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Interview with Rachel, Paula and Lindsey

JM: Did you find it difficult to get along with other inmates? Please give examples to explain why you did or didn't.
Rachel: One white girl befriended me, because she had prison experience and she could see I was getting screwed. We shared "liking real cofffee". The black women wanted to stay up all night talking and singing, even after lights out, which was sometimes addressed by the guards. Mostly, you could not say anything directly to them (is would start a fight). My main issue with what I just said, is now that they stayed up half the night, they wanted to sleep all day, have you be on tippytoes and turn the TV down, get their laundry for them . . .etc until like 4:00 in the afternoon. They would literally wake up to eat and that is it.
Paula: Not at all. I had been in a 12 man cell while waiting to go to court. By that time I had built up a good relationship with them by helping them with GED classes as well as legal "advice" from my experience as a Law Library Clerk at another jail/prison
Lindsey: At times yes it was very difficult to deal with and get along with my fellow inmates. The only reason for this is because most of the other women in there were in there for far more serious stuff and alot of them were waiting to go to prison and because I had such a minor charge alot of the women were jealous because they knew I would be getting right out with a slap on the wrists as hey called it. I on the other hand did NOT see it that way. It was a horrible experience.

JM: What types of things did you have to do to avoid problems or fights with other inmates?
Rachel: Hold my opinions to myself, take cold showers, MOVE to the top bunk, repeatedly, because THEY have issues (like sickle-cell anemia??) well, I have thyroid!!!!Big deal, I am 50 years old. They would ask you for your food off your tray before you ever were served it. Clean up sink area (for others)so they could have "movie night" without fail.
Paula: Played cards, read a lot of books, played chess, watched TV, listened to a "walkman" radio. Basically just got into a routine that prevented me from having issues or problems with any other inmates. Stayed busy with legal research or writing letters to my daughter. Jail is all about routine! You gotta stick to your routine
Lindsey: I pretty much changed my whole sleeping scheduele around to avoid any confrontations with anyone I tried to sleep most of the day and just got up to eat and for count which you have to do because i found out my first couple days if you don't eat for 3 days straight they put you on suicide watch. suicide watch is a one person cell and they strip butt naked and put in a straight jacket like they do real crazy people until you get it together.

JM: Were you able to choose an inmate as your cellmate if you knew one? How often would your cellmate(s) change?
Rachel: NO. However I was in a larger-type room with aprox. 8-12 bunks.
Paula: No. I soent my time in a twelve man cell. Six (6) bunkbeds. The turnover was very frequent with cases being finalized which allowed for inmates to get transfered to state prison or to be released on probation/parole supervision
Lindsey: This specific jail did not have cells the women's side was made up of 3 tanks in which up to 12 women would be in one tank and you couldn't go to solitary unless you got into a fight with a inmate or a guard or something.

Read about time off for good behavior in the Boone County Jail