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Closing Advice

Interview with Guero 1, Jim, Ricky, Bernard, Cora, Roy, Mario, Kayla and Evan

JM: What else would you want a friend or family member to know if they have a loved one going to this jail?
Guero 1: yes vist as often as you can send letters and money as often also cuz those are the main components a man needs when he is encarcerated
Jim: wish you luck
Ricky: That they'll be okay and to visit them and write them very often and keep money on your phone. Send as much love and support as possible so that they know you're there for them.
Bernard: First of all, be supportive. It is hard to be in jail, it is scary, it isn't any walk in the park. It is helpful for family and friends to write, and to do that as often and much as possible because getting letters helps. Send money if you can. And try to support their loved one locked up, in making the right choices while in, help them keep a straight head on their shoulders and maybe it will help lead them in the right direction. Visit if possible.
Cora: It's not as bad as TV but it isn't fun either. Make sure to have money for commissary and just don't worry. Although it isn't fun by any means it isn't the worst place, there are much worse places.
Roy: To do as the bible says, and not forget the ones in the Jail system. To some it is a good change because it can save your life, and to others it is misreable place, and some just like it fine, the institutionalized ones like it. And letters are delivered during the week by the correctional officer on duty, and that is a VERY important thing. Receiving mail from loved ones.
Mario: The Pima County Jail is no spa or resort. It is a jail but if you or a friend/family member finds themself in this jail it is a lot better than most jails.
Kayla: please for the love of god, put money on their books. try to visit every week. make sure they are able to call everyday, and write to them as often as possible.
Evan: If a friend or family member was going to be incarcerated there, I would tell them to treat everybody with respect, but still be strong. Work out to stay in shape.

JM: If somebody knows they will be serving time in this jail what is your advice to them?
Guero 1: dont snitch and never back down, even if your gonna get your ass kicked
Jim: don't f-in' be one
Ricky: You'll be fine as long as you stay out of jail politics and go in there to get better and get your head straight. Don't trust anyone because they are not your real friend.
Bernard: Wear a white shirt and make sure you have socks and underwear on for starters. A white shirt honestly makes you more comfortable while you're there in the jail because you can wear it underneath your big huge smock thing and while in day room you can wear it without the smock thing, most of the time. Try to save some money that you can have with you if you know you're going in so they can put it on your books, that is how you will be able to buy things from commissary. If you aren't able to bring money to the jail with you, hope that family and/or friends can put money onto your books. It has to be money order.
Cora: Be patient and just get through this and put it behind you. There are times you feel like time will never pass but undoubtedly it does. And no matter what you will never win an argument with a Corrections Officer so don't even bother trying. And no fight is worth being moved to the Hotel so just keep your head down and get through the day.
Roy: Try to have a positive attitude, cause everyone in there is hoping to be release soon, and the ones who are heading to major prisons, just keep your head up, don't be a bad ass but don't be a chump either. You will meet some good people in there, and its not that bad in county as far as being raped by other inmates, that usually occurs in some of your Major Maximum Security Prisons. Just don't stand out too much, and be courteous and most inmates will reciprocate.
Mario: Take it easy dont cause problems. Find out all the services that the jail has to offer you. Also find out how to become an orderly by working you are giving a little more freedom plus days off your sentence.
Kayla: dont make friends, try to better yourself, go to solitary because it really is better in there. most of the doctors are nice but dont get any dental work there, even if it's an emergency - they'll just make it worse.
Evan: My advice is to be respectful of others, comply with the jail rules as best they can, try to stay positive and try to get commissary. Eat everything you can or else you will be hungry all the time.

