Judicial Punishment Lottery Pt. 04

The tour was a fascinating whirlwind of people and places. Much of it mundane, such as offices, computers and the like, some of it interesting, like the CCTV control room with its banks of monitor screens or the armoury, where lines of tasers, cabinets of CS gas canisters and suits of form-fitting Kevlar were stored, and some of it was frankly terrifying, like the corridor of soundproofed and sinister punishment rooms where she imagined she could hear the cries and screams from within. But the thing that struck her most of all was just how the people she met treated it all as so incredibly ordinary. They joked, drank tea and chatted about holidays and kids, overtime and bills, while all around them the business of processing and punishing the "guilty", was conducted with cool efficiency. It was just so fucking bizarre she thought.

Pete was waiting for her in the medical examination room. He appeared the same easy-going man who had carried out the excruciatingly embarrassing examination on her with his cold hands, and he rose from behind his desk as she entered the room.

"Hey Shona, so glad you came. How are you finding the tour?"

"It's a bit weird, to be honest."

Pete laughed and gave her a wry look, "Yeah, I remember my first day and I kept wondering how this torture chamber could be so bloody ordinary. Is that what you're thinking?"

"A bit, yeah."

"It's a good thing really, and once you think about it you'll figure out why on your own. Right! So, what can I tell you about this gig? Before I make my pitch, I want to know what you want to know. If you catch my drift."

Shona thought about it, "There's just so much to ask. Tell me about being a medic first. Do you just do medical stuff, do you punish people as well, what happens if someone just dies when they're being beaten or something."

"Here, have a seat. Right, well, that's a lot... Hmm, okay. Let's see. To unpack all that I kinda need to tell you a bit about the training and my responsibilities. That might make things a little clearer. Hey Karen, sorry to be a pest, but do you think you could maybe get us all a coffee or something cos this might take a bit of explaining."

He leaned his elbows on his desk and thought for a moment, "Okay, the first thing is that unless there's some kind of judicial fuckery going on or some kind of safety issue, like the building catching fire or something then a medical officer is the only person with the authority and obligation to end, modify or pause a judicial punishment that's been mandated by the court. Though obviously, you have to justify your reasoning if you do.

There are a number of reasons that justify such a decision, the most obvious being some medical issue, but it also includes things like the punishment being administered unsafely or in some inappropriate way, if equipment isn't being used properly or if the restraints are being applied incorrectly and a whole bunch of other things. So this means you have to know just about everything there is to know about the methods and practices, approved or otherwise and that's on top of the medical stuff."

Shona was fascinated, "That's a lot."

"No shit. It means your training would be significantly more in-depth than standard. You have to know everything the Correction Officer does and then some. Now while medics don't administer punishments in the course of their duties, because of the requirements I've already mentioned you will have to learn how they are carried out and that means participating in practical exercises during training where you would have to carry out punishments yourself."

Shona blinked, "Er, are those exercises just that, exercises right?"

"Yes and no. Most involve the use of things a bit like crash dummies for basic training. They're rigged up to show impact, force, trauma and all that stuff, but later you would have to transition to live subjects, volunteers, for more advanced training."

"Volunteers? People volunteer for this?"

The doctor laughed and gave her a very wry look, "Well, you would be one of them after all."

"What!? You're fucking kidding!"

"Nope. The training facility has a discipline regime, nothing mental, pretty much what you would expect in a para-military organisation and corporal punishment is used. Live subjects are needed for training, and it's a way of generating them. Don't worry, it's training, not like a full-blown punishment. There's no degradation or anything, but you might just end up with a sore arse for a day or two if you fuck up in some way. Truthfully, most of the volunteers are from the community service program. For every day they agree to volunteer they get an extra day chopped off their sentence, and again, it's training, not designed to do damage, though it can still hurt."

"That's fucked up."

"Well, it is voluntary, they don't get pressured into it. The absolute worst that can happen to them is they get caned. Now nobody gets a full-blown caning on an exercise, lighter implements are used and it's normally a maximum of a couple of dozen strokes over a class, not all delivered in one go. Afterwards, they get a day of medical recuperation that also counts towards their community service."

"So, its not so bad as a normal caning?"

