Cook County Jail

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Inmates

Interview with Rachel, Jason, Kat, JM Advice, Brian, DavidP, keke, Teabag, Crystal, Edward, isaac, Lucky, Laydie, Kathy, Lisa, Apache, Janet, Ron, Ryan, Laetia, Dennis and Laura

JM: Did you find it difficult to get along with other inmates? Please give examples to explain why you did or didn't.
Rachel: i got along with alot of them but alot of them wanted to beat me because i dont know why.
Jason: I was the only white man with over 150 Blackmen in each holding cell for ours. No way to use a bathroom.. Having to stand for hours, no place to sit. Being threatened constantly for hours. Singled out everywhere they put me. I am no push over ( 6'1" 235 pounds ) and can hold my own but you cant stop 10-20 or more from killing you..Also after we had been strip searched for the 4 or 5th time I was placed in another holding cell with another group of abot 150 and 2 minutes after some one lights a Joint in the holding cell...
Kat: No they were all cool.
JM Advice: If you have never been to jail, the social change will probably be something of a social shock. Many of the inmates in Cook County Jail have been there before and are used to the experience. There is also a fair amount of violence at the jail, so tread lightly and be careful who you interact with.
Brian: I didn't think it was too hard.
DavidP: It's a culture shock. I was by far a minority there. I'm white, and it's 99% black or Hispanic there. I'm not a racist person at all, but they make you feel completely unwelcome and out of place. There's a lot of gang affiliation in there, with both black and Hispanic gangs. Almost every single one has been there multiple times. Many spent more time in there than not. For me, it was a horrific experience. I didn't expect to go to jail in the first place. Going through a place like this - it's in the middle of the South side of Chicago. It's a rough area of town to begin with, and then in the jail, with everyone in there - the jail doesn't make you feel welcome at all. After a couple of days, in my area, there were about 60 men, and maybe four or five that I could talk to, or would talk to me, and make me feel a little bit better. It took a couple of days for me to talk to them, and for them to talk to me. That's how it was all during the three months. I only really talked to four or five guys. There's a lot of hatred and violence. A lot of them didn't like me just for the color of my skin, or whatever.
keke: no not at all just cuz u are in jail doesnt mean all people are going to be mean and bad you see people from your niehborhood
Teabag: "Almighty Don't like nobody".... Almighty Simon City Royals.... Nuff said ???
Crystal: No, but the guards and administrators purposely isolated me as much as possible to keep me from talking with the inmates and telling them their rights. I was put on protective custody and 24/7 lockdown a lot to shut me up and due to bogus claims that they had to protect me from other inmates. There is a lot of mental illness and inmates who are good at conning others, lying, and manipulating. It is best to not give many personal details. Be a good listener rather than talker for your safety.
Edward: At first everything was very differant.i was sent to div 5 were 2 men shared a cell but due to limited space I was with 3 including myself.every one at div 5 was somewhat laid back but i only was there for about 2 weeks were i was sent to div 1.at div 1 it was extreamly differant.Im not in a gang and never was, so when you first walk in its a dorm setting with 48 beds all in a big dorm.people walk up to you right from the get go and ask what gang your in and if your not gang related they just walk away.at first its hard but if your going to be their for awhile it just gets better with the other inmates
isaac: there was a couple of gangbangers who pick on the big white guys but mind them none all lot of talk
Lucky: With rival gang members it's always tense. But the deck I was on was cool, I got along with everyone.
Laydie: my time spent with others was only a few hours, but it was good behavior, I would not like to serve any time there ,still I can say if you do your part to stay out of trouble in there then the guards will do the rest to keep you safe from harm.
Kathy: No
Lisa: no
Apache: no
Janet: ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS YES.IT ALL DEPENDS.YOU ARE LOCKED UP WITH ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFO,AND MANY DIFFERENT ATTITUDES.BUT I MEAN YOU CANT REALLY BLAME SOME PEOPLE,YOU MAY BE THERE FOR A MINOR TRAFFIS OFFENCE,WHEN THE GIRL NEXT TO YOU IS CHARGED WITH A MURDER. YOUR LOOKING AT PROBATION AND SHES FACEING LIFE.
Ron: no
Ryan: No. I am affiliated with a street gang and have been for some years so that helped alot. It is always easier for us than non-members because we look out for one another.
Laetia: not at all.
Dennis: No
Laura: Yes. I am very opinionated. I was an 18 year old white girl who didn't let anybody talk her down or steal her cookies! I think everyone had arguments, young or old. I am an agnostic, and many people in jail "find God" and get religious and it was a constant struggle. I never and will not speak out against religion but when in group therapy one day while asked I acknowledges that I believe people in jail finding God is great and all, but very fake, wow what a shit-storm that brewed.

