I would love to go into such a beautiful place, being a photographer. But some of these comments say there is a silent alarm, and others say they got in.. That confuses me.

I actually live in the neighborhood right next to Paul Dever. Kids have been vandalizing that place for years - obvisouly, from the looks of the pictures. It's just really upsetting to me that all of those records were left out. When I was in high school a girl brought in an old patient file and was showing it all of her friends. The patient was a young girl that had ran away from the facility. She thought it was sooo funny (but not to the rest of us it isn't) Also, on a different note, a movie was just filmed there over the summer, I think it's starring Bruce Willis? But anyways....

I can only imagine the utter sadness and fear as prisoners were brought here.

Love the photos Motts. Well done!!!

Do you think that maybe these people had no where to turn? No family or friends? Not all places have homeless shelters, and once you get into a rut, it is VERY hard to get out of. I have a few friends that when I met them they were homeless, it takes a lot to get out of that rut, and if you have no one helping you, showing you the way, you are more likely never to get out of it.

I for one have done coke. I have done it quite a few times, at parties and what not. Kinda like some people are social drinkers, I was a social coker. I never bought it, it was always supplied, and never did I ever feel that I NEEDED it to keep going. I have done it, walked away for a few days, months, years... and gone back and done it again. It is a fun drug, but you have to know your limit. If you dont know your limit, then that is when you become addicted...at least thats how I see it. But I guess it is different for many people.

But what I'm wondering is how the topic of discussion here is become addicted to drugs. Why not just recognize the irony of the drug photo and get back to seeing this place for the beauty within it?