JM: Did you find it difficult to get along with other inmates? Please give examples to explain why you did or didn't. Randy: In general population I just shut up so I don't know.
Eventually I went to the work release program and it was fine
there. I actually met cool people. Definitely no racial
problems or gang stuff in work release. Will: I never found it difficult to get along with the
other inmates, I simply found it difficult to be
around them. People are people wherever you are,
the only difference in jail is that you do not
get to choose who you are forced to associate
with. You are simply thrown into a closed
environmnet with people you may not find
yourself compatible with. The best way I found
to deal with that was to spend as little time
associating as possible. I kept my talks with
other inmates brief, and purposeless. I shared
little to no personal information and did not
even talk about the reason for my incarceration.
The best defense against unknown people is to
remain unkown yourself. People fear what they do
not understand, and if you give them nothing to
go on then they will not understand you and
instead focus aggresiveness on more "known"
people. Empty yourself of desire, try not to
want to need anything and you will not be
dissappointed, nor will you experience any
resistence. Cynthia: No not really.There were obviously some that no
one got along with (people that refused to
shower,ones that were in there for crimes
against children) but I mostly got along with
everyone and had a big group of friends.
JM: What types of things did you have to do to avoid problems or fights with other inmates? Randy: Nothing. I was kind of a leader. Will: I just ignored them and they ignored me, on the
few occasions that someone seemed to go out of
their way to "start something" with me I simply
ignored them and acted as if nothing was
hapening and as if I were completely
unconcerned. Nothing takes the wind out of
someone else's sail faster than refusal to
participate in their little self-created
melodramas. Cynthia: I didn't have to do anything.I didn't deliberately
start anything but I also didn't just let people walk
all over me.
JM: Were you able to choose an inmate as your cellmate if you knew one? How often would your cellmate(s) change? Randy: Don't get this question. Will: You have no choice about who you are paired
with. Cellmates changed rarely during my stay. Cynthia: No lol I wish I would've been able to.I had about
4 different cellmates the whole time I was there.