Interview with Nicole, Toby, Donald, Manuel, Jimmie, Jack, David, Rhonda, Paul, Mike, Barbara, Leo and Liz
JM: Did you find it difficult to get along with other inmates? Please give examples to explain why you did or didn't. Nicole: no they were pretty easy to get along with but i
did get into a couple arguements that almost ended
in a physical altercation. Toby: Jail and prison is constantly LOUD... These
people truly act like animals most of the time.
You will actually see people climbing bars and
screaming to talk to another gang member four
cell blocks away. County jail is actually much
worse than prison as far as doing hard time and
the noise level. All hours of the day and night,
you have wannabe rappers and percussionist
banging on the glass windows at DLM and you will
get 10 or so sometimes that get together to sound
out a BEAT.. Just the sheer sound of the bass on
the windows drives my blood pressure up. Constant
noise, constant lights 24/7, constant AC blowing
in your cell freezing your tail off. David L.
Moss was truly hell for me, I really hated it. Donald: No I didnt have any problems with the inmates. I
didnt talk to many people. I just wanted to do
the time then get out. The inmated were ok
there. Manuel: It isn't hard to get along as long as you are respectful and use
a lil common sence about what you do and how you act it is a
stressful situation no one wants to be there respect is a big
deal in jail Jimmie: No it was not hard to get along with other inmates
some people were real nice and others not so much
just like out in the world some people are easy to
deal with and some aren't don't look for trouble and
keep to yourself Jack: I got along with other inmates. I just mostly
stayed to my self. Did a lot of walking and played
cards with a few inmates. I also made sure i
stayed out of my cell mates belongings. David: No I did not find it difficult I,didnt interact with any inmates
much I just went to sleep and then was released but yes ive
had a difficult time before and not so difficult time with
other inmates its jail theirs all kinds their. Rhonda: I am bi polar paranoid skitzophrinic some days
where worse thsn others for the most part I
stayed to my self but, there is always one in
every crowd who pushes you over the edge. Paul: It was actually very easy to get along with the other in,ages.
There was an unsaid mutual respect for everyone and they
enjoyed a laugh as much as I did. They each had very
interesting stories and I found that it was just a college for
street life with career criminals the professors. Mike: I did my best to try and homogenize myself with
the other inmates. I have a formal education. I
was a professional, and I had led a decent honest
life. I got caught up in a nasty divorce and my
child support and medical responsibilities were
more than I could afford. I fell behind on my
child support and failed to appear for the
review. Thats a no no and I paid for it. The
other inmates looked at me like I was a white
collar crime person. Most of the inmates I
encountered were drug/dui related, or assault or
just plain thieves. I was certainly out of my
element. I was very intimitated. Barbara: Yeah i didnt interact with other inmates Leo: no, because I stayed to myself Liz: I was not physically around other inmates long
enough to have to get along with them. . I did
not talk to any one when I was around other
inmates.
JM: What types of things did you have to do to avoid problems or fights with other inmates? Nicole: phones not working, laundry room, various
frustrations. Toby: I would not advise truly doing anything you can
to avoid a fight. It is going to happen sooner or
later and you will do nothing but compound your
problems by constantly backing down. Backing down
and avoiding a fight is not seen as civility or
intelligence by inmates. It is seen as weakness
and cowardice or as you may hear, "softer than
medicated cotton" I am not saying find the
biggest guy and punch him in the throat... but do
not be afraid to take an ass whipping if it comes
to that. You do not have to stand tall but you
damned well better stand!! Donald: I kept to myself. I didnt talk to anyone unles
talked to first. Some of the inmates talked to
me. I didnt go looking for conversation. I
thought it best that way. I didnt think I would
be there too long so I didnt need to make
friends. I slept most of the time. Manuel: It is best not to mess with people who are loud in there they
are trying to prove they aren't scared and usually are the ones
that end up in fights most people buddy up or click up there is
strength in numbers but once again respect is big in there Jimmie: you just have to avoid situations that present
confrontation some people want to fight these
people are the ones to avoid the fights i seen
were over stealing and name calling kinda of
obvious to avoid if you don't want to fight while
your in jail kind of funny how much thief's hate
to be stole from Jack: I really did not have to do much. I respected the
other inmates. I Stayed out of other inmates
cells. I did not really have any confrontations
while i was in Tulsa county. All all in all most
people in there don't want to catch another case
and have to stay longer. I didnt have any problems David: To avoid fights in,jail I just mind my own bussiness it is not a
good place to be and alot of tension in,their alot of silly
drama but that drama is,a serius problem leads to violence
so just bieng in the frame of mind that this isnt my life this
is just a bad place im bieng temporarily locked up in helps. Rhonda: I stayed on my own rack and in my cell, and took
my meds. Paul: Be quiet, understand others space not disrespect any inmates
in any way. I had to keep to myself and watch what I said and
asked. I also friended many inmates of all walks of life. Mike: I tried to keep to myself and read alot. I mean
12-16 hours a day and stayed in my cell more
often than not. I avoided the "hard core" loud
rowdy types altogether. I basically tried to
assimilate myself with the lesser charged or
similary charged inmates. People skills and being
very unassuming were an essential part of
survival. Barbara: I slept Leo: just watch tv or work out Liz: To avoid problems or fights with other inmates I
stayed to myself completely and did not talk to
any body while I was there. . . I am a very
private person and prefer to stay to myself to
avoid any kind of issues, arguments or fights
with any one.
JM: Were you able to choose an inmate as your cellmate if you knew one? How often would your cellmate(s) change? Nicole: no. Toby: In teh county as well as in prison, you are not
allowed to choose who you live with. If you
refuse assignment because you do not want to bunk
with a homosexual or a member of another race you
simply go to the hole but sometimes that is what
you have to do. In county you can expect your
cellmate to change quite often, in prison, the
only reasons for cellmate changes are being sent
to the hole, a write-up decreasing your level,
release dates, trasfers to another yard etc. Donald: I was kept in the center of the pod. There was
no cells open to go to. They were saved for the
long term inmates. That was fine for me. Manuel: No you don't get to choose your cell mate they are assigned
and chances are you won't like all of your cellys you could
have one cell mate the whole Tim or you could have many
different ones just dependes on what there charges are and if
they bond out Jimmie: No you don't choose your cell mate they are assigned
a lot of people wanted different cell mates but i
never seen any one get moved without going to lock
down. some people bond out fast and others spend
along time in there so just depends could have a
cell mate for a few hours or a few months Jack: I did not get to nor did I attempt to to choose my
cell mate. I did have friends that I knew in
there and we would socialize but I never saw a
reason to pick one. They changed once. David: No I did not never have I ben able to choose my cellmate I
wasnt in long enough to have a change of cellmates so I
really dont no,what to say. Rhonda: No you don't pick and choose , and it changes all
the time, people bond out in hours or days or
even months. Paul: I actually didn't have a cell. I was in the open part of the pod
that housed 16 in,ages. The inmates didn't change accept for
new comers to the pod and were housed on boats like I was
and some housed on boats were the placed in cells. I never
saw a cell. Mike: At first not. I was housed with an inmate with
larceny and GTA charges intially. He was only 20
years old and very street smart. He broke alot of
jail rules and I always felt pressured that I
would be held accountable along with him. I had
to surpress my outrage with his disregard for
jail rules in fear of being duped as a "rat". Leo: no every other day I would get somebody new Liz: You were not able to choose your inmate. I only
had an inmate for 3 of 7 days that I was in
there. The rest of the time I was alone.