JM: Did you find it difficult to get along with other inmates? Please give examples to explain why you did or didn't. Karen: Not really. I could tell who the trouble makers were and they stared
me down but I held my own showing them I was not afraid to
defend myself, and then they kind of had a respect for me. I was
known as the quiet one. I also made friends with one of the girls
there that was sentenced on the same day with me so we stuck
together and watched each others back
JM: What types of things did you have to do to avoid problems or fights with other inmates? Karen: I didn't gossip about anyone and had a good friend who was my
cell mate from sentencing on who had the same time to serve as
me and we stuck together.
JM: Were you able to choose an inmate as your cellmate if you knew one? How often would your cellmate(s) change? Karen: No I wasn't allowed to choose who I shared my cell block with.
There was a girl there with lice in her hair and there was another
woman there who had a stomach problem who constantly went
to the bathroom and had severe diarrhea and my bunk just
happened to be right next to the bathrooms, top bunk at that.
The constant smell was disgusting and I was always afraid of
catching something there.