Interview with Julie, Inmate's Sister, Claire, Jim, Smyth, Ken, Charlene, Greg, GMan, Jamie, Leisha, Toby, Lisa, Consuela, John, Tom, nogboy, Rachel, Ralph, Chris, Sandy, Ginger, Craig, Lesley and Tiffany
JM: What else would you want a friend or family member to know if they have a loved one going to this jail? Julie: Please pray for them thats a hard place to been
in i was only there for 6 days and it damn
near broke me i cna only imagine what is like
for those who have to stay longer Inmate's Sister: just save enough money where you could afford a
good lawyer because the court appointed ones
dont try they best Claire: I think that pretty much sums it up. I mean, it's hard to know what
to expect because what's tough or difficult for one person to cope
with may not be so much for another person. Just stay supportive,
write them letters and/or visit if you can, and don't abandon that
person just because they are in jail. We all make mistakes. Some of
us just get caught. Jim: The booking process takes at least 36 hours.
Always remember when being booked in and walking
any where in the jail you must walk with your
hands behind your back or they will jump on you
fast. They tell you this at the booking process.
Wear a white t shirt, white socks and white
boxers before going in. Anything other than
white they will take away. You cant wear your
tennis shoes. You must wera their shower shoes
to court unless going to trial. Smyth: Give them a gun and a bullet first so they have
another choice. Ken: Where "white only" socks and underwear. Charlene: yes, pray, that is the only thing that got me
through it. Greg: rememeber everyone is nervious about jail either
if you assume the judge., is crap or not assume
for your shakes you go in there and give credit
where it's due, yourself, learn, live and move
on, this is your being bigger than the ceel
block your in, nothing can change you, you will
be the same when you leave. a Good person. GMan: Keep to yourself, do not make friends. Once you
open your mouth you are a commodity. If you keep
your mouth shut, you are an unknown....it's better
be an unknown. Jamie: stay away Leisha: YES,CALL YOUR LAWYER,BECAUSE HARRIS COUNTY DOES
ALOT OF RACIAL PROFLING Toby: just visit them and write to them that always
help me keep in good spirits. Lisa: If you are of an alternate faith,Have a book of
those scriptures(or sayings,etc) on you. If you
are deaf or Hispanic,the officers take too long
trying to find someone to interpret. Consuela: Our freedom comes on the other side of the pen.
Letters, pictures, visits, or money make time a
little easier.Everyone messes up, no ones
perfect. If you were smiling in their face in
the world and aren't there while they are locked
up....they won't forget. John: I was taken to jail for minor traffic warrants,
and because of this, I incorrectly believed I
would be released in a matter of hours. Even if
you are bonded out the exact second you arrive,
it's still going to be a 30-40 hour stay in
various holding cells. The constable who took me
in told me to expect a 3-4 hour stay - he
obviously wasn't aware of the Harris county jail
procedures. Most of the people I talked to said
the same thing - once you are in, you aren't
getting out for a while. Tom: Lend them as much emotional support you can and
encourage them to seek out as much help as the
facility provides. If you have the means to put
money in their inmate account or to enable them to
use the phone it goes a long way to help them find
some normalcy in their new living situation. nogboy: Visit as often as you can to break the monotany,
time seems to stand still in there. Add funds to
their phone, and commissary accounts. Rachel: It's tough, don't think about it until you get
there. Otherwise your doing more time in your mind Ralph: First, they are going to be cut off from you for
long periods of time. Phones are hard to use.
Visitation is a major chore. Letters are about the
only way to communicate effectively. Second, time
moves at a different speed for inmates. It will be
easy for them to forget that you have the hectic
day to day life of someone in the free world. To
them, a letter is gold. So write often. And be
patient when they sound insistent and impatient in
their letters. You can't imagine what it's like
for them on the inside. Also, they are going to
have very little control over what is happening to
them. You need to be prepared to do everything for
them, like getting an attorney, putting money on
their books, keeping them encouraged, expect that
their letters will always have things that they
want and need you to do.
Chris: this jail can be kind of a rough place . i would
tell them to always carry thereself with
confidence and dont look like a victim . also
dont argue with the guards , tell them yes sir
and nosir . the guards will beat you up if you
get out of line. Sandy: That is very very cold the food sucks they treat you
like animals visits are only 20 minutes make sure
that you have money on your books and make sure that
you keep in contact with you lawyer Ginger: I would tell them to stay to themselves, wash
their hands, stay busy, read some books and try
to dress very warmly if you know that you are
going to be in there. Craig: You are not allowed to give inmates clothes that
they can wear on the Pod. If they don't have
Tenner Shoes, your back will hurt you really bad
from walking on the floors etc. You can not give
them tenner shoes if you go to Court and have to
go to jail and don't have tenner shoes on you are
pretty well hurting. I would recommend going to
court in jeans and wearing tenner shoes in case
you have to go to jail. Wear a Sweatshirt so you
can use it to sleep on while laying down in the
cells. Lesley: that jail is not a vacation no one is ever polite
or helpful the officers will do as they please as
do not be impatient it will do you no good
JM: If somebody knows they will be serving time in this jail what is your advice to them? Julie: Keep your mouth shut at all times Inmate's Sister: make sure you dont do nothing wrong to get you
in the system becasuse once you in you will take
the case for anything or anyone. Claire: Like I said, it's hard to know what to expect. The best thing to do is
mind your own business, be yourself, and try to find something to
keep you busy. Jim: Do your time, stay away from the cowards in the
gangs. Just keep to yourself and you'll be okay. Smyth: A gun and a bullet. Ken: Bring as much money as you can to put on account
for the commessary and wear white underwear and
socks. If you want to get out on time, make sure
all of your fines are paid in advance. They will
keep you longer if you owe money to pay it off.
