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Part 5: Hector Bravo: White Prisoners are Known for Best Weapons, Crips & Bloods Fight Themselves
Part 3: Hector Bravo Describes His First Kill in Iraq, Victim's Father Shook His Hand After
Part 1: Hector Bravo on Dad Being a C.O., Saw Dad Approached By Ex-Inmate He Shot
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Upon returning from military service, Hector Bravo battled severe PTSD, leading to heavy drinking and drug use. In 2006, he turned his life around by quitting drugs cold turkey to become a corrections officer (CO) at Centinela State Prison, where his father also worked. Hector's first assignment was daunting: managing a dorm of 100 inmates with just one other CO. This dorm exclusively housed Sureño gang members due to persistent riots and inter-racial violence.
Bravo described the intense fear and danger, acknowledging that attention from inmates often focused on COs due to the homogenous population. Officers were constantly at risk, with some being severely beaten or stabbed. The Southern Hispanic code dictated that any conflict with a guard or another race demanded full gang participation, making the job perilous. Despite the fear, Bravo did not let it paralyze him, aiming to maintain order in a highly volatile environment.
