Prison Guards Describe Times They've Seen Former Inmates After They Got Released

We all make mistakes, but there are certain mistakes and bad decisions that might lead us to believe that there's no way to have a good life after making such a wrong turn.

But according to some Redditors, there can be a great life ahead, even in the chapter after jail or prison.

Curious, Redditor Purple_Key_6733 asked:

"Prison guards of Reddit, have you ever seen one of your inmates after they got released? If so, how did it go?"

Human Connection

"Yeah, I run into them all the time, actually. I attend AA/NA/PTSD meetings with folks, I’ve personally arrested. I frequently hang out with them in sober settings."

"Before all that, I ran into a guy who I had given a Christmas Cookie or a dozen, and a Camel Menthol, while waiting to get seen at the ER."

"He looked across the bar, noticed me, whispered to his friend, and then the bartender brought me a glass of Top Shelf. Payback for treating him like a human."

"He turned every screw in my Camaro, assembled the Pro-Charger every six months, and I went to his funeral this summer."

"Treat people like you want to be treated. If you can’t say that you do, it’s time for a change."

- Extreme-Afternoon-12

Heading In The Right Direction

"Yep, I ran into one at my next job. A bigger dude with a level head who had influence on the unit, who I worked with to mediate issues sometimes."

"He shook my hand, and we talked about what was going on with us since leaving the jail. Nice enough guy, seemed like he was getting his act together and staying out of trouble."

"Treat them fairly, and you’re more likely to get a handshake than anything threatening."

- Vhu

Standing Together

"I worked at a community correctional facility, so not quite the same thing, but pretty much everyone there liked me. I had a reputation for being tough but fair. I held them accountable, but also tried to guide and coach them, too."

"This didn't happen outside work, but one time, a new guy was being rude and borderline hostile, and in a heartbeat, there were five guys behind me, backing me up, telling the new guy not to talk to me like that."

"It's amazing what happens when you treat humans like humans. We'd have a lot less recidivism if that happened more."

- Entire_Talk839

Never Forget A Face

"Saw a guy in Walmart who knew me from prison. He seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember any specifics about him (usually means they aren't a**holes)."

"I saw him recognize me and started heading my way. I tipped my wife off just in case she had to get the kids away (really doubt anything would happen, but you never know)."

"He reintroduced himself, and turns out, he was one of my workers and thanked me for being chill."

"The only other time was at a store, and the guy avoided me. He seemed like he didn't want his prison life and his new life (his family was there) to collide. I can respect that. Gave him a nod and moved on."

- Iron_Exile

Stranger Danger!

"I had one woman who worked as a trustee tell me that if she saw me in public, she would scream, 'Stranger danger!' and cause a scene."

"I shrugged it off, and d**n if she didn't grab my cart at Walmart one day a year later while my back was turned and wheel it down to the other end of the aisle and run off cackling."

- psychosus

"I find this hilarious, because just yesterday, I forgot my taser and told my guy that I'd planned on screaming, 'Stranger danger!' if I felt unsafe while out, LOL."

- ShyBaby923

Nobody's Perfect

"My mate is a screwup but a solid dude. We were at the pub, and he goes, 'F**k' while looking over my shoulder. I turned around, and this massive guy covered in tats was walking straight towards us. I was gearing up to fight."

"The dude walks up and asks if he can buy my mate a beer. My mate had been his Correctional Officer when he was inside, but as he said, 'You treated me like a bloke.'"

"It was a little touching in retrospect. I'm just glad he didn't want to fight."

- Torrossaur

"I worked corrections for about six years in my younger years."

"I was at a bar with some friends one night. I hear someone call out the name the inmates called me (they called me a name of a rapper, something like Biggie Smalls)."

"I had a brief moment of 'Oh s**t, here we go' as he walked up, because even though I wasn't a d**k, you never know. I didn't recognize the guy, but he told me I had hooked him up with some phone time when he was trying to get his affairs in order before release."

"He thanked me for helping out, ordered a beer for me, and went on his way."

"99 percent of inmates are regular a** people that got caught up or made mistakes."

- Happy_Community_4330

Positive Check-Ins

"Yes, but they never had any bad intentions. I was a female officer in an all-male max facility with about 3,000 inmates, so you know, it could’ve gone bad quickly, but it never did."

"They were usually really excited to show me that they 'made it' by doing something positive, real, and legal with their life."

"I was chill and fair, so I never had any problems on the inside either. One of the guys lives in the same small community as me. He was just an 18-year-old kid with a short sentence; honestly, harmless."

- Flaky-Parfait-5603

Always Say No

"Former correctional officer here at a state prison. I had just quit a few months earlier (because the job sucks) and went back to college."

"I was out one night at a bar, and this guy comes up and says I look familiar then keeps coming around every couple of minutes. At this point, I'm a good 100 miles away from the prison and don't really socialize outside my circle, so I'm fairly certain this guy that's now bugging me had been locked up."