"No, I mean I bet it still hurts, but they won't get marked up or anything. Usually, the next day they are right as rain, though maybe a little tender I suppose, and the recuperation day is almost like a day off. Or so I'm told."

"What else?"

"Hmm, well the course is very physical. There is a lot of physical training and self-defence, as well as training in how to use armour and weapons, like batons and tasers."

"Jesus, really?"

"Yea, remember just cos you're a medic doesn't mean some loony won't try and stab you with a concealed shiv. Some of the people we deal with are quite nasty. So, everyone has to be trained to be able to deal with that if they have to, and that includes you."

"Holy shit, I never even considered half of this stuff, I thought it would be just like being a nurse, only here."

"Your medical experience will be absolutely invaluable Shona. Without blowing smoke up your arse you're quite a catch to be honest. A fully trained and experienced nurse, who also has ER experience. It's like a dream come true for the recruiters, trust me. But there's a lot of other stuff that goes with it. I mean we do some pretty horrible stuff to be honest. It's all legal, all legit, but it isn't nice. Some folks think its necessary, some folks are using it for their own political ends and it's up to us to make sure that as we do this thing and don't become total sadistic bell-ends."

He sighed and looked about the room, "So, things in training you might not like, or will find a bit fucked up... Okay, it starts with a week-long local induction course. That's pretty much observations and lectures. During that course you'll see some nasty shit. You'll visit a short-term prison and witness "corrective therapy" in practice, and that's not for the faint-hearted. This part of the training is to weed out those who can't take it. It's not for everyone and It's best to get rid of them early, for their own good, and ours I suppose."

Shona grimaced, "That sounds pretty horrible, but it makes sense I suppose. A lot of nurses do their training and then maybe get sent to a sick-kids ward, and that's a test and no mistake. It can take it out of the best of us."

"Exactly. So, what else? Oh, this you'll hate, sorry. After that one-week induction course, there's a sixteen-week residential course at our central training facility. As I say, it's residential but you get home at weekends, so it's not utterly horrible, but.... Well during that training period all cadets get a taste of a punishment session. It's usually halfway through the sixteen-week period and it's aimed to let candidates feel what it's like when they inflict that same punishment on others. I guess it's supposed to engender some level of empathy and discourage sadism, but who knows."

"Oh, for fuck's sake Pete!"

"Yea, I know, but that's what they do. It's been that way since the program started and I can't see them changing it. For what it's worth, and it isn't much, everyone goes through it and it's a taster, not a full-blown sentence. It'll be something like six with a cane or some such. Extremely unpleasant, but not dangerous or harmful."

"I've already had that and it fucking sucks."

"Yeah, well you won't be the only one whose had a traffic stop or a ticket and maybe you'll be able to help the others get through it, I dunno. Your insight should be useful for those willing to listen at least. But you're right, it's unpleasant and it weeds out a lot of trainees."

"Anything else?"

"I guess so. I'm not sure how you'll feel about this but there are "skin days". Karen ever mention them?"

"No, she has remained entirely silent on the matter but I'm sure from your tone I'll be discussing it with her at length later..."

Pete grinned, "It's weird but not that bad to be honest. Every week at least one day is designated a "skin day". On that day all cadets train in the nude, except footwear."

"You have got to be kidding!"

"Nope. And if you think it through it's not actually that bad an idea. You see we deal with an enormous amount of enforced nudity. Embarrassment is not a thing we can afford. If some guy comes in with a tiny penis or a woman with gigantic breasts for instance, we can't blush or react, that would shame the person and it would look unprofessional. We don't know how much shit they've gone through in their life because of some physical peculiarity. They might have been bullied for years or whatever, so we don't react to their physique. The courts may decide they get shamed by the public, but outwith that we treat them with as much dignity as we can while still doing our duty. It's a disciplinary offence to taunt someone based on their physical characteristics, especially anything that smacks of sexual innuendo or mockery. Anyway, the first "skin day" is pretty traumatic for some, but after a couple, most folks get totally used to it and it barely raises an eyebrow."

Karen shrugged and sipped her coffee, "Some folks get to enjoy it. Funnily enough, it also really inspires folks to hit the gym."

