CountyJail.net

Find El Paso County Jail inmates...

Leisure Time

Interview with Ricardo, Lori, Carlos, Kirk, Tyler, Tami, Enrique and Anna

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Ricardo: A ftop floor called sun porch maybe twice a week, weights basketball and wallball are available. Law library and regular library.
Lori: reading/reading/outside I think once in a while..book cart with some of the older classics. We did not dance/move/cause any more problems. So I read and shared the others about the Bible....i read preached and shared with very few...it was considered very little to do inside w/ no games to do...nothing other than read and read the bible..
Carlos: Handball boxing basketball ta
Kirk: I would spend my day usually playing card or dominos sometimes watch tv read a lot of books a lot of people get creative and make jewelry drawing helps writing letters working out we would make dice out of wet toilet paper and shoot dice I would write poetry for my wife a lot too
Tyler: there weren't any facilities this time im not sure why .we usually have chess games cards and checkers but this time there was nothing not even a television ,, I was pretty surprised besides they would take us outside to get fresh air and play basketball volley all and run around
Tami: they had time to go outside 2 times per week where you can exersise and get some sunligh, you can work, go to church, aa meetings, they had a law library and a library cart that would pass by. we also had a tv.ther were not that many options that were available for entertainment.
Enrique: There was classes for GED and to learn English but since i had my GED and knew English i could not attend. I read books to pass time. The only bad part was to get a book you have to turn one in so you have to hope another inmate will give you one or if one is leaving you can ask for his.
Anna: There really isnt too many options that one may have to pass the time. They allow you to go to sun porch (outside) for about an hour or two twice a week, and the only other alternative is to work on the floor or either in the sewing room to pass your time.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Ricardo: No competition at all the gang controlled the tv and if you were not gang related then no touching the tv for you.
Lori: no and TV shared only...no outside items we all had to watch or decide on the same show...novellas and talk show shows were all we did get to see. may be others did not agree on shows...did not matter...mostly I think we agreed. I do not think we changed the tv station ever.
Carlos: Tank boss control everything
Kirk: The tv is turned on at 8 am until 10 30 pm and its only local channels most tanks have a 3 day cleaning schedule so whoever a turn it is to clean has control of the tv or its a majority vote as to what we watch although duri g football season games are mandatory
Tyler: like I said this time there was no access to entertainment and besides the basketball outside and volley ball they had out there, other than that it was okay, they would take us out there every other day, sometimes twice a day, depending who was working the shift that day
Tami: every option for entertainment that was available was usually available to me as well.
Enrique: All tanks were different some would chose the tv or radio there choice depending on which cell had the cleaning. Our tank was more relaxed we pretty much let who ever was awake watch tv as long as there were other people that wanted to watch it if there was movies on that took over any show request.
Anna: Well the t.v. has always been a issue in the jail. People argue and fight over the t.v. alot. The rule in most of the cells is that whoevers turn it is to clean the tank for that day (each room would roatate) had control of the t.v. that day.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Ricardo: Not at all.
Lori: I gained 20 pounds while in jail...got really sick with fibromyalgia after. no exercise/eating and stress of being in there...no one really exercised.
Carlos: Yes food sucks
Kirk: No with all the free time you have you work out a lot just to keep from being bored plus your not consuming any toxins so you get healthier quicker
Tyler: no I didn't have a hard time , pretty much you have all the time you want to do what ever you want in there..
Tami: yes the tank was small so there was not much room for exercise and i did not like to get my uniform sweaty because you can only get a clean one once per week. i lost weight due to not eating much
Enrique: NO the food was horrible so you never gained weight but there was nothing but time to work out and keep in shape. We used our mattress as weight also 5 gallon buckets filled with water then there was push ups and sit ups.
Anna: yes, the tanks are not too big to walk around in, you are pretty much confined to a small area.

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?
Ricardo: 3 times a week if we were lucky.
Lori: not often..occasionally.three times a week may be...only time to see the sun and get outdoors. I aided each as we would go out and do small talk...I thought it was very little going to get some sun.
Carlos: You got to go out about once a week there was basketball and you could run laps. Inside all you can do is push ups and sit ups
Kirk: You are supposed to be allowed outside rec 3 times a week for one hour a time but usually they only offer it once a week
Tyler: I went outside once every other day. sometimes twice a day , we would play basketball volleyball and hand ball, there was drinking water outside and a exercise station
Tami: we were given the option to go outside twice per week.
Enrique: Three times a week sometimes the guards would call it really early and quit so you didnt get a chance also if it rained or was too cold you could not go. There was a basket ball court and wall ball court mostly we walked in a square and took in the fresh air.
Anna: You were allowed to go outside twice a week, they had volleyball, basketball, handball, and you were able to walk around a much more open space. There isnt really any other type unless you do confined exercise in your room.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Ricardo: Yes i did not attend but were available on sundays and wednsday.
Lori: I do not recall..possibly! I think one to two times someone came by to ask if wanted to participate...I did not attend as I recall.
Carlos: I never saw any
Kirk: Yes the do offer Christian and catholic services if you request another religion they will get you the religious service you want
Tyler: no the jail did not offer church services, only the inmates there would have a bible sometime and talk about the bible
Enrique: They did offer services there was a class room where they were held but i did not participate in any of them so i am not sure what they were like they usually lasted and hour.
Anna: Well the church volunteers would usually come every sunday, but if the capacity reached about 20 females before they reached your tank to announce it then you couldnt go.

Read about visitor policies in the El Paso County Jail