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Leisure Time

Interview with Maria, Tommy, Mark, Marilyn, Rafael and Blair

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Maria: none
Tommy: fresno county none
Mark: You can read, play some cards, watch TV, but time goes very slow, there is no place to sit comfortably, only your bunk or the floor sometimes
Marilyn: they offered once a week gym/you had tv and books and church. you can go to visiting, to clinic and to interviews with attorney. you can go to law library,and if you are a inmate worker you get one extra visit a week, and your cell stays open when the other inmates are locked in.
Rafael: Basketball, tv, card games, books and pull up bars
Blair: The jail gave us time in the "yard" twice per week. There was also a game room that did not have any games, only pull up bars and a table. The jail offered a bible study group which met once per week. Other than that the only things we could do is play cards, chess, checkers or work out.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Maria: n\a
Tommy: nothing was there to pass time
Mark: 1 TV on each level of each pod, our pod had two levels so one TV was english, the other spanish and you have no control over the channel
Marilyn: well in each pod there is only one TV, this is the only entertainment they offer. if you are in a pod where there are Spanish speaking inmates, they get a window of time they get to watch TV. and if your in a cell with a bully or someone who's been there along time they usually control the TV. so usually you dont get to watch what u want.
Rafael: It was fierce. Thier was only one tv. The Hispanics wanted to watch Spanish tv and none speaking people wanted to watch their tv
Blair: The day-room had two televisions. One television played English programming and the other played only Spanish programming. The competition was fierce in the evening to watch favorite programs. Television was voted on at times, but usually it came down to what the majority group wanted. The majority group was the muscle group and controlled the television.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Maria: yes
Tommy: no
Mark: You try and walk, do pushups, chin ups, but it is difficult.
Marilyn: yes of course they starch up the food and only offer outside or gym time once a week and only for 1 hour
Rafael: No I didn't. I had a hard time stay in shape when I wasn't in custody.
Blair: Part of the everyday program was a workout routine. It was easy to join in on a workout or to create your own workout routine. The day-room had dip bars, pull up bars and the rest was up to individual ingenuity.

JM: How often did you get to go outside? What did you do outside if you were allowed to? If you were not allowed to go outside what could you do for exercise?
Maria: two times a week
Tommy: never went outside fresno county doesnt have a yard
Mark: Never
Marilyn: well i believe the time i spent in jail i never went outside or to the gym. the only exercise i got was walking around in the pod
Rafael: I was allowed to go use a restroom out side. Ill walk to the restroom and back. Ill take my time on waking back ill try on talking to good looking ladies.... Haha
Blair: We were given two days in the yard. The yard had a basketball court, ping pong table, work out equipments and was large enough to run laps.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Maria: yes ok far
Tommy: yes
Mark: Yes, on sundays, and they are not bad
Marilyn: they do offer church services on sunday i believe. i went one time and never again. most of the inmates just go there to see other inmates from other pods. they talk and goof around so the church service isn't enjoyable
Rafael: Yes but I didn't attend to none of them.
Blair: Every Wednesday evening a person showed up to hold a Bible study class. The class was held in a private room with some benches. The class was one hour long and lead by a man with limited Bible knowledge. Everyone attended, even if they did not know English. The leader did not speak any other language.

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