DENVER — Victims and families of victims of the Aurora Theater Shooting learned this week that James Holmes, the convicted gunman, has been transferred to a high-security federal prison in Pennsylvania.
The prison's name is USP Allenwood, and although details from inside the prison are scarce, publicly available information paints a picture of what the man who is serving 12 life sentences may experience on a daily basis.
According to prison information, prisoners will wake up each day at 6 a.m., with showers available between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. in each cell block.
Between Monday and Friday, every prisoner is required to maintain a job in the prison, and labor is mandatory between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
After work, showers are again available between 1 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
In their off time, prisoners have several services available to them, including a commissary, which provides goods to prisoners who have the funds to pay for them. There's an available library, which has legal resources, along with typewriters and other items of use to prisoners. There is a barber shop that opens three times daily between Monday and Friday. And there is a phone system for inmates in good standing and who have the funds to pay for its use. The phone system allows for phone calls or messaging options.
When entering the high security prison — which is one of three Allenwood prisons, a system that includes a medium and low security — prisoners are allowed to bring certain items.
Chief among the items is one radio or watch, a plain wedding band or a plain religious medal, personal photos, small hobby craft items and an approved musical instrument.
Prisoners are offered a bulletin board in their cells where they can hang approved photos — lewd photos will be confiscated — and a locker where they can store a limited amount of personal items.
Items the prisoners possess are subject to inspection without warning, and can be confiscated if they are suspected of being against prison policy.
In addition to being able to possess certain items and access various prison facilities, there are a few educational opportunities, psychiatry programs and other programs for prisoners to better their wellbeing.
In USP Allenwood, prisoners aren't able to visit within different units, however prisoners within the same unit are allowed to gather in the same cells during certain periods of time. Only four prisoners can be in one cell at a time.
Each cell unit has the ability to have a television, although the use of the television is considered a prison privilege.
Details weren't immediately available on the size of the cells.
