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Leisure Time

Interview with Sarah, Sam, Corey, Emma and Jeff

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Sarah: gym library church school aa na
Sam: There was a TV, basketball court. Pull up bar. I read a lot of books and letters.
Corey: nothing, T.V thats it. unless you want to read a lot, or draw if you have money for a pen and some paper,..the library there is mostly law books..so unless your a legal asst. that shits mind boggling. Mostly i did a lot of drawing and self reflecting,..i did hapen to look some legal things for another guy..but wouldnt advise doing so. could casue you to get into trouble
Emma: We were allowed to go on the basketball courts, to either play basketball, or choose to play a large game of volley ball. In addition, there was bible study, AA, schooling(college and GED) for those who wished to attend. We had the option to stay in and play Spades(Card game) read, watch TV (if available) speak on the phone, draw, write, read the paper, shower, and exercise by walking, or running around the basketball court.
Jeff: Not much only thing we could do was play in the gym. or watch tv. most guys played chess all day every day or guys played cards all day every day. or you could read books or the local news paper. good luck getting the news paper in one piece

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Sarah: tv was game shows
Sam: No there weren't any problems like that that I could see.
Corey: you can make a request for what you want to watch ..but good luck with that. theres always a tv monster in the doorm somewhere.... cops just sit and get a check, they dont care if yer dying on the floor, you have to BE DEAD..then they might get out of the chair. as for asking for a remote from a cop..forget it,,they would just walk away and pretend not to hear ya.
Emma: Competition was extremely fierce, but I am a competitive person, and was always involved in the games. Whether it was basketball or volleyball, I was always on the court. The teams ended up being the same every time, so the teams ended up despising each other. Sometimes it got dirty, (name calling, spikes aimed at players during volleyball) even other inmates from different blocks watching the games and saying things, or gesturing negative things to other inmates-these were also directed at me.
Jeff: yes I had access to the tvs. there was 4 tvs and guys were preety fair about what the majority wanted to watch. me personally I listened to my radio which I bought through commissary. which is 5 dollars at walmart costs an inmate 30 dollars plus 5 dollars for batteries

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Sarah: no
Sam: Not really. I do loss a of weight. You're constantly hungry.
Corey: I didnt work out in the county ,,there wasnt enough food to eat to do both..maintain yer weight and build yer muscles
Emma: I was actually inspired to work out more while I was in jail. I felt that now that I had more time to myself, I should use it to get in shape. The running, push ups, sit ups, dips, and any other thing I could go was easy to keep up with on a daily basis. It was the food that made it difficult to stay in shape. They load you with enriched carbohydrates and refined sugars, they do not supply a healthy diet for inmates.
Jeff: yes and no. no because the food is all processed and doesn't digest very good. and yes because you have all the time to do push ups and sit ups

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?
Sarah: never
Sam: Never went out. Only time you got outside was when you went to court.
Corey: there is no outside..is this a trick question??...no fresh air except the vent..that smells like smoke half the time.. push-ups and jumping jacks ...but then you would be hungery after
Emma: I, personally, was never allowed outside. Only the one's who had a very long sentence were allowed to go and clean up the expressways, and garden when the weather was nice, or when the scheduled days came for them to go. For exercise we had the option for basketball, volleyball, and running or walking around the court. Everything else, we had to do on our own, with our own time. I ended up recruiting a girl who really wanted to lose weight, so I helped her cut what she was eating, and had her run with me, engage in the basketball/volleyball, and do a routine that consisted of push ups, sit ups, dips, and chin ups.
Jeff: no the was no going outside. each unit or block has there own very small gym with a basketball hoop 13ft high. but we could use the area all day

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Sarah: yes they did, they were a nice break, held usually in the gym
Sam: Yes, they did. They had them in the school or the gym. They were okay. Different people came in at different somes. Some better than others.
Corey: not sure when ..Sundays i know...but other then that not sure.. they were not that great ,, it was all rushed ,,and never get time to talk with the minister. or make a friend there
Emma: The church service that was provided to our facility was pretty unstructured, and non- domination. It was for those who believe in their own religion, but still wanted the unity of others engaging in positive energy and praying to "God". I never attended, but did sit to hear one on occasion, and it was pretty stereotypical. People asking others to pray for them because of the sins they committed to get them into jail in the first place, and asking them to pray for them to get out early and see if this time, they can make a positive change in their lives. (They stated that less intelligently, but I wanted it to be understood!)
Jeff: yes they held church services . for christians and muslims. And I have no idea what it as like. church is a scam. I can talk to my god at home or in my cell. most guys went just to get off the block

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