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Salt Lake County Jail

3415 S 900 W
Salt Lake City, UT

Interview with Mickey, Nate, Anne, Ryan, Erik and Chris

JM: How long was your sentencing for?
Mickey: 1 year with 10 months suspended.
Nate: 31 days
Anne: I was given a six month sentence (suspended) plus alcohol and drug classes through Sequoia counseling agency, as well as a 18 month probationary period with Salt Lake County Probation.
Ryan: Bailed out, so no sentencing
Erik: I was out in for 17 days and was released for supervised probation
Chris: I had served 30 went on the run and then served 30 more and did 30 on an ankle monitor.

JM: Did you spend time in a holding cell after your sentencing? If so, what was that like? If you didn't where did they they take you instead?
Mickey: Yes. It took probably 10-12 hrs. from the time I was brought to the jail to the time I was placed in quarantine.
Nate: No. I voluntarily had to report to the jail on certain date.
Anne: Oh my God. I was a first timer, and I was in such a state of shock I alternated between a low steady moan and an uncontrollable loud sobbing. I was cold and just could not believe I was handcuffed inside of 4 concrete walls. At the Jail, the sheriffs took me from the courtroom holding cell after about an hour to the basement to await prisoner transport. At this time, I was oblivious to the incredible mistreatment I was about to take. A male officer put me in a holding cell in the basement alone. After maybe 30 minutes, I could hear feet shuffling toward me. Sitting on the bench handcuffed and cross-legged, I looked up to see two Sheriffs- one maybe 50 and the other 30ish looking into the cell directly at me and hard. One of them shouts through the glass (much louder than necessary for me to hear him) What you got there between your legs? I was so shocked I don't think I really processed the comment until after they walked off. He shouted two more times something to the effect, "Whats between your legs, what are you hiding., Uncross your legs"..etc. I finally stammered that I was a female (absolutely confused because I HAD JUST BEEN THOROUGHLY SEARCHED DOWN TO THE UNDERWEAR and THE SUGGESTION THAT THEY NEEDED TO CONDUCT ANOTHER SEARCH..AND THIS TIME FOR A MORE GENDER- IDENTIFICATION PURPOSE I felt openly brutalized,..provoked with other inmates in holding cells all around me within ears shot. For a period of maybe two hours another female was placed in the same holding cell with me. Right after the guards pushed her in and slammed the door, she turned to me and asked if I was okay. "I heard the whole thing and that was just wrong what they did. I asked her if she would be willing to sign a statement stating what she had heard and seen and she agreed but we had no way to exchange information such as telephone numbers. The two officers came back, barking that they had question of my gender identity. After a 2ND humiliating search and taunting comments about how the gender identification was necessary to preserve the security of other prisoners? I calmly asked for the male officer who yelled the first offending comments and the female who proudly stated that she had had to do this routine with other(s) of "them" implying the transexual nature.
Ryan: left in the 'bull pen' for roughly 5 hours
Erik: I was put back in the court holding cell and transported back to the jail. The jail took 5-6 hours to get the judges release order processed and to release me.
Chris: Yes I spent time in a holding cell after sentencing. It was cold hard cement with about 50 other guys then it was back to the jail cell at SLCJ.

Have you ever wondered what life is like in the Salt Lake County Jail? Maybe you drive by it on your way to work, or perhaps you or someone you know is looking at serving some time there. Either way, you have come to the right place to have your questions answered.

We have interviewed former inmates of Salt Lake County, who have filled us in on what the food is like, how the court system works, and many other details about day to day life in this jail. You can read their interviews by clicking on links to the left. Take a few minutes to read their stories and learn what life is really like in the Salt Lake County Jail.

Food
Salt Lake County provides inmates with three meals per day. Unfortunately, the food does not rate very highly. Breakfast usually consists of a rotation of biscuits with gravy, grits, corn flakes and sometimes eggs and potatoes. Lunch is usually bologna and bread, ham salad (otherwise known as "cat food") or the occasional hot dogs.

Dinners are usually hot and include foods like goulash, spaghetti and burger patties. Portions are small and the food is not well seasoned. Once a month, the jail will serve special meals like burritos, and sometimes even cake or pie.

Inmates who have money in their accounts can order a variety of snacks and other types of food from the commissary. Having money to buy things off commissary has made jail time more bearable for many inmates, and is highly recommended to those who are coming into the jail.

Passing the Time
One of the most difficult parts of serving time is fighting boredom and trying to stay busy. Salt Lake County does provide some facilities to help pass the time. Books are available to the inmates, as well as various games such as chess and dominoes.

There is usually an inmate or two with a deck of playing cards, and an inmate favorite is spades. Sometimes there are racket balls in the yard and the inmates will play handball. Television is also provided in the main living areas.


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