Information is hard to come by once you are in
there. Ask any questions you have before you
show up. In my case, I was given a report date
to turn myself in. Be on time, do what you're
told, mind your own business and get it behind
you. Good Luck. Charlene: yes, don't go in with an injury, cuz I saw an
officer pull a girl off the bench by her injured
foot. He drug her down the hall by her foot.
If the other officers had not told him to put
her in a wheel chair, there is no telling what
would have happened to her. The date is even
marked in my mind. July 18th, 2008 Greg: Eat a big meal before you go into the drop the
soap jailhouse of blues, lots of hatered but god
saves everyone. Jamie: learn your lessons the 1st time and choose your
battles wisely Leisha: WHEN YOU GET OUT OF JAIL DON'T GO BACK; AND
CONTACT SOMEONE WHO CARES Toby: just stay to yourself and nobody will mess with
you.don't get in nobody else business and that's
basically it.. Lisa: Stash a deck of cards in your shoe.They won't be
as likely to confiscate them. Consuela: Keep your head up, stay strong in your faith and
take mental note not to mess up like this again.
I also suggest don't listen to any of them jail
house attorneys, get a real attorney. God has
the final say so, no matter what. Tiffany: Don't go here. If you have to be arrested talk to
an attorney - a good attorney might help you
reduce your jail time or avoid it altogether. Tom: Remember that you have no control over your
surroundings or other people. Avoid confrontation
and keep to yourself and you won't have any
problems. Do what the guards say and follow
directions and orders. Also, this is just a small
piece of time in your life and you are there for a
reason. Take advantage of what programs jail has
to offer and use the time wisely. nogboy: The detention officers dont play, do everything
they say, reguardless of how ridiculous there
requests are. And dont talk back, they are
always looking for a reason to punish you. Dont
turn an already miserable experience into and
unbearable one. Rachel: Live it up until you get locked up Ralph: Make your phone calls as early as possible in the
intake process. The phones are free when you are
being booked in. After that they cost money and
are difficult to use. Try to get as much done
during that intake process as you can. once you
make it to a bunk your contact with the outside
world becomes virtually non existent. Have money
in your pockets when you are arrested. That money
will be put on your books, so you'll have money
almost right away. Having that money is going to
give you a leg up in getting your case moving
along and getting the things you need while you
are there. Find a cell where you can be left alone
and stay there. Most of the fights and abuse
happen when you start getting involved with the
wrong people. Read, write letters, make few
friends and do your time the easy way, not the
hard way.
Chris: my best advice to someone that will be serving
time in the harris county jail is to get a
worker position as soon as you get sentenced .
notonly doe this cut three quarters of the time
off your sentence but the workers are a lot less
rowdy than the rest of the inmates too. Sandy: To take one day at at time and keep your head and
try to stay as positive as you can. Make sure that
you have money and that people send you mail that is
very important to know that you have people out ther Ginger: I would say that they should try to stay to
themselves, find things to keep themselves busy,
don't listen to what people tell you in there
and again stay to themselves. Craig: Have someone in your family or have a friend put
money on your books so that you can get commissary
each week. Have a calling Card to call someone
from the Main Intake booths if you get arrested.
You are allowed to call from that with your
calling card. After you go up stairs your Wallet
etc is locked up. You can make collect calls with
a calling card. After that you have to call
collect from the phones on the Pod. Be sure your
friend or relative can except collect calls. When
you get questioned by the Intake Nurse after the
Guards search you etc, tell the Nurse that you
have Drug and Alcohol issues so that you can be
put on pod 2c or the 5th floor. 2 C is the best
Pod to go to, better then the 5th floor. There is
no fights there and you get alot of commissary and
you are out of your cell mostly alot of the time. Lesley: keep your head down never talk back to the guards
......make sure you have someone sending you
commissary money makes life a lot easier and you
wont go hungry not sa good feeling there
JM: Please list any other jail or rehab facilities you have been to. Ralph: I was only in Harris County jail. It was my first
time ever in jail and it will be my last. Chris: garza west , fdc houston , liedell rrc , oregon
state pen , darrington unit , the walls ,
holliday unit, columbia river correctional
institution , eastern oregon correctional
institution , and numerous county jails Sandy: non I have only been to Harris County Jail Ginger: Brazoria county and fort bend county Craig: none Lesley: went to rehad in springdale ark over 24 years ago
can not remember name was thur the church