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Leisure Time

Interview with Jessica, Sarah, Curt, Brad, Peter and Michael

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Jessica: In the cell we had books available to us. A lot of my cell mates had playing cards in their possession so I played a LOT of card games. You could get pens and paper from commissary but it took a really long time to get anything if you were indigent. My bunkee let me have some paper and pens so I never had to order them and wait. I would also just shower and nap to pass time. Sometimes we would have "rec time" which is when they let us go outside where there were some basketballs and basketball hoops.
Sarah: books, games with missing pieces, newspapers, classes to better yourself that would also take time off your sentence if you completed them and NA and AA
Curt: playing cards.
Brad: They had no tv thanks to the Sheriff that took all that out. You could buy a deck of cards or take a computer class or get your GED or things like that.
Peter: The rec yard had handball courts, basketball courts, pull up bars, dip bars, a weight cage, and a quarter mile track.
Michael: Reading, church, self improvement classes, work, playing cards, they took all TV's away last time I was in. They have really tried to make it as bad as possible but people keep coming back . There is not a bunch to do, maybe sleeping is leisurely to some people. I enjoyed the church services.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Jessica: There was not really any entertainment outside of what my cell mates provided or what I provided myself. There was no TV at all and the newspaper never came to our pod when I was there. We did get one newspaper from one of the girls that worked in laundry.
Sarah: Everyone seemed to share ok. But they would give it to their closest to them before branching out to anyone else.
Curt: no it was alright everyone got along pretty well.
Brad: No competition. If you wanted to take you a class you could get into it very easily and if you did, they shaved 3 days off your total time.
Peter: It depended on the day as to how many inmates were out on the yard. On a busy day you might wait in line at the pull up bar for 15 minutes before you were able to get a set in.
Michael: The entertainment I am not sure what you mean by entertainment. This is jail not the circus. The cards etc, were old and yes the competition was fierce so the books and bible etc were a much better option since we were attempting to stay out of trouble and get home to our family

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Jessica: It was a little difficult to stay in shape since there was no room to jog or anything and they fed us two pieces of bread three times a day. You could always do crunches or leg lifts if you wanted but the food wasn't my forte so I didn't eat much.. which isn't necessarily staying in shape, I just didn't get fat.
Sarah: They gave men rec time twice a week and they only took the women outside once every two weeks.
Curt: no i lost 12 lbs. it was great!
Brad: Not really... me perosnla I don't work out that much. I did more than I usually do on the outside just to pass the time.
Peter: Not at all. I got 3 meals a day and more than enough time to work out. I was able to get a workout in after breakfast and after dinner usually.
Michael: Yes I gained 40 pounds in 6 months eating honey buns and peanut butter and jail house burritos because the food they feed you is so little and horrible you have to get commissary to get full.

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?
Jessica: We got to go outside maybe a couple times a week. It really depended on the weather and the corrections officers working.
Sarah: once every two weeks. I was working in the laundry so I only went out once.
Curt: twice a week.
Brad: 3 times a week for an hour but its really crowded. All you can do is sit in one spot because there was so many people.
Peter: 2-3 times a day usually.
Michael: I got outside because I was a trustee and did many strenous jobs but then became ill so I was made an inside trustee and sat around. So I did pretty much nothing. But get fat.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Jessica: The jail offered church services every single day. They were nice and offered hope to those who change their ways and forgiveness to those who haven't... however still consequence.
Sarah: Yes but I'm agnostic so I didn't attend. I enjoyed the quiet while everyone else was gone
Curt: yes, but i did not attend.
Brad: Yes, they did a Muslim, Christian, Catholic, and Spanish service. I never went because I don't go to church.
Peter: Yes they offered church service every day, but I never attended.
Michael: Northland Church is televised in the jail it is an awesome outreach and they have a jail ministry that is amazing, I felt very privlidged to have attended these services.

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