This story was told by a person incarcerated at Merced County Jail.
UCI: Have they given any indication when programming is going to resume in your facility?
Caller: Well, like I said, like we have a tentative date and then somebody comes down with COVID again. And so, we have to go back on lockdown. So, like, just right when we’re going to come out. Or a couple times, we have come out, and then, like, two weeks later, we’re down for three months, six weeks.
UCI: I’m so sorry.
Caller: A lot of us, you know, I know that it’s rough, but like, sometimes, I think it’s the way that they – it’s just easier for them to just keep us locked in our cells.
UCI: I can see that and I know how badly you want to see your children. And, you know, I can’t imagine.
Caller: I registered for school and now I’m going to get a W because, like, I couldn’t even turn in my assignments. Because we can’t go to school. Like, I go to school for like milestones. But I can’t even get the milestones because I can’t go to school.
I can’t get my AA classes done or my NA classes done because I can’t go out. It’s one thing or another.
UCI: For schooling, they’re not even allowing materials to be brought to your cell so you can do it in your cell?
Caller: They’re allowed packets, like for general education. But like our college classes have to be proctored.
