter the Yard, looking around curiously
when they notice their son seated at the end of the long table in the middle of the
corridor.
Father asks the guard, "Can I shake hands with him?"
"Sure, why not?" he answers, surprised by the request.
Then his mother also shakes hands with her son! Shakes hands? No auto-
matic hugging of parents and their child?
(This kind of awkward exchange involving minimal body contact is what
happens when one is visiting a real maximum-security prison, but we never made
that a condition for visiting in our prison. It was our previsit manipulation of the
visitors' expectations that worked to create confusion about what behaviors were
appropriate in this strange place. When in doubt, do the minimal amount.)
Burdan is standing over the prisoner and his parents. Hellmann comes and
goes at will, invading the privacy of 819's interaction with his folks. He looms
over 819 as this little familial triad pretends to ignore him and carry on a normal
conversation. However, 819 knows that he has no chance to say anything bad
about the prison or he will suffer later. His parents cut their visit short to only five
Tuesday's Double Trouble 95
minutes so that 819's brother and sister can share some of the limited visiting.
They shake hands again as they say their good-byes.
"Yeah, things are pretty good here," Stew-819 tells his siblings.
They and other friends of the prisoners act a lot differently from the uptight
ways of the generally more intense parents. They are more casual, more amused,
and not as intimidated by the situational constraints as the parents. But guards
are hovering over everyone.
819 continues, "We have some pleasant conversations with the correctional
officers." He describes the "Hole for punishment," and as he points toward it, Bur-
dan interrupts: "No more talking about the Hole, 819."
The sister asks about the number on his smock and wants to know what they
do all day. 819 answers her questions and also describes the impact of the police
arrest. As soon as he begins to talk about problems he has with the night guard
shift, Burdan again stops him cold.
819: "They get us up early in the morning .. . some guards are really good,
top correctional officers. There's not really any physical abuse; they do have clubs,
b u t . . . "
His brother asks him what he would do if he could get out. 819 answers, as a
good prisoner should, "I can't be out there, I am in this wonderful place."
Burdan ends the visit after precisely five minutes. Ceros has been sitting at
the table the entire time, with Varnish standing behind the table. The guards out-
number the guests! 819's face turns grim as his guests smilingly wave good-bye.
In come the mom and dad of Prisoner Rich-1037. Burdan immediately sits
down on the table, glowering over them. (I notice for the first time that Burdan
looks like a sinister Che Guevara.)
1037: "Yesterday was kinda strange. Today we washed all the walls in here
and cleaned our cells in here . . . we don't have a sense of time. We haven't been
out to see the sun."
His dad asks whether they will stay inside for the entire two weeks. Son is not
sure but imagines that is the case. This visit seems to be going well, the conversa-
tion is animated, but Mom shows that she is worried about her son's appearance.
John Landry saunters over to chat with Burdan as both stand within hearing of
the visitors' conversation. 1037 does not mention that the guards have taken
away his bed and so he is sleeping on the floor.
"Thanks for coming," 1037 says with feeling. "I'm glad I came . . . see you
soon, day after tomorrow, for sure." Mom comes back when 1037 asks her to call
someone on his behalf.
"Now, you be good and follow the rules," she urges her son.
Dad gently ushers her out the door, aware that they might be staying over-
time in their visit and preventing others from the chance to enjoy visiting privi-
leges.
The guards all perk up when they spy Hubbie-7258's attractive girlfriend
enter the yard. She is carrying a box of cupcakes, which she wisely shares with
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