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Leisure Time

Interview with Ryan, Angel, Dale and Peter

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Ryan: They had books and checkers. I did a lot of push ups, and just sat in my cell with a pencil from a roommate. I wrote songs. We would argue with the officers to let us play basketball. I only got to play 3 times in the 15 days I was there. I got paper from my homeboy.
Angel: Read and sometimes rarely watch movies
Dale: They have programs that are in the back of the Facility. Like Diesel Mechanics, Auto Body, Welding, Carpentry, and a Fish Farm, Farm, that are sponsored by MTI and you can actually get a Certificate after so many hours completed. Which I think is all a big scam because they stopped doing it but still got the Instructors out there and classes but it's more so a Profit thing.
Peter: This particular facility offers very little in terms of leisure 'activities'. You stay in your pod all day if you don't work and maybe get exercise yard once a day for an hour or so. Other than that you just sleep, eat, read, write and play cards. This is the reason for many of the fights.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Ryan: No TV unless you are in P pod. The books are right there but people make spitballs out of them and make them into weights with pillow cases. It was competetive to get a checkers board. The mexicans get rowdy over the checkers.
Angel: No
Dale: No access, No TVS or Radios. Newspaper was scarce and very hard to come across unless you ordered it. Books are alright. But generally you want to get your own stuff sent in. It is a good idea to get Magazines and stuff. I've read probably around 200 books. It's like watching a movie haha.
Peter: There is no entertainment at all, unless you count the newspaper, then yes the competition was fierce. People who don't ever read the paper in the free world would fight over it in jail. It's like throwing one bone under the door to 75 dogs and wondering what the problem is. Even the dog who doesn't like that bone is going to fight over it.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Ryan: I don't really want to stay in shape. My nickname is Fat Boy Fresh and I don't want to lose the fat. But I can run out of a situation if I need to. As long as I got a big stomach I am cool with it. I don't want to lose the nickname. I kind of stayed in the same shape while I was there. The food was kind of nasty.
Angel: Yes
Dale: Yes in county jail. Because your activity is limited and your laying around bored munching on chips and soups. I gained 60 pounds.
Peter: No, not at all but I was way too underweight going in to jail. I found a lot of ways to work out.

JM: How often did you get to go outside? What did you do outside if you were allowed to? If you were not allowed to go outside what could you do for exercise?
Ryan: During 15 days I went outside on 3 days total. Twice on a Sunday and once on a Wed for a sargeants birthday.
Angel: Yes we were aloud to play basketball
Dale: Every day there is a fenced in part of the pod with block walls and a fence top. With a basketball and a Hoop. Probably around 20x20 maybe.
Peter: If the guards were in a good mood, we could go out daily for about an hour. The only thing we could do for exercise was play basketball.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Ryan: Yes they did. They were held every Wed around 8- 9pm. It was upstairs in the corridor and there is a space where they meet. It was a meeting with 4-5 other guys.
Angel: I think it was once a week
Dale: Everyday. Volunteers come in and do church and Bible Studies. Atleast every other day. Different religions and studies and stuff.
Peter: They kind of did. A person from the church would come into the pods but it was hard to worship or even talk with all of the other inmates right there.

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