JAILS ARE DANGEROUS

Most Long-term jail facilities are overcrowded. They house dangerous criminal types. These jails generally house prisoners from all walks of life and people who have committed crimes ranging from DUI to violent crimes of Murder 1. No jail is really secure and no person from prisoner to jail staff is really safe. Fights between prisoners occur, prisoner(s) and detention officer(s), and other disturbances occur daily like, flooding of cells, suicide attempts, threats of all kinds to fellow prisoners and staff members. Rapes occur and are usually never reported for fear of being killed by the perpetrator.. These are only a few things that can happen to anyone in a jail. Jails are unpredictable and that trouble can arise in a split second, from calm to all hell breaking out. If anyone reading this article has never been to jail..

Some things to consider here for anyone arrested:

* If you are ever arrested and taken to jail, remember to act accordingly.
* Prisoners are treated with respect so long as they behave ...
* Prisoners will be required to wear jail clothing.
* Prisoners will be assigned a PIN number for making phone calls.
* Prisoners are fed one hot meal, and two cold meals a day.
* Prisoners have access to attorneys 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
* Prisoners make home-made weapons while incarcerated.
* Some Prisoners may be forced to have sex with fellow prisoners by rape or other sex acts.
* Prisoners, depending on space available, may have to sleep in a crowded cell with other prisoners, and sometimes on a mattress on the cell floor.
* Prisoners can be assaulted by fellow prisoners
* No prisoner is safe or secure ... things can happen in a jail, even if the jail has proper manpower.
* Prisoners can shower three times a week or daily if showers are installed in their unit.
* Prisoners have access to grievance slips, commissary and exercise as jail policy permits.
* Prisoners you are housed with may be very dangerous.
* Prisoners can send mail out, or receive their mail after it has been expected for contraband.
* Prisoners will be allowed visitation from family members so long as they don't act up, or the privilege will be suspended.
* Prisoners are given daily cleaning supplies for cleaning up their living areas.
* If a prisoner commits a rule violation within the jail they will be brought before a disciplinary committee for additional charges, dismissal, extra time to do or as the board recommends.
* Should a prisoner act up otherwise, they will be isolated from other prisoners in the jail until they can behave.
* Follow officer verbal directives and jail guidelines.
* Do not attempt to be tough or act stupid ... you will get nowhere with that kind of attitude.
* Questions? When entering jail ... most questions you may have will be answered in time ..
* Answer all the questions the jail staff is required to ask you, and to do as you are told while you are incarcerated. Hopefully you will never experience any time in a jail, it isn't worth your time ... or in some rare cases ... your life.

Jim Heitmeyer - Retired