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Leisure Time

Interview with Mary, D Bo, Joel and Trevor

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Mary: we played cards a lot. we talked a lot. other than that, we really didn't have much to do. we had tv but other people "ran" it and chose what to watch.
D Bo: none
Joel: They have a Rec yard where you can exercise or shoot basketball or just walk around. But it's not big at all and it has a tall wall so that you cannot see the outside world. A law library. Art classes. Educational courses. Tons of books to read. They even have church.
Trevor: NOTHING, you were allowed one book every time the library cart came around and that was twice a week. so if you can read a book a day the others days are simply spent lying on your bunk being bored. there were tv's but they were so badly working or at such a low volume that it was pointless to watch them

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Mary: we had tv but I didn't really watch it because the others decide what was going to be watched on it.
D Bo: none
Joel: We had two TVs in each block. One for the hispanic inmates and the other for everyone else. You're not allowed to talk in the TV area so they keep the volume low. So low that you can't really hear it.And they don't allow you to watch whatever you want. No BET, No MTV, No VH-1. They also have board games but not enough to satisfy every inmate.
Trevor: We only had two tvs and , as said above, they were of very little entertainment value, again, a steady supply of books would have been great. We could go to a court yard three times a week to shoot basketball or walk around but this was only for one hour slots

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Mary: yes, I did. there were a lot of laying around to be done. didn't really get much exercise or anything of that nature. kinda felt really lazy.
D Bo: Yes they dont have anything to work out on and then they only give you one jumpsuit to wear so you cant possibly work out in the same jump suit you wear all day for a week.
Joel: Yes, because they don't feed you healthy meals. It's mostly starches like bread, rice, beans and potatoes. And all you can order from the cantene is junk food.
Trevor: Yes, the food is barely edible and no sane person would call it nutritious. and the basketball sessions were just too few and far between

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?
Mary: I didn't go outside the whole time I was in there. Seeing daylight and feeling the sun for the first time in 3 months was quite refreshing.
D Bo: You are NEVER allowed outside NEVER
Joel: If it was raining we could not go to the Rec Yard. So basically you just had to work out inside of your cell. Those are the only two places the allow working out.
Trevor: besides the three times a week outside for basketball there was really nothing else to do. we were reprimanded for walking around the pod of exercise. the only other thing one could do was some sort of push ups on the floor.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Mary: they held something like church services - they had weekly meetings and spiritual leadings.
D Bo: they only had bible study
Joel: Yes, and church services were held multiple nights during the week. I attended Bible Study myself and it helped me get through.
Trevor: only once did i see a group of men come into the pod for about 20 minutes and pray with us.

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