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Leisure Time

Interview with Karl and Wilford

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Karl: You could purchase a Sony AM/FM radio for the outrageous price of $40.00 on the jail commissary, if you had funds. I believe these retail for about $15.00. If not, when someone would go "upstate" you could "inherit" the one that person could not take with them. There were made available a game of "Risk," a combination backgammon/chess set, a UNO game, and you could purchase decks of cards on commissary, again for about three times the price you normally pay on the outside. An inmate fabricated a makeshift Monopoly game, but an official set is not permitted for reasons that don't make a whole lot of sense. Other jails, such as Cattaraugus County and Monroe County offer computerized entertainment such as Sony Playstations, from listening to inmates who have been housed there.
Wilford: we played volley ball alot. i played hand ball as well. the rec yard in the pods is connected right to the pod and is available to go in all day long. i play alot of cards as well. i read books. i listen to the radio. cable tv was available as well all day. one tv was for sports the other was for movies and shows.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Karl: The only entertainment, again were the various games available or the AM/FM radio. As long as you had batteries with which to operate the radio, you were permitted 24-hour access. There were no televisions permitted to be viewed on "H" block. Apparently the jail administration is using a point in the federal law case of Aiello v. Litscher to justify limiting protective custody inmates' access to any kind of TV viewing, even innocuous programs such as the annual SuperBowl.
Wilford: i mostly had regular access to the enertainment.. there was not really much competition.. there was two tvs, and many many tables to sit at to play cards or just hang out. the gym was always open and for the most part people were decent about giving on another there space.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Karl: Not really. The sedentary lifestyle coupled with the mostly starch-based diet will cause you to gain a few pounds, which, for most people is quickly lost when a regular diet resumes on the outside.
Wilford: not at all.. if anything i got in better shape. i became a healthy weight and ate alot more regular.

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?
Karl: You were permitted to go outside into the yard for just an hour a day, usually first thing after breakfast. Night recreation was never offered, though there is provision for that, because of various outdoor lighting setups.
Wilford: the rec yard was connected to the pod and was available all day 8 am untill 1115 pm except for shift change for an hour in which we all locked in our cells. i played handball volley ball and walked

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Karl: No. Protective custody inmates were not permitted to attend any kind of church services, although some of the "newbie" C.O.s would come by the block and yell out that church services were being offered and who wanted to go? When we explained that we were not permitted to attend, they were surprised. This policy could never be quite pinned down.
Wilford: they did offer a couple different church services. different services were held on different days. most of them on sunday. i never went. i probably should of though. ( ha ha )

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