I know at least one person here has been in jail *points at Buddha* but what's it actually like there? I don't really know what to think about jails and how effective they are... Seems like the perfect time and place for criminals to get together, share stories and ideas on how to commit all kinds of crime, and plan things for when they get out. I also heard that people commit crimes just so that they can get sent to jail and get free food, water, and shelter - are people really that dumb?
So, what's jail like?
Comments
Some prisons are nice, like in Sweden or Norway.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1986002,00.html
EDIT: Also, for some people, being in a jail is better because they know that they'll get healthcare, have a roof over their heads, have security and are guaranteed to eat.
Take everything you love, and throw it the fuck away. Picture the most unhappy, depressing place you can. That's about it.
Really though it isn't as bad as most people make it out to be. Like a mens retreat. You have a lot of time to sit around and contemplate life, the universe, and everything. Read a lot. Walk around, watch tv, play cards (learn how to play spades), talk to friends, and just generally hang out and waste life.
If you can get over shitting and showering out in the open, you'll be fine.
And regardless about what you hear, there isn't dudes getting raped everywhere, or people getting shanked all the time. You are watched pretty closely. There are fights regularly though.
In prison though, people do get shanked and raped and stuff. But mostly just fucking idiots who deserve it, you really have to fuck up or piss someone off for something like that to happen.
The worst part about it though is the boredom, fucking drives you nuts. This last time I was there for 33 days, which wasn't too bad, but the longer stretches really fucking suck. Generally though if it's just misdemeanor shit and after you are sentenced you'll stay in the jail and they'll give you a job. This last time I worked in the kitchen, so we got to eat shitloads. The time before I was working in the clinic, so that gave me other unique opportunities as far and swiping shit and selling it to other inmates.
Jail is generally where they send you while you are going to court, or where you stay for shorter misdemeanor sentences (under 1 year in this county, but some as long as 2-3 years). This county gives you 2/3 credit for time, So The last time I spent 33 days for a 50 day sentence.
Prison is for felons even with shorter sentences. 50% in CA as of now, but they are trying to get it dropped to 25% for non-violent offenders.
I have been in a couple of prisons with work and they seem like crappy, souless places full of mentally ill people.
Jails and prisons here have different levels of security, from administrative segregation ("the hole" "solitary confinement") where they are locked down 23 hours a day, and handcuffed when they are let out of their cells. To Minimum security where there is just a fence or two between you and freedom, and you can come and go from outside, and different buildings (library, kitchen) pretty freely. Also we have work release programs, where you just show up for a set amount of days per week, and are put to work. Usually picking up trash on the highway.
When I got dumped in there over night I was wearing steel toed shoes that got swapped out for those shitty rubber sandles and since my socks had coloured patches on the toes and heels they took those as well since we could only have completely white socks for some dumbass reason.
Yes most of the time it is fucking cold as hell, and you only get one little thin ass blanket.
We have 4 jails in this county they can move you around to. The last time I got stuck at the one up here in the desert that is old as fuck, they were replacing the air conditioners, so for almost a week it was close to 100F in there.
It's a place where your soul goes to die.
I got lucky, very lucky and was released after four days. Especially being very pregnant everyone was super nice and shared their commissary with me, even though they aren't supposed to. I also got snacks, usually an orange and a peanut butter sandwich. There was another pregnant lady in there. She was only a few months along. She came back from court crying because she got 7 yrs for some drug charge. I don't think Jail or prisons especially American ones do anything other than to prove a point that there are consequences to committing a crime and sometimes they don't fit.
Oh yeah, turn your bedroom light on, and then turn the tv up kind of loud. That is what it's like trying to sleep there.
It isn't always that simple. I have more than a few disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace convictions where I wasn't doing shit. lol
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/james-verone-robs-bank_n_880660.html
scum runs in the family huh