Tent City

FIRST 48 HOURS

Intake

I was required to Self-Surrender at 6am on a Monday.  The DOs (Detention Officers) finally showed up at 7am to take us in.  The court gave me a specific list of things I could and could not bring with me into jail.  The most important items were my court order and my ID.  I knew that I would be allowed to wear my own clothing, but I didn't read anywhere on the paperwork that I could not wear a sleeveless shirt.  This is Arizona, it's 110 degrees outside- I wore a tank top.  While I was being taken in by a DO he said, "No sleeveless shirts."  Great!  Luckily I'd brought a light jacket with me for the nighttime.  I had to wear this in.

Self-Surrender Area

Self-surrendering were about 6 guys, a gal, and myself.  The first thing they did was frisk us.  Then they took us into a room where they separated the guys from the gals and they had us fill out a medical questionnaire, as well as have people turn in medications if they had them.  After this they did digital fingerprints of everyone, and took our pictures that would go on our tent city IDs.  Once those were done and printed out they gave us our IDs and our court papers back.  It's super-important that one does not lose their ID!

We were then put into cells.  Me and the other lady were put into a good sized white cell.  It was just the two of us in there and it was a decent temperature, although after a while it started to feel cold.  We were there for about 20 minutes then a guy called us one by one to do MORE fingerprinting.  Once done we went back to the holding cell.

After about 10 more minutes they called us out and we went to a room where we got shackled- hands and feet!  That definitely made me feel like a criminal!  They loaded us up onto a bus where they transported us to Estrella Jail.  We were put into another holding cell for about 15 more minutes.  After that a lady DO came and handcuffed the other gal and me to each other and walked us over to the tents.

All together my intake only took about 3 hours.  I've read horror stories of it taking 8-20 hours and people not eating that whole time and being thirsty.  Maybe I got lucky?  Maybe 6am is a good time to self surrender?  I think the fact that it wasn't the weekend helped.

Here is a link with information regarding self-surrender.  It also has photos of what the area looks like, so you can't miss it!  I wish I had seen this website BEFORE I went in:

http://www.mcso.org/JailInformation/SelfSurrender/Default.aspx

The Tents

So this brings me to the tents.  Upon arrival we were searched AGAIN (just a sort of frisk, not like a strip search or anything).  Then given 2 blankets.  They really didn't tell us very much except that we needed to put our ID badges in this pink bucket the night before we were to be released for work release.  We were also given our tent and bunk #s- this is a 4 digit number (XX-XX).  Memorize it because this is kind of like your "call number".

I proceeded to the assigned tent, but I had to ask which bunk was mine- the #s were not clearly marked.  Here's a little breakdown of what the female tent city looks like:

There are 7 tents, each tent contains at least 11 bunk beds (22 beds in all).  Some of the tents are larger.  The tents are on a concrete slab and have a metal frame structure, and are covered in canvas.  The walls are canvas as well and remain rolled up.  There is a giant fan in each tent.  It offers air movement, but it's hot air.  The surrounding area is covered in mainly small gravel- there is also dirt too.  There are 4 metal picnic tables.  There are also 4 public phones that can be used to make collect calls only.  There is a water fountain that has cold water, but it tastes like tap water from a hose.

There are bathrooms which are decently clean- the inmates have to clean them in order to have access to the commissary (more on this later).  There are 9 or 10 stalls with half-walls dividing each toilet; no doors.  There are a row of sinks and they provide crappy bar soap to use.  The water that comes out of the sinks is really hot.  There was toilet paper as well, which is kept on a cleaning caddy- so you have to grab some TP BEFORE you do your business.  There are also showers- they are public, just like you see in prison movies.

There are 2 vending machines which provide sodas and bottled water.  

This is what the tents look like.

So that's about all there is to it.  It's pretty barren.  Those first 48 hours sucked. It was incredibly hot during the day, but at least it cooled down a bit at night and early morning.  The DOs call for "bed checks" every 2-3 hours.  This means you need to be in your bed and have your ID showing.  They do these checks at night too while you're sleeping.  Most bunks have a rubber band or shoelace on the railing.  You can put your ID in there and they will not wake you up.

About once a day they will make a call on the loud speaker for medications.  So if you take meds then you can go at that time to the office to get your meds.

Most everything I learned I was able to pick up on just by watching what everyone else did.

Every now and then they will call over the intercom for volunteers for trash or bathroom clean up.  You should volunteer at least once, especially if you are going to be in there for more than 1 day.  It just makes you look like a stand-up kind of person, ya know?  Plus, if these chores are not done then the DOs might take away the whole yard's commissary privileges.  Which brings us directly to...

