The warden and his staff have devised some procedures which have drastically reduced the girls’ misbehavior. The board of directors probably suspected something, but the results spoke for themselves—very few disciplinary hearings and rare extended sentences. So no questions asked.

How did they do it? A demerit system was established. On many Friday evenings, girls who had earned demerits reported to a punishment room, where severe and unforgettable spankings were administered. The offending girls’ names were posted on a message board at the Friday noon meal. A young lady knew she had been awarded demerits, but it wasn’t a certainty she would be called immediately. She might have to wait. This anxiety contributed to the self-restraint among the resident population.

A wrinkle was added after a few months. A random innocent girl was added to the punishment list. This demonic procedure created great tension at the message board and twisted not a few stomachs into knots. The frequency with which the prettier or more voluptuous girls were selected suggested this process might not be so random.

And after another month or so, yet another procedure was added. The selected girls were often rebellious, despite the punishment. One of the more sadistic guards instituted an enema, a slow and irritating one, for the girl who was the most difficult and least cooperative. On some nights, this led the girls to almost volunteer for their.

FRIDAY

On the message board: Brandy-she had fought with another girl in the laundry; Kiki-had to be told too many times to do tasks; Barbara-helping herself to others’ clean underwear; and Nancy, an innocent confined for just two weeks, who hardly knew the procedures.

The girls reported to the punishment room at 7 pm and settled on a wooden bench to wait. The sessions would be, for first-timers, 15 minutes each, plenty of time to be given a sore bottom which would last for weeks.

The guard came out a side door. “You two, Brandy and Kiki, follow me.” Into another small room. “Kiki, take off all your clothes and put them in that basket. If you are not completely naked when I return, your session will be extended, and you’ve heard you don’t want that.” WORKING