Interview with Bruce, Jen, Crystal, Allison and Deanne
JM: How many different blocks were there? Bruce: Just 2 sides to the ten complex...One for work
release and the other for work furlough. Jen: I'm not sure by what you mean when you say blocks,
they dont apply to tent city Crystal: Not sure. In my area was the work release and work furlough tents.
The rest of the tents were for those in stripes and who were not
sentenced to work release. Allison: Blocks no blocks tents I said Deanne: Not sure about block, although there were two
areas in the tents.
JM: Did they have names? If so, what were they? Bruce: Just Tent City. Work release side and work furlough
side. Jen: MCSO when serving time on the inside has "dorms" and
there are several including towers Crystal: I don't think there were names. The tents were numbered and so
were the bunks. Allison: Well they where numbered tents just like
the inmates numbered Deanne: Work furlough and Non- work furlough, although we
called the non-work furlough area/inmates,
"stripes" because they had to wear the jail
outfits, while the people on work furlough were
able to wear their everyday clothes.
JM: Which types of inmates were housed in the different blocks? Bruce: The inmates who had jobs and who were less of a
flight risk had received work release and the ones
without jobs or were more of a risk, had received
work furlough sentences. Jen: Inside the dorms they segregated by different
classes, felonies,misdemeanors,certain high profile
cases were segregated also such as famous persons
and murders, also persons considered under illegal
immigration laws were housed seperatley Crystal: Once block was for more serious offenders who could not leave
the jail and they were also identified by the fact they had to wear
stripes not street clothes. Our area was comprised mostly of DUI
offenders and people who did not pay child support. Allison: All the same kimd of tents buy I noticed
people with drug charges all same tent
and the same with assalt or what ever ur
charges they try to keep it seperated like
dui tent Deanne: The people who were there on work furlough program
were mainly there
for misdemeanors and first time offenses, while
the others were there for more serious crimes such
as felonies and repeated offenses.
JM: What do you remember being the nicest and worst parts about the different blocks? Bruce: The nicest part of the work release side that I was
on, was that it was closest to the vending machines
and bathrooms. The work furlough side was further
away. The worst part of the work release side was
that it was closest to the guard room, so there were
more guards around. Jen: The worst part was in the summer in tent city
feeling like were literally dying of heat stroke
outside and just boiling to death. The lockers
that you kept your food in were infected with ants
and mice that would eat your overpriced food that
you had to buy yourself, there were NO NICE parts
inside or out, the entire facility is disgusting,
uncomfortable, and NO PRIVACY or quiet anywhere Crystal: There was nothing nice at all. I suppose the picnic table were the
best since the weather was decent and you could sit out there in
the sun. The bathrooms were the worst part. The toilets and
showers were disgusting and sinks were always getting clogged
and overflowing. The bathrooms were just dirty. Allison: Some where nice n clean some where
loud some u could sneek a smok behide .
Some where loud and sum even stunk
some where empty all day sum tents up
dum where down some would get
trashed by d os they all where the same
most of them thrr tents Deanne: The best part of the tents was that they were
bunkbeds and tv tent. The worst part of the tents
was than when i rained, it would leak thru the
roof and get us all wet. People on work furlough
got to leave everyday for
12 hours, while the others did not.