Commissary

What is this word "Commissary"?  What does it mean?  Well, unless you fall head over heels in love with the slop they serve for food in this place, Commissary is going to be your new best friend.  It's essentially a small (air conditioned) room with 7 or 8 vending machines.  The vending machines hold the usual- candy, chips, assorted snacks.  They also have things like Lunchables, bagels, cinnamon rolls, beef jerky, et cetera.  The assortment really does vary.  They also have a machine that sells personal items such as shampoo, lip balm, toothpaste with mini toothbrush- pretty much any travel size personal hygiene item you could need.  Don't be like me and buy anti-itch foot cream instead of toothpaste- make sure you read carefully what is it before you waste your $1.50.  I also accidentally bought Pinochle playing cards instead of regular playing cards.  Major bummer.  Most of the machines take just $1 bills and coins.  Some take $5.  There is a machine that will change out your $5 for quarters.  We were allowed into the commissary twice a day.

Meals

Meals (aka "Chow") are served twice a day.  The first one is around 9-10am.  It is a plastic bag that usually has two rolls, a small bag of peanut butter, two oranges, and a little package of ginger snap cookies.  You will also get either carton milk or apple juice.  This meal is edible.  I ate half a roll with peanut butter, the cookies, and I drank the milk.  "Dinner" is served around 5:30-7:30.  They wheel out a cart with Styrofoam containers.  Inside is your "chow".  It can vary- but there's usually some veggie- either spinach or carrots.  Then there are beans that are mashed up and look like vomit.  There's usually a roll, maybe rice.  Then there's usually a cookie for "dessert".  It looks disgusting and I didn't eat it either night.  I lived off vending machine food.

Tent City Culture

Pretty much all of the girls I was with in the tents with were really cool.  I didn't personally witness any friction or altercation while I was there.  People were polite to each other and most spoke candidly about why they were there and what the extent of their punishment was.  Some girls just kept to themselves the whole time.

There are a few "cliques".  You can tell there are some girls who have been there a while and have their buddies.  But still, everyone was decent to one another.

If you get a bunk that is on the top bunk, it's considered polite to tuck in your blanket so it doesn't hang over the sides.  It's also polite not to drape your legs over and swing them in the face of the person sitting in the bottom bunk (can you tell that I was one of those people in the bottom bunk? :)

If you have any questions about what to do or where to go- or just general questions about what to expect- Just Ask.  It only takes a day or two to catch on.  And if you're there for 6 days like me, by the 3rd day you will be the one answering the questions for the newbies.  Then you'll write a fantastic blog like this one here-see!

Most of the DOs are on a power trip.  Just do what they say and go along with it.  Don't give any attitude and they'll be cool with you- just like anybody else.


WORK RELEASE

After my initial 48 hours was up, I began work release.  This is how that works:

I was scheduled to get out for work release at 6am on a Wednesday.  At around 11:45 the night before, they call over the loudspeaker for anyone who is getting out between then and 7am to come drop their IDs off.  You HAVE TO drop your ID off by the front office in the pink bucket.  Otherwise, you won't get out on time.  They're not going to come get you or wake you up or anything- you must be totally self-sufficient.  This is where having a watch comes in handy.

After that you can go to bed.  In the morning they will call over the loudspeaker for anyone getting out at 6am.  You grab whatever you want to take out with you (money, your book).  DON'T take any of the personal items what you bought at the commissary out with you (e.g. toothpaste, shampoo).  You won't be able to bring them back in.  Just leave them on your bunk.  I didn't have any problems with people touching my things.  I just hid them under my blanket.

Once you get to the gate they will call either your name or your tent & bunk #.  Then they'll probably ask you for whatever they didn't call (e.g. If they call your last name- they will want you to tell them your bunk number in order to confirm it is you).

Then you're out!  At least for the next 12 hours.  You can go home, go to work, take a day trip to Sedona.  Doesn't matter- as long as you're ready to walk back in those doors 12 hours later!

So at 6pm I had to be back at the gates ready to go.  If you're there early the DOs will want you to wait way down by the East edge of the gate.  For some reason they don't like people loitering right by the entrance.  They will call from the entrance gate for you to come down and enter.  There were always a lot of people waiting.  One morning we all started walking toward the gate about 5 minutes to.  They made us go back to the waiting area and then they called us.  It was a giant waste of time and a total control-move, but you have no choice but to play by their rules.

