Coexistence
A significant portion of a low's population is serving time for sex offenses. This is a defining feature of low security and it is not optional to understand.
Everyone coexists
A significant portion of a low's population is serving time for sex offenses. There is no separate compound, no separate chow hall, no separate yard. You will stand in lines with these men, work alongside them, and sit near them at meals.
What is expected of you
The rule, and it is understood everywhere, is that you do not go out of your way to interact. You do not seek them out, you do not eat with them, you do not partner with them on things, and you do not develop visible friendships.
You also do not harass them, and nobody expects you to. That is not how a low functions. Men who go looking for that kind of trouble create problems for their own car and get dealt with accordingly.
Incidental interaction is fine. Working the same detail is fine. Basic civility is fine and expected.
What nobody says
Some of the best conversations I had were with men in that population. They were often the most educated people on the compound, frequently the most articulate, and generally the least interested in performing anything.
I am not asking you to do anything with that. I am telling you because it is true, because nobody says it, and because you will notice it yourself within a month and wonder whether something is wrong with you. Nothing is wrong with you.
The social rule still applies regardless of what you privately conclude. Observe it.
Staff at a low
Officers here are generally reasonable, and the visibility problem is sharper than at a camp. Two things the general staff guidance does not cover.
Hand the rest of this site to your family
You will not be able to look things up once you're inside. They can, and this is where: everything written for the one waiting — a twelve-part guide to mail, visiting, money, and your release date, plus their own FAQ and checklist. Alongside it, a guide to every facility with email alerts when visiting stops, the support group directory, calculators for your release math, and free answers when they have questions.
Send them the link before you report, not after they can't reach you.
These pages cover the general rules. Your situation has details they don't. Email me a question. Answers are free, and "you don't need to pay anyone for this" is my most common answer.
I answer in the order received, usually within a couple of days. I have a day job. If your situation genuinely needs more than an email, I take a limited number of consults, so say so and we'll work it out.
Somebody else just found out they got a low. Pass it on.