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Leisure Time

Interview with Kyle, Randy, Tyler, Dave and Melissa

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Kyle: Depends on the floor. But all had at least one t.v. which everyone would fight over which channel to watch. Chess, cards sometimes dominoes. 2-3 hours a week we went to a very small rec room to shoot hoops share a weights machine. There was also church and AA some would consider rec. Books were hard to come by.
Randy: THEY HAD TELEVISIONS, THEY OFFERED THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE RADIO HEADSETS AND THEY HAD MOVIES ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. THEY HAD AN OUTSIDE COURT AREA TO PLAY BALL ETC AND WALK AND SIT. THEY SOMETIMES BROUGHT IN EXTRA FOOD IF INMATES AGREED TO WORK AND CLEAN THE POD. BEST PART WAS THE ACCESS TO THE OUTDOOR COURTYARD ANYTIME THE POD WAS OPEN
Tyler: They had showers, razor time for those who had court appearences. Some rec time but I didn't have any. There was mass for those that were finding God for what they did. Some played cards others walked but that consisted of maybe 50ft back and forth. There wasn't that much.
Dave: THE FACILITIES INCLUDED TWO TELEVISION SETS, AND AN OUTSIDE COURTYARD WHERE YOU COULD PLAY BALL, RELAX OR WALK AROUND ETC. YOU COULD GET BOOKS AND YOU COULD BUY RADIO HEADSETS TO LISTEN TO MUSIC IF YOU HAD THE MONEY TO DO SO. ONE OF THE TV'S WAS ON ENGLISH AND ONE WAS ON SPANISH
Melissa: Books and Puzzles on carts, open yard access. I know there are classes and church, but don't know the details. There is a physical fitness room where people did aerobics to videos on a tv screen.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Kyle: The t.v is an issue wherever you are. Not only having to decide on what channel but also how loud. Everything is cement so it echos. Then guys would talk louder over the t.v. We would rotate between what the whites, blacks and spanish inmates would decide on. More times than not it would end up in a fight.
Randy: THERE WERE TWO TV'S PER POD AND THEY HAD ONE ON SPANISH AND ONE ON ENGLISH AND THERE DID NOT SEEM TO BE A LOT OF COMPETITION FOR THE TELEVISIONS. THE HEADSETS WERE FOR PURCHASE SO NO COMPETITION FOR THAT EITHER AND THAT WAS ABOUT ALL THEY HAD AVAILABLE FOR US.
Tyler: There really wasn't any competition for entertainment, we had a TV. The ones who had been in the longest had the control of the TV. One just had to watch the history channel. The other complained all the time but except for movie night we watched the history channel. Movies were a proble because we were never out long enough to see the whole movie
Dave: SINCE YOU HAD TO BUY YOUR OWN RADIO HEADSETS, THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE IF YOU HAD THE MONEY AND THEY HAD PLENTY OF THEM AVAILABLE. IT DID NOT SEEM THAT THE COMPETITION FOR THE BOOKS OR THE TELEVISIONS WAS ALL THAT FIERCE FOR ANYONE NOR DID IT TURN INTO FIGHTS OVER IT.
Melissa: There was plenty for everyone.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Kyle: Rec time was limited but so were books so you had to work out in your cell to stay busy and sane. A lot of guys got in better shapre because there's no food, alcohol or drugs.
Randy: IF YOU DID NOT JUST DO YOUR OWN EXCERCISING, YOU WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME AS THERE WAS NOT ANY EQUIPMENT TO DO THIS.
Tyler: Yes. We got very little excersize and the food was not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. The average weight gain was 5-15lbs per month.
Dave: IF YOU DID NOT DO YOUR OWN WORKOUT SUCH AS SITUPS AND PUSHUPS, YOU WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME AS THERE WERE NO EXCERCISE EQUIPMENT
Melissa: I was not there long enough.

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?
Kyle: No outside ever. The Rec area is a three walled area with the 4th being a fence of sort to be able to get fresh air. Problem is when it rains or snows then there's no Rec
Randy: I WAS ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE ANYTIME THE POD WAS IN THE OPEN MODE AND YOU COULD PLAY BALL, WALK OR JUST SIT AND RELAX.
Tyler: We never went outside due to the weather. It was cold and we weren't given outdoor clothes. The only exercise was walking but the sandals that we had to wear made that almost impossibe
Dave: YOU COULD GO OUTSIDE ANY TIME THAT THE GENERAL POD WAS OPEN AND YOU COULD WALK AROUND, RELAX OR PLAY BALL OUT THERE IF YOU WANTED.
Melissa: There is open yard access as long as it's not "Lights Out" from 11pm-5:30am. There is a fitness room inside, with videos and people do aerobics and weights.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Kyle: Once a week sometimes twice we were able to sign up for an hour long service. There was Catholic, Indian, Buddism. Most of the time people just went to get out of there cells
Randy: YES THEY DID AND THEY WERE HELD ONCE A WEEK. THEY WERE HELD OUTSIDE THE POD BY PRIVATE VOLUNTEERS IN A CONFERENCE ROOM.
Tyler: Yes I never attended so I really dont know what they were like. I do know that some just used it to get out of there cell.
Dave: THEY DID OFFER CHURCH SERVICES THROUGH VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME TO THE JAIL AND THE SERVICES WERE HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOMS AND WERE DECENT.
Melissa: Yes, but I don't know the details.

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