Once they open the gate you must put your belongings on the table and they will have you line up facing the fence.  They'll have you take your shoes and socks off and they will frisk you.  Once they're done with everyone you can grab your stuff and wait in line by the office window where they will give your ID back to you.  Once again- they'll say your name and you must give them you tent/bunk number.

Then you can go do what you want- go chill in your tent or hang out by the picnic tables.  Whatever.  Then you do it all over again the next day.  Until you're released!

Here is a photo of the Tents, including where you need to wait to be let in, where you go in, and where the actual tents are located.

 RELEASE PROCESS

So, I'm not gonna sugar coat it- the release process SUCKED!  I think most of the terribleness for me was based on the fact that I didn't have a lot of information going in, so I was blindsided.  Also, my intake process went quite quick relatively- so I was in for a surprise when it came to outtake.  Anywho- we'll start at the beginning:

At around 11pm the night BEFORE I was to be released (for me, this was a Friday night), the DO who was doing bed checks told me to "Roll up", and that I was getting "Kicked out" (this is their lingo, not mine).  I had to collect all of my belongings, and grab the blankets they had given me in the beginning of my stay.  I then went to the front gates near where I had entered.  There were 9 other girls who were getting "kicked out" at the same time as me, as well as a bunch of guys who were waiting on the men's side. We had to put the blankets in plastic trash bags that we got from the bathroom.  We then sat there waiting for an hour.  None of the DOs said anything to us.  At around 12:15 some DOs finally opened the gate.  We had to put the bagged blankets in a pile on the other side of the fence.  We then lined up two by two and I was handcuffed to the girl standing next to me.  The DOs then walked us out and over to the jail on the other side of Gibson Ln. (I'm not sure which one it was, as there are several jails in the same area).

Once there we were un-handcuffed and all of us girls were all taken to a small cell with benches.  We sat there for about 25 minutes, just waiting.  The cell was clean enough but small. We all had our belongings with us so a few people read their books.  It was about 12:45am so some girls leaned their heads against the wall and tried to sleep.  They then came and got us out and told us to line up against the wall.  They handcuffed us (individually this time), and lead us outside to a van.  There were two more girls who joined us in the van.  The van was a big stresser for me, as I'm claustrophobic.  It was dark inside as we drove to the next jail (I THINK Lower Buckeye Jail).  I started to freak out a little when the van stopped and the DO had not gotten us out yet.  The van had locks on it from the outside and the fact that I was locked in this small space with 11 other people drove me crazy.  But the dude did eventually unlock the doors and let us out.  We were taken inside where we were un-handcuffed and stood along a wall in a small room.  They called off our names to ensure that we were all there, then lead us to another cell.

This cell was bigger than the first, and there were already about 10 girls in there.  Some of them were wearing stripes.  Everyone was waiting to be released.  We were locked into this cell and scrambled to find a place to sit.  Some of the girls just sat on the floor.  A DO showed up with the other ladies clothes about half an hour later, and they all changed back into their normal clothes.  Slowly, those girls were called out of the cell to get their fingerprints taken, then they were put back into the cell.

Time dragged on.  I tried to sleep, but couldn't.  I would read a little bit, then let myself doze some.  This was the most terrible time for me.  I thought I would be released around 6am- because that's when my work release time was.  Some of the other girls who had been in the cell before us got released, then they would open the door and add more girls to the cell.  Every time I heard the jingle of keys I hoped that they would open the door and call my name.  Some girls got called out for fingerprints, then put back in the cell, and then waited 2 more hours before they were released.  As 6am approached and none of the girls from my original Tent City group had been called for fingerprints yet, I started to get incredibly anxious.  I was supposed to be at work by 9am and I still had to call my husband to pick me up, go home and shower and get ready, then get to work.

I reached my breaking point around 6:30am.  I couldn't help it- I just started sobbing.  I was so exhausted and drained.  I worried about being late for work and not even being able to call.  Thankfully, I had had the foresight to call my husband collect the night before and told him that if I hadn't called him by 7:15 the next morning to pick me up, that he would have to call my boss.  So I knew that was covered.  But I was so frustrated that the DOs wouldn't tell us anything, and I had no control over what was going on.  All I could do was sit and wait.

Around 8:30am they called us for fingerprints.  Afterward we were put back into the cell.  We could hear that the cell next to ours was being released.  We were called out at 9:30 to be released.  We were the last ones there.  When we opened the door that let us out to the outside- it was such a liberating feeling. The word liberation had true meaning.

The area where they release you is right where Self-Surrender is.  So if your car is by the tents, you might need to walk or get a ride over there, it's about a mile.  Here's a photo of the area:

Here's a general photo of the area, including relation to the I-17: