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Closing Advice

Interview with Lisa, Ron, Cindi, Holly and Bill

JM: What else would you want a friend or family member to know if they have a loved one going to this jail?
Lisa: Going to jail is a lesson. It is a tool that society uses to let people know that they have done something wrong. What the common public does not know is that the nature of the crime and assignment at the time of the crime is the worst offense so the county can get more money out of the criminal, make the lawyers more money and keep the criminal as broke as possible. When a person has been there once they don't want to go back. My son killed himself after one night in the Clackamas County Jail. He was charged with Kidnapping I which my ex-husband that used to beat me NEVER got charged with during a domestic fight. The system needs serious and careful insight to be just. Once a person is a repeat offender, they will have very little opportunity to ever be out in the "normal" world again. It is a sad, unrelenting way to keep criminals labeled for the rest of their life. I know very few that make it. The one that I do know got the worst offense assigned for a fist fight in a bar. 2.5 years in OSP. Without his family, his job and his friends, he would still be there. I have a throw away nephew that will probably never be able to stay out. It is sad. To be successful, criminals need to be medicated if needed, tested and trained in critical thinking skills. That will never happen.
Ron: Don't have an attitude, lose your sense of self...Just mind your business if you want, and generally everybody else will mind there's. Realize you have NO control.
Cindi: Make sure you write to them or that you put money on their books so they can call you. Also if you can send them books its really nice since there isn't any other way to pass the time.
Holly: This jail is very stressful and the setup of the jail doesn't make it easier. There isn't a guard that is constantly watching the block, so it is easy to feel unsafe. There is no television so books are very important, and it meant a lot to me when family would send me books to read as there are only a few books in the cell block, as this jail doesn't have library to check books out of. This jail gave me a lot of anxiety and stress and I found that their processes took a long time on the jail end and it was very difficult to get information.

JM: If somebody knows they will be serving time in this jail what is your advice to them?
Lisa: Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!
Bill: Don't get too involved in other peoples business and if you're there for a short time make sure you either trade your envelopes/writing material for food or goodwill.
Ron: Don't be a jackass, you will comply or you will suffer...The choice is yours.
Cindi: Keep your head low and don't piss off the guards. And make sure you have money on your books for calls and commissary because there is nothing else to do.
Holly: You are only given a bar of soap, no shampoo when you first get there. Find a nice woman and ask to borrow some and work on getting commissary from family/friends quickly so you can get what you need. It is better not to be in the dorm(upstairs) area, as the women fight a lot up there and you have to share one bathroom with all of them. Keep to yourself and reading books and writing makes the time pass. This jail is very dirty, so always wear your sandals and wash your hands. This jail does get overcrowded easily, so you may have the opportunity for house arrest and inquire about that as soon as you are housed.

JM: Please list any other jail or rehab facilities you have been to.
Cindi: Multnomah county jail for 1 night and Marion County jail for a few hours.
Holly: I have been to Washington County Jail