After these revelations, Pete chatted about the more mundane aspects such as pay and conditions, and Shona was amazed to find she would earn more than twice her current salary as soon as her training commenced and that it increased incrementally as she gained experience and greater responsibilities.

By the end of the talk, she had a great deal of information to process, and Pete handed her a packet containing various recruitment pamphlets and an initial application form.

"Here you go Shona, take your time to think it through. I really hope you'll apply, I'm not a recruiter but I think you would make an outstanding officer, not just because of your medical experience but because I think you've got the right character for the role, but it is a big step. Anyway, I've battered your eardrums long enough. Anything you want to ask before we finish."

"Yeah, do you enjoy it, and do you think it's a worthwhile thing to do?"

"Ooh, hard questions. Yes, I enjoy it. Don't get me wrong there are bad days when I want to burn the building to the ground, but you get that everywhere I suppose. But on the whole, you work with good people," he grinned, "well except for Karen of course, she's horrible."

Karen chuckled and extended her index finger in the traditional one-fingered salute, "Cheers Pete."

"Is it worthwhile? Hmm, I think so. People come here to suffer true, and to pay their debt to society, but you do your best to make sure they're safe, treated humanely, not unlawfully abused, and you have to stand your ground if someone decides to make it personal or breach protocol. You have to have principles and stick to them. So yes, I think it's worthwhile. Does that help?"

"Thanks, Pete, I think it does"

The medic grinned and shook her hand, "Okay, I'm afraid I'm going to have to kick you out now, I've got a couple of customers coming through, think it was a domestic or something. But maybe I'll see you later. Best of luck Shona."

As they made their way back to the canteen Shona gave her companion an aggrieved look, "Why didn't you mention the punishments and those 'skin days' then Officer Milton?"

"Truthfully, I didn't want to put you off. I like the idea of you applying, but I'll understand if it's too much. The training can be pretty hard, and I remember more than a few nights when I hit my bed so tired I couldn't even undress."

Shona grinned, "Did you ever get in trouble?"

"Oh fuck yes. My uniform looked like a bag of tatties half the time and I got shit for that, but the worst was when me and a bunch of girls sneaked off campus and hit a local nightclub. We got totally shitfaced and got caught trying to sneak back in. Oh boy, we got it good... Hmm, might have been worth it though."

"What's the campus like?"

"Pretty modern, it's got some good facilities, a big pool, a fitness centre, weights room, a student's lounge and a bar, as well as a shop, oh and its in its own grounds, surrounded by a good bit of woodland."

Eventually, they reached the canteen, a sizeable room with several tables and chairs arrayed about. Along one wall was a counter where servers would take orders and dish out snacks, meals and drinks. There were a couple of fairly comfortable sofas arrayed in front of a large wall-screen television currently displaying a news channel.

Karen nodded to them, "Hey Shona you might like this. Because we operate on a twenty-four-hour timetable the ladies there serve up meals for whoever wants them every six hours. In between times, there's coffee, tea, cold drinks and sandwiches available. There's a standard deduction on your wages for the service but it's pretty tiny, you can opt out, but the service is so good nobody ever does, oh and you can use it on your days off, which is cool if you're ever skint."

Shona grinned happily, "Now this I could get used to, our canteen sucks. It's tiny and someone's always used up the last of the coffee, or milk or whatever. We barely have biscuits."

There were a few people in the canteen, a mixture of correction officers, visitors, a couple of legal observers and some technicians who had been working on some glitch in the CCTV system. Shona spotted Kate easily enough as she was the only naked person in the room. She was sitting with an older woman, who wore a pair of rimless spectacles and had a friendly smiling face, and brown wavy hair. She wore the uniform of a Correction Officer, with all the formidable and intimidating implements of her trade neatly attached to her utility belt but despite that, she gave off an air of almost motherly concern and Shona almost giggled as she immediately recognised the type, "Oh my God, they've got their own version of Joyce, it's amazing."

"Hey Kate, how goes it? Do you mind if we sit with you guys?"

Kate smiled, "Sure, pull up a pew," she nodded to her companion, "This is Maggie, she's been my guardian angel here."

Karen nodded to the women, "I'll head over and grab us some coffee, you guys need a refill or anything?"