"I asked him if he had been in prison, and it clicked for him. I didn't recognize him because with over 2000 offenders, you're not going to remember anyone outside the regular troublemakers."

"He asked me for money, and I used the most important correctional officer skill of telling him no."

- Finaldreamer

A Small Act Of Kindness

"I wasn't a CO, but a former inmate. I was in a CVS a few months after the last bid I had done (I did a few) when I heard someone yell my last name. I turned around, and one of my COs was running towards me and gave me a hug."

"He was cool. He helped me fix my glasses when they fell off my bunk and broke. I'll never forget that."

"I'm so blind without them, and we rarely had an eye doctor there, so I was legit panicking."

- Emlamb79

A Grounding Experience

"I ran into one at Walmart. He greeted me by name and asked me how I was doing."

"He was one of the inmates who never caused trouble on the inside. I told him I was proud of him for staying free (he'd been out about three or four years and was doing well)."

"He shook my hand, and we kept it moving. Hardly a thrilling encounter, I know, but a mark of how far some of these guys have come."

- packersfan823

Respectful Through-and-Through

"(County jailer of six years): I am a petite woman. One time, a huge guy comes barreling through the Dollar General yelling, 'Miss, miss!'"

"My daughter looks at me in terror. The guy says, 'Remember me?!'"

"I recognized him. I said, 'How ya doin', Jim Bob?!' Yes, that was his real name."

"He was so happy to see me. He told me he was staying out of trouble. He told my daughter I was a good person."

"He died a couple of years ago at the age of 47."

- OutwestTexas

A Whole New Life

"I was a jail nurse. I see inmates out in public. If they say hello to me, I always acknowledge them back. I tell them I am so happy to see them having a normal life."

"Once I was at a laundromat, one of my well-known inmates was there. He was telling me all about his life and his job."

"He was with his wife, and she didn’t look too impressed that we were talking. I quickly looked at her and introduced myself. I explained he knew me because I was the jail nurse."

"Her whole demeanor changed. She then told me they were expecting another baby. That’s why he was helping her wash."

"I told her he had been very respectful towards the nurses, and I hoped everything went well."

- Public_Scallion1864

A Constant Companion

"My husband isn't on Reddit, so I'm going to answer for him. The guy approached him, all excited to see him at our corner store. He invited my husband to his house across the street to see the cat (my husband's favorite) that he took home from prison."

"Luckily, there have been no run-ins since, and no, my husband didn't go see the cat. Just told him he was glad he was doing well and went on his way."

- CinematicHeart

"Ok, hold up, I wanna know more bout the prison cat. Like, is it one that showed up in the yard one day and everyone cared for it? Or was it a Mr Jingles situation where no one could catch it, but it bonded specifically with this one inmate? I'm super curious."

- descendantoofJanus

"Many (or at least enough to notice) prisons have rehab programs that include animals, usually cats. They give the inmates something to care for and help with mental health, and often they are shelter pets, so it’s a win-win all around."

"It also usually results in a rather large drop in prison violence, as most prisons that have an animal program, the first privilege taken away is the animal, so no one wants to risk that."

- rihanoa

"When I was in Mississippi, I found a lost dog on a weekend. It was an incredibly sweet Great Dane and hopped in my truck. Animal control was closed, so I called the non-emergency number."

"They tell me, 'Oh, just take it on down to the jail.' I was very confused, but I did. Three inmates come out with a supervisor to get her."

"I asked what would happen if they couldn't find the owner (I love Danes and would have taken her in a heartbeat). They informed me that they have a whole setup with dogs, cats, and even donkeys and horses, that the inmates care for, and if they didn't find the owner, she would be integrated into their program."

"I went back a few days later with some crates, beds, and such that we were getting rid of at work (I work with animals), and got to see all the animals! It was amazing and made me so happy to see."

- InkdNPrcdAngl

The Future Looks Bright

"Not a prison guard, but a jail deputy. I see former inmates all the time. I try to treat all inmates with fairness and dignity while they are inside, and I have yet to have someone give me anything but kindness on the outside."

"As an aside, last summer I was at a minor league baseball game when I noticed a large group of former inmates sitting behind me. They were repeat offenders, so I had known them for years."

"I went over and sat with them and asked them what the occasion was. They were very proud to tell me that they were all in inpatient rehab together, and their rehab center took them all to a baseball game."

"It was really cool to see how proud they were of their sobriety. I introduced them to my wife and kids as well, and it was a really special experience."

- pappyjump0

Though going to jail or prison is something people frown upon, and while there are certainly negative experiences that can happen after doing time, it's important to remember that even situations like this do not have to mark the rest of your life.

These encounters can remind us not only that we're all humans who make mistakes, but that a little kindness is memorable and can truly change the trajectory of someone's life.