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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Lola, Eve, Pat, Peter, Al, Trevor and Camille

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Lola: Pre-sentencing was a lengthy process. Each charge I was suited up, and taken to the court. I sat for hours without anything to drink.
Eve: On arrival, you are processed. You give a health history, hand over personal belongings. You can keep a wedding band as long as it does not have any stones. You may also keep a small religious necklace, as long as it's small and on a small chain. You are given a retina scan and have your photo taken and given an arm band. You are handed 2 prison jump suits, a blanket, 2 sheets, 2 towels, a washcloth and put into a holding cell, which consists of 2 benches in the women's side. Within 24 hours, you see the nurse who takes vitals and a health history and given a TB test. You are usually put into Pre-Class, where you are locked in an invidual cell for 22 hours of the day. You are allowed out after dinner for 45 minutes to take showers, use the phone, etc. and also a 45 minute trip outside in the morning if you want. There are 2 bunks per cell. Within 24 hours you also see the counselor, who will give you 1 free 3-minute phone call, a small bag with a comb, tooth brush, soap, shampoo, tooth paste, 3 envelopes, a pencil and 10 pieces of paper. She'll also give you 2 sports bras and 2 pairs of underwear. They usually give you a pair of shoes if your shoes you had on were not allowed. Sneakers or flip flops are allowed. Depending on how long they think you'll be there, you'll get assigned to a block or you can stay there. Some ppl were there for a few days, some for a couple weeks, some for a month. You also see a psychologist too within 24 hours. Then you are assigned to a block, where you will be allowed to be in the dayroom during the day.
Pat: as soon as you walk through the doors you get some what processed sent to the holding cell and with in 24 hours "when not busy" you are finished being housed by the counsler now they have pre- housing i think for 48 hrs wich is good because it helps find if there is any thing that might harm other inmates
Peter: Was arrested then normal pre-scentance procedure, arraignment, preliminary, formal arraignment then at pretrial was plead deal. At the Plea deal I was offered a minimum scentance being this was only a fine and was being offered the ability to "sit" out the costs of the fine. It was a simple process compared to other counties.
Al: remanded to central booking. a judge is seen via video monitor and a bail is set. if bail isnt made you are transported to york county prison. there you are classified according to crime charged with.there you can apply for a public defender or get a paid lawyer. it usually takes at least 3 months to go to court depending on your charge
Trevor: well we were housed in pre class with about 20 or so ins immigration inmates. we were housed with sick people coming off of heroin and other lethal drugs whom were not being treated the proper way for their detox or withdrawl process. all of this with very little help from any of the rude staff. whom a lot are on drugs themselves it has been told by their very own mouths.
Camille: I attended a few court hearings and decided to enroll in the drug court program. Because I did not go to a scheduled appointment, I was placed in jail for two months. It was a confusing time because no one told me how long I would be in jail for not attending the scheduled appointment.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Lola: No, I was arrested on the spot and taken to jail after processing at local police station.
Eve: Supposedly a confidential informant told the police we had a "marijuana growing operation" on our rooftop. They then came by on trash day and checked the trash can closest to the front of our house and supposedly got what they needed for a search warrant. They broke down our door at 6:30 a.m. and tore apart our house. They then took us to central booking where we were held until 2 p.m. when we had a video arraignment.
Pat: no i was arrested for a p.v but i was at a friends house waiting for them to inspect the place as a homeplan for my boyfriend and they arrested me
Peter: No I was not immediately questioned. During the pretrial conference i was released ror but failed to appear at my hearing, in which led to a Bench Warrant being issued. After a little time passed the police showed up at the residence i was at and arrested me on the warrant, which led to incareration.
Al: i went to jail in virginia for drug possesion. i was sentenced to probation. while on probation i got a dui so i violated my virginia probation and i was picked up by york county policelater on for a probation violation even though i finished my virginia sentence. and there i made bail
Trevor: I committed a theft and they had another jurisdiction police come to my house for questioning. upon that they ran my name and I had warrents and then I was questioned at the police department. where I couldn't really lie my way out of it I was caught for the theft by an eye witness so I just told the police the truth.
Camille: I had been arrested for prostitution. At the time of my arrest, I had never been to jail before, so I was released on my own recognizance. However, once I enrolled in the drug court program, my supervised bail (ror) was removed and I was a part of this particular program.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Lola: Nothing major, I took a plea bargain.
Eve: The first video arraignment was while in central booking. They cuff your hands and ankles and keep you in a holding cell with a bench. If you ask they will give you a PB&J and ice tea around lunch or dinner time. You're fingerprinted and at your arraignment, the judge reads you your rights, asks if you understand, then sets bail for you. They then set what's called a "dummy date" for your preliminary hearing in front of a magistrate. If you can't make bail, you go to the prison. If you are in because of fines, you will have a video arraignment within 2 days usually and the judge will either let you go or sentence you to a certain number of days, usually it equals out to about $40 per day.
Pat: well you go to jail and unfortunatlly jail was a littel faster with thier process then court was you wait as long as 6 to 7 months for them to send you the paper work alone then when the time comes you go to the court house where you wait in the holding cell down in the basement when your time they bring u upstairs to the court room holding cell then into the court room and beleive it or not u are in and out that simple but u are brought down stairs to the holding cell again to wait hours for them to finish with every one eles to get done then they send you back to the jail to complete your sentence
Peter: Court was nerve racking. It seemed as though the Public Defender and the DA office "already knew" what the deal was going to be through the whole process from start. The Public Defender that I had seemed to only be interested in "assembly line justice" and plea all of us that were there out and move on....get one on the stand, plea out, get the next, it really didnt seem as though true defense was being offered alot of the time.
Al: you would wait all morning. they woke you up at 5 am to sit in a holding tank. there you are handcuffed and shackled to other prisoners and are transported to the county court house where again you wait for hours to see a judge. and that might be one of many hearings
Trevor: I haven't went to court yet for these charges but have sadly been dealing with the York county court system for a long time now and I can tell you they are one of the most toughest I ever dealt with. they have very little compassion for us the people with that meaning they will give you 3 to 6 months for a driving on suspended or parking ticket which are only summary offenses with no leanency to the fact you only ever get stopped on your way home from work or to work and never commit any other crimes or break any other laws until the court pushes you so tight in the corner you have no where else to turn.
Camille: Court was like an assembly line. The baliff would call someone's name, that person would step to the podium, answer the judge's questions and she would respond with either sarcasm, encouragement or instructions. But, if you were in violation of a drug court procedure, you were immediately incarcerated and not told (in my case) how long you had to stay in jail.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Eve: Possession with intent to deliver and manufacturing, possession of drug paraphernalia. Still haven't had my preliminary hearing (3 months later). I bailed myself out. I was given a $50,000 bail with no prior record.
Pat: p.v
Peter: My original Charges for York County were only unpaid Traffic Violations that were Driving on Suspended License and false registration, both above summary offenses as the did " have possible jail time" involved in the process.
Al: probation violation for getting a dui
Trevor: well I did 2 weeks for court fines for driving on suspended. I am awaiting court for the theft.
Camille: I pled guilty to two prostitution charges and one unauthorized use of vehicle charge.

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