What Jail is Like and Why You Don’t Want to Go There

Jail as everyone knows is not a fun place. But this is an account of what it is like to experience, from emotions to activities and accommodations. Bear in mind as you read this that every jail is different and so is the experience depending on the reason you are in jail.

When you first roll into your new home and throw off your coat and say “Honey I’m Home” you are greeted by the family. That is a bunch of men and women that are going to be in charge for awhile. They begin by removing the cuffs and then pat you down, removing your shoes and socks to make sure nothing is inside them. Now as you sit waiting, what you expect to be a visit to the “Don” after the through pat down. You leave that room and enter a large room with stations. In the mean time your new friends have removed your shoe laces from your shoes and you are lead through a metal detector. Now you go through the photo, printing and all that other fun stuff. From there they sit you down to wait for what will be known as your house. Usually this takes several hours.

Now that you have been uncomfortable for several hours another one of your new friends leads you to a shower stall. In front of them are your new clothes and a tub for what you are wearing to go into. You proceed to strip down in front of your new friend then turn around so they can make sure you still are not hiding anything. Once that is over you have on a very oddly fitting hodgepodge worn out rags. You are given a pile of things which consists of socks, underwear, shirts, pants, blankets, sheets, shorts a rule book, razor, spoon and a really flat plastic pillow.

Now your carry your pile of junk up to what is to be your new house. (that is if you are lucky and don’t get moved around a bunch of times)You walk up to a big desk in the center of a giant room surrounded by doors on two levels. each with curious eyes looking out at you. At the desk you sign your name to a piece of paper which has all markings and damage of the cell accounted for. They tell you your cell number and another number. The second number indicates when you get to come out of your cell. This is when you are allowed to watch TV, get a book, take a shower, make a phone call or cut your hair. You proceed to your cell with a big mound of stuff in hand and right as you reach the door you hear a loud pop. This is the sound you are destined to hear every time a cell door is opened. You shut the door behind you unpack, greet your new roommate, make your bed and get situated. Examining everything as you go along. You notice the extra thick plush mattress which is wrapped in a nice stylish vinyl plastic. And by extra thick and plush I mean its about as thick as your hand lying flat on the table.