JM: Please list any other jail or rehab facilities you have been to.
Ricky: None
Bernard: I haven't been to any other jail nor rehab. However, if you have been sentenced to prison(like I was) you then stay at Pima County jail until you're picked up to go to Alhambra. I spent some time there while classified and then shipped to a prison facility.
Cora: none
Roy: I was locked up in the Salisbury Maryland Jail house,which was an old office building with primitive service, big blue door you had to peep out the little round whole,to see my grandmother and girlfriend at the time. They moved me to a work farm in Salisbury, which was a fenced in trailer park like with a assembly line for trash, seperating plastic and many other materials, or you could go out in the city and pick up trash, I worked all of it. Driving truck to the landfill and painting at the airport in Salibury for four months. Then, I went to a brand new faciity in Princess Anne Maryland, across the highway from University of Maryland College, that was an easy stay, it was brand new and you could smoke back then, and have the CO come and get you for personal calls, that was a small count, Somerset County Jail. Then I went back into the Military, got out, and was locked up in Greensboro North Carlolina for a weekend, charges dropped for carrying a bbgun during a party on the Aggie Campus. I was locked up overnite in Connecticut,Hartford, but was immediately release due to the fact we were Officer Horsey's Sons, me and my brother fighting after I got out of the Marines. Then after that I relocated and was locked up in the Pima County Jail System for ll months, that was the longes stay, I was on workrelease and lived in a big warehouse with about 300 other inmates all different jobs, and when you were released they put you in a glass room called the glass house, when you were going to be released the next day, it was one of the longest nights I ever spent. My last affiliation was the Phoenix Arizona Madison Jail recently in 2009, when I came here to get my warrant dropped, for my return into the United States Army, but was arrested for having an open container, and the warrant showed, and stayed for two weeks, less a day or so. I was pardoned and actually appologized to by the Judege and the States Attorney for having been arrested and having to cme here from North Carolina to get an old senseless ticket misdemeanor taken care of. Lastly the few times I spent in the Baltimore Maryland Jails were many, because of the Police Powers issued by the Govenor, they will arrest you if you are standing within 50feet of any store, you have to understand that Baltimore is was known as the Murder Capitol, and heroin capitol/and crack cocaine. I did not stay but 2 weeks then to a pre-release house, it was the longest two weeks and the worst jail I had ever experienced, but you would think that was a year. The jails are predominantly housed with young black innercity youth, drug dealers, and many murderers, and overpacked beyond reproach. The name of the county lockup in Baltimore City also called Madison Street lockup. It resembles a large dark grey Castle made of dark grey concrete and steel bars, with steele passages interconnecting to other parts of the faility, then I was transferred to a building that used to be a morgue, and now is a work facility with no access outside for short timers, people who are in pre-release status, spend there last days, working in a kitchen or outside in the city. They call Baltimore "Be Mo Careful," and I would suggest to anybody, don't get locked up there, the police laws are almost next to a communist state because of the powers given by the Govenor, because of the drugs and crime. Many of visitor has been locked up behind these laws, and experienced the worst nigths in their life I am sure, I used to read one of the city weekly papers called CityPaper,and all the lawsuits from vacationers and Visitors getting caught for some petty offense and going to the Madison st. Facility. The 21/2 weeks I stayed there was hell, but I made out all right, if you have ever seen the TV show "The Wire, " about life and crime in Baltimore City, I can attest to you it was fimed on location, I used see the filming crews all in the McCullough St. and other Streets filming early in the cold winter mornings. That was a show, but I lived it for real for nine years in Baltimore City, and that show depicted the innercity life perfectly to the T.I thank God for my affiliation with the Military, because it always helped me out when I was in need, and now I am a Senior Undergraduate at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona. Working on my last semester before I transfer, I will have my associates in Human Service/Social Work, of course, I have been down the path as you can see from my true story, and God has shown his light on me, and now that my life has been refreshed and put in order, I am now military retired, with a small pension from the Military, and utilizing my Post/9-11 Gi-bill to furhter my education, I will transfer to NAU or one of the other SouthWest Colleges, maybe Arizona State and continue on for my bachelor's degree in Human Services/Social Work, and in this world today, the society we live in with its everchanging mores and morals, I will be very busy in the future, my time to help and save some misguided youth, or verteran or family in need of a kind workd and some assistance. All praises go to the Father God and his son Jesus. Thank you.
Mario: Oklahoma County Jail, Prisons 4 different ones, 2 city jails in Oklahoma
Kayla: perryville, arizona state women's prison
Evan: Casa de Vida treatment center for a 6 month program.