I've been in a 'prison' only once in my life - not a cop jail cell - for a visit. My band in the late 70s had a full-time light guy who we all were good friends with. While gigging with his next band they decided to let a groupie ride the bus with them after a show. Some time later she starts puking all over the place so they pull over and let her out.
She starts hitching and gets picked up by a Mass State Cop. Next thing you know my bud is arrested for a
"rock and roll fueled gang rape on a tour bus!!!" Made the TV news and all the papers. Next thing you know it's on TV that he's been sentenced to Walpole State Prison for a significant sentence.
We kept in touch throughout most of it. The chick was wild and was doing everyone and everything on the bus. After they threw her off she was pissed and got picked up by a Statey. One dude got nailed for insertion while my bud and another guy got accessory (for each holding a leg - I shit you not). The Walpole thing was all for the press. He was transferred almost immediately to a place in Western MA that was basically a college campus surrounded by barbed wire and dudes with guns.
Me and the drummer took the long drive to see him once. The process to get in was pretty strict - my buddy gave the tiniest bit of lip and immediately was shown the door before ever seeing our bud. My visit consisted of sitting at a picnic table outside on a beautiful autumn day and catching up for 20 minutes. I think he was released after only 18 months or something like that. He hadn't had a previous record prior to the bus thing.