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San Francisco County Jail

425 7th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 553-1430

Interview with Howard

JM: How long was your sentencing for?
Howard: 1 year and 5 yrs probation and community services.

JM: Did you spend time in a holding cell after your sentencing? If so, what was that like? If you didn't where did they they take you instead?
Howard: First night I was arrested and put into the holding cell was a friggin' nightmare. One of those places where you don't want to sit down anywhere. Place was full of drunks, and drug addicts and DUIs.

Jail is never a nice place to be and San Francisco County Jail is no exception. If you are heading there, though, or you know somebody who is, this site can let you know what to expect.

Getting along with other inmates
Whether you're in SFCJ or any other jail, a general rule of thumb is that you should always try to avoid trouble. A lot of people you run into in jail have been there many times and there is a rule in jail that you should never let somebody talk down to you or disrespect you. Just don't put yourself in a situation where somebody thinks you are disrespecting them - you will either have to fight or be known as somebody that everybody can pick on.

Inmates like to gamble. Inmates will gamble commissary, meals and sometimes even money on the outside. Stay away from this. There is a small chance you will get in trouble by the sheriffs (it isn't allowed although it is virtually impossible for them to police), but more importantly this is the cause of a lot of inmate fights. If you're going to play cards just do it for fun to pass the time or gamble something you wouldn't mind giving away anyway.

Getting time off
San Francisco County Jail won't release you early for good behavior if you have a violent crime. Almost every other crime, however, is eligible (with the exception of any crimes involving children). Talk to your attorney about what kind of good time (or time off for good behavior you can expect).

Visitors/phones
Inmates will have regular access to telephones in the jail. The phones accept quarters or inmates can purchase phone cards on commissary. Many inmates have friends on the outside by phone cards for them, call them with quarters one time and get the phone card details to call out in the future. If you are buying a phone card for an inmate be sure to look for one with a low connection fee - otherwise the inmates card will be drained quickly when they call and get voicemail.

Continue to the interview