This story was told by a person incarcerated at Robert Presley Detention Center.
UCI: So, how have you been coping with the crisis?
Caller: Well, last year I was found positive at another institution. Myself and probably over 120 other inmates are currently involved in a civil suit against Riverside County for being infected inside the jail. During that time a sergeant informed my whole pod, tank 14, that the whole pod was infected. And in fact, several weeks later soon the whole floor was infected.
During that time they moved us around like musical chairs. They even at one time put me in the pod with people who were sicker than I was. And all I was ever offered was a basic cold set up. My symptoms were achy bones, runny nose, headaches, that sort of thing, but I saw other people who were in a lot worse conditions.
Some people were bedridden and couldn’t even get out of bed to eat. So, it was a scary time because when we first found out that we were positive we all took it as a death sentence. And all we saw when we turned on the news was people dying all over the country. So, it was not a good time.
UCI: Mh-hmm. So, what could you say could make the situation at your facility better?
Caller: Well, of course testing. They could have a better vetting system for new arrivals as well as the staff. Because, you know, staff go home and come back every day and we’ve already – we have documented instances where staff has been known to come into the institution with the virus. So, certainly more testing and just a better vetting system for new arrivals when they come into the jail.