Assured the two were fine Karen headed over to the serving area, nodding amiably to a couple of fellow officers as she did so.

Maggie meantime had extended her hand to Shona, "Officer Margaret McGregor, folks call me Maggie, how are you?"

"Fine, pleased to meet you. Kate says you're her guardian angel?"

Maggie smiled, "I'm trying to keep her out of trouble. So far, I've been mostly successful."

Kate pouted, "I couldn't help it, I spilt stuff everywhere, it was all over both of us and it just blurted out. How was I to know he had company?"

Maggie just shook her head, "Well it's in the past and he wasn't too upset after all. What did you get? A minor correction only, and the officer was pretty laid back about the whole thing, wasn't he?"

Kate nodded, "Yeah, I didn't even get restrained, just bent over a bench and my arse smacked a few times," she grinned mischievously, "I don't think his heart was in it, to be honest."

"Oh, would you like to make a complaint and get him to do it properly my dear?"

"Hell no! I think I'll just count my blessings."

"Smart girl."

The correction officer turned to Shona and nodded at the handful of forms and pamphlets she was carrying, "You think of joining us, Shona?"

"I'm seriously considering it yes; I was just in chatting to Pete?"

"Pete? Oh! You a medic then?"

"I'm currently a nurse."

"That's great! We're seriously short of qualified and experienced medical people. I hope it goes well for you. Currently, Pete and other medics are sometimes pulling double shifts. I mean they must be making a fortune in overtime, but I bet it must get knackering after a while."

Shona laughed, "Sounds better than pulling double shifts without getting paid, which is what I'm doing sometimes."

"Yeah, you guys get shafted all the time. It's not fair."

Shona gave the woman a fatalistic shrug, "C'est la vie I guess."

Karen came back with coffee and a plate of biscuits, "Hey Shona, I'm gonna talk with a couple of guys I haven't seen for a while, that okay?"

"Sure, I'm sure these guys will look after me for a bit, right guys?"

"Sure, no probs"

"Happy to."

Turning back to the naked woman Shona smiled and pushed the biscuits forward, "So Kate, how are you finding this nude malarkey? They treat you okay?"

Kate chuckled, "I have to admit it freaked me out at first, but you know what? It's really not so bad, I don't think anyone even sneaked a photo or anything on their phone, certainly, nobody took the piss or put a hand on me. Plus, the building is warm enough, so I don't freeze my tits off, well except once when the Sergeant got me to sweep the exercise yard, that's like this enclosed area, but it's got no roof, so it was Baltic. Course, it was my own bloody fault. There was a coat on a hanger for me to use, but I missed it."

"They let you wear a coat?"

She giggled, "Just for the exercise yard, otherwise I'm restricted to my sandals and sometimes my trusty marigold gloves. I think my nipples were blue by the time I swept that bloody place. Still, it makes a good story. I'm looking forward to writing about it"

"Writing?"

"Oh, I write for the university newspaper and I'm writing a piece about this. I'm thinking of calling it "Adventures of a Naked Cleaner" or something along those lines. But this place has given me a lot of material."

"For the article?"

Kate blushed and toyed with her cup, "Er... not exactly."

Maggie just grinned, "Go on, tell her."

"Well, I like to write and I'm writing a story."

"Yeah?"

Kate was turning an alarming shade of red, and Shona couldn't help but be fascinated, "Oh yeah, what kind of story?"

The girl squirmed and muttered, "It's erotic fiction. I like to send stories into a website, and they sometimes publish them."

"So, by your blushes, I take it this one involves naked cleaning?"

Kate looked up and Shona could see her eyes sparkling as she started chatting about the plot of her story, "Well my idea is that our heroine gets in trouble for something she didn't do and after a bit of corporal punishment she has to do all this naked community service, only the correction officers are a bunch of bastards, sorry Maggie, and make her do all this sexual stuff."

Maggie laughed and butted in, "I told her I wanted to be a right villain."

Kate continued, "So the heroine pretty much gets shagged left right and centre for a bit, with some spankings and bondage thrown in, until she gets rescued by one of the correction officers who totally falls for her. Hey, does your friend know Mike?"