JM: What types of things did you have to do to avoid problems or fights with other inmates?
Rachel: look down. tell the officers
Jason: PRAY, PRAY PRAY and look down, no eye contact, offer no information about ANYTHING...I was dressed in nice cloths and shoes which made me stand out like a sore thumb..There are way too many placed together in one cell and the stress of being called MF, and standing shoulder to shoulder for hours adds more tention.
Kat: Just stick to yourself. Be careful of body language sending off bad signals.
JM Advice: Inmates report that there are strong allegiances within various gangs and some of them may offer you protection in exchange for commissary items or meals. The end story is just be careful who you interact with and avoid offending others. Some inmates may have seats they claim at a dining table, for example. If people begin to put up a fight, just let it go. Being a county jail, however, you will tend to have less confrontation with other inmates than you would likely have in prison - most of these inmates will be out within a few months and they have a strong incentive to stay out of trouble. Keep to yourself until you feel comfortable with another inmate and you probably won't have any problems.
Brian: Just keep to yourself.
DavidP: There were stupid things like not taking a guy's seat at a table I mean, they had their seats. They're not afraid to start screaming. Anything like that, almost on a daily basis, like five out of the seven day week, there was a fight between inmates. It was either fistfights, or, they make weapons out of things. They take a fluorescent lamp they put a chair on a bed so they can get up to the ceilings and reach the lamp. They break it apart, and take the metal out of it, and use the metal to make knives. There were those kinds of fights at least once a week, so you stay away from those kinds of guys that initiate those fights. You can tell who is angrier than others you see who is the least of the worst. You stay around the least violent people. Most of them are more comfortable in there than they are on the streets. Most of them know each other from the streets and jail. It's kind of weird, I mean, they all know each other, and their comfort zone is there and around each other, being in jail. You can pick out the ones that are less apt to fight. One of the first guys I picked out he was actually one of the first guys to come to me, and I could see that he was half decent. He was the leader of the black gang that was in there. He said that I either needed to be with him or this other Hispanic guy that was in there. He said that one [inmate] was going to cause trouble, and that he had to watch out for me. He protected my back, and in turn, I had to give him something. I'd give him meals or parts of meals every day. You have to give something up. Buy something from the commissary, which you get on a weekly basis. You have those inmate accounts, and once a week, you can buy something, and you give him something, and he protects you. So first off, you determine who's not as angry or violent as others, or who seems to be nice to you, in a way it's all relative. It wouldn't hurt to pick someone out who has a gang who could protect you. Just figure out who could protect you.
keke: keep to yourself if you dont know them the ones running they mouths are weak
Teabag: Hahaha your joking right !!
Crystal: Don't argue if you can avoid it.
Edward: to avoid fights or problems i just was myself.if your not in a gang when you go in dont get into one when your their.i never did and it saved me from fighting with other inmates.i just kept to myself and asked nothing from anyone.some inmates are laid back and they will help you out with soap,towels and other things that you didnt get but others expected to be paid back in full and that can cause a problem.just be yourself and dont think you can fight the world.
isaac: stay to urself and dont act like a tough guy there are some decent people in there who just made mistakes
Lucky: I don't know what it is but weak or scared people stick out. You can make it fine in jail as long as you don't talk sh* to anyone, don't steal, never call a man a bitch! Be yourself...
Laydie: I kept a good attitude and upbeat mood, I got along when need be and kept to myself when need be.you can say I agreed with the format of things on a yes and no basis.
Kathy: Not disagree with their temperment.
Lisa: I just mind my own business
Apache: mind my own buisness
Janet: BASICALLY KEEP TO YOUR SELF AND LIMIT THE PEOPLE YOU TALK TO.
Ron: Stand up for myself and take no crap
Ryan: Nothing to avoid them. There is an unwritten code of conduct for all inmates and for the most part as long as those are followed there isnt any problems.
Laetia: keep to myself and pray often
Laura: Act like you don't have an opinion.

JM: Were you able to choose an inmate as your cellmate if you knew one? How often would your cellmate(s) change?
Rachel: nope
Jason: No
Kat: NO
JM Advice: No.
Brian: I didn't know anybody there but I really doubt it.
DavidP: No, and actually, I was in a weird area where I have a health problem. I have very, very high blood pressure, and therefore I went into an area that was used for people that needed medical care. It wasn't like a hospital, but it was a little more directed in that area. Consequently, I was in an area where there were 60 beds in one room. It wasn't a cell with one cellie, this was an open room, like a cafeteria at a college. There were 40 beds - four rows of 10 I think, and so it was a situation like that - a little different from what you've heard from others. Going back to that 24 hour period when I was being checked in, the nurse noticed I had high blood pressure, and I was eligible to go in. She recommended that I go into this other area. I wasn't among the general population, although it had the same kind of inmates, same kind of people. It wasn't a less intense situation. It was the same type of people that had some sort of health problem that required a 24 hour doctor nearby. It was more than what you get in the other area, though, I guess.
keke: hell no
Teabag: No
isaac: no
Laydie: no.
Kathy: No
Lisa: no
Apache: sure
Janet: TO TALK TO YES.AND IF YOUR HOUSED AT COOK COUNTY AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN THER A WHILE YOU CAN REQUEST THEY SHARE A CELL WITH YOU.
Ron: no
Ryan: I am not sure themeaning of the question. If u mean to be a cell mate with no not most the time.
Laetia: no
Laura: No.