This story was told by a person incarcerated at Blythe Jail.
UCI: I have a few questions that I can ask you, or if you already had a story you wanted to share you can go ahead with that. How would you like to proceed?
Caller: Ask questions.
UCI: Okay, great. So, what facility are you currently housed at?
Caller: Right now I’m in Blythe.
UCI: Blythe?
Caller: Yeah, Blythe Jail.
UCI: Okay, great. And what has the COVID situation been like at your facility?
Caller: I just got here, like, two, three weeks ago. So, I mean, like, but I’ve been in Southwest for half the COVID time.
UCI: Oh, okay. So, you have more experience with being at Southwest than you do with Blythe?
Caller: Southwest and Banning, yeah.
UCI: Okay, so, you can share any information related to either facilities that you’ve been at if you would like. So, I guess if you can explain the COVID situation at your original facility if you’d like.
Caller: It’s, like, 23 hour lockdown. We’d get out, like, once, twice a day sometimes. Near the end it’s like they’d give us day room, like, two, three times a day sometimes. I mean, like, we’d get, like, an hour out and then, like, top tier, bottom tier. Like, during the COVID situation it’s actually like they do room for room.
So, it’s like one room would be out for 45 minutes and then they’d put us both down, and then the next room would be out for 45 minutes. And they’d do that three times a day just like regular-just like cereal and stuff for breakfast, and then one hot tray which is usually not that good, and then, like, peanut butter and some, like, really nasty, gross diabetic jelly for dinner or, like, baloney sandwiches, like, this weird package.
UCI: Okay.
Caller: It’s, like, they wouldn’t really answer any questions too much. Like, guards are kind of dicks.
UCI: So, they were dodging your questions? Did you say that?
Caller: Yeah, yeah, we had to fill out a kite for anything. And every time we filled out a kite we had to do it, like, seven or eight times before they’d finally get back to us, like, a week later.
UCI: I see. And has there been any vaccinations happening at either facility that you’ve been at?
Caller: Yeah, as of recently, yeah, they’ve been vaccinating at Southwest, Banning, and Blythe. They just offered us today, here at Blythe, if we wanted the vaccine. But, we’ve already got them at Southwest and Banning.
UCI: Okay, and has that process been easy or has there been any, like, issues with it?
Caller: I mean, not that I know of. I mean, if they had issues, I mean, I wouldn’t know about it because I mean, like, they don’t tell us too much. But, I mean, like, otherwise, no. I mean, like, I got my first Pfizer vaccine in Southwest, and then after I got to Banning they pulled my tooth and then they gave me the second one.
UCI: Oh, I see, I see. And how has COVID, the situation in general, affected any of your loved ones or family members?
Caller: I mean, I don’t have too many family members here, like, loved ones, per se, left anymore really. But, I mean, like, so, I mean, I really wouldn’t know on that part. But, I mean, like, other people in here, I mean, like, a couple people caught it and then they, like – during the heart of the COVID stuff, Banning was used for, like, housing the PCs, like, Protective Custodies.
And then, they were housed for, like, people who were on quarantine who had COVID. And then, like, after they started handing out vaccines and everyone started-like, the whole thing started ending, like, they started putting, like, regular people back in Banning.
UCI: Okay, and then how have you been coping with the crisis?
Caller: Playing cards, I don’t know, trying to find anything to do from going crazy sitting in a cell all day. But, I mean, like, it’s alright. I mean, like, half the time it’s just trying to deal with the motherfuckers, like, yelling and shit out of their cell. They get so bored they start banging on the door and yelling and singing dumb ass songs.
It’s just like, dude, I’m trying to sleep, shut the – excuse my language. Like, dude, trying to sleep, be quiet, please.
UCI: I see. And do you know of any people that have had any experiences with COVID? Anyone that’s particularly close to you or any specific infection that you can share with us?
Caller: I mean, not right off the bat. I mean, like, I’m here with another dude in my cell here in Blythe that, like, he’s been here, like, for a good minute, for a good time, like, bigger time. And, like, if he wants to share his experiences, I’m not sure, but I mean, I’ll give him you guy’s number.
UCI: Okay, great, that would be amazing. And I guess what else is what would have made the situation at your facility better for you?
Caller: What would have made it?
UCI: Yeah, if you could change anything about the COVID situation and how they handled it?
Caller: I don’t know, like, probably more day room, if anything. Like, for, like, Southwest and, like – because Banning it’s like dorms, you know what I mean. So, it’s like we have day room all day anyway. But, I mean, