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Leisure Time

Interview with Sam, Ron, Scott, Michael and Bruce

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Sam: Television, chess and dominoes that is it and you had the gym every day except for weekends.
Ron: TV, scrabble, dominos, a really pathetic gym (it is jail so what do you expect?). Thats about it. Oh and the library but the book selection sucks; nothing but cheap romance novels.
Scott: A gym for playing basketball and walking. never saw the open sky during my visit except from the window in my cell. Most guys played cards and watched TV to pass the time. Having you own cell was basic amenity that was very pleasurable because you read books and get pass the other friction within the cell pod.
Michael: I just had the religious meeting for one hour (once) outside of the common pod area and cells in a meeting room with just tables and chairs and a blackboard. The common area had a t.v. to watch and concrete tables to play cards at in the middle of the pod when your cell door was open which was about 12-14 hours/day that they kept the cell doors open.
Bruce: t.v , or ,cards all the other games are destroyed . and also you could go to aa . or church and work out but other than that ther was not much eles to do . inside of du page county jail . but i seemed to always find a way to pass the time inside of there that is just somthing you find out how to do when you are in ther

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Sam: Well the television was ruled, I never touched it.
Ron: I didnt dare touch the TV without getting a basic survey of whether everyone was ok with it. Majority rules basically.
Scott: Only entertainment was TV and it did have basic cable so mostly guys watch sports at night and game shows and talk shows during the day. Guys did gamble for food trays and desserts when playing cards and dominoes. Oftentimes fights and rivalries came to life during these activities but it make time go by faster.
Michael: I wouldn't say that there was any entertainment in the jail except for the one t.v. that was located up high on the ceiling and i don't know how they changed the channel, i guess they asked a guard to change the channel, i just watched whatever was on at the time, and very little at that because it was a small screen t.v., and i couldn't hear it very well with all the talking in the common area.
Bruce: well the tv was 12inches big and the pod boss was always on it i would get up extra early and watch it was the only time i could do it and also no one eles was awake and it was nice quiet it ws my little time away from it all

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Sam: No, you have the gym plus you have nothing else to do but push ups and sit ups.
Ron: Wasnt really my goal to stay in shape. I just tried to pass the time quickly.
Scott: No, because I play basketball during my leisure time at home. 6 days a week of running during basketball is good enough exercise. We had an hour of gymtime each day.
Michael: No, i had 3 meals per day, and was only there for 5 days, i don't think i exercised at all, except to walk around the common area, mostly slept and read the bible i brought in with me.
Bruce: no i worked out most of my time it was the amount of food and protein that lacked in the food because the amout of food was so small it was hard to gain whiget and for being a drug user was important

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?
Sam: Never outside.
Ron: Never.
Scott: Never allowed to go outside. Only could play basketball in the small gym or walk. Small older weight set was available as well. If you have a job in the kitchen they have access to a bigger gym with longer gym times. Usually considered the better behaved inmates.
Michael: We were not allowed to go outside at all, all 5 days i spent inside, i walked around the common area to exercise the whole time i was there.
Bruce: you could go to the gym and work out there was no outside in the jail me and others would go to the gym and they can open some windows but they are so high up

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Sam: Church services were held everyday. But it was not like church, it is when a guy comes in to talk about God and the Bible.
Ron: Yes but I never partook.
Scott: Jail offered church services during thew week from volunteer pastors. I never attended but the prosecuting attorney knows when you consistently attend so it's better that you go to show some type of rehabiltation.
Michael: In the time i was there a man came to our pod once, i don't think he was a minister, jut a religious person doing Gods work and had a church bible study for about one hour.
Bruce: yes christian and muslem church are the ones you can go to you have to put a slip in to get on the list and you can not have a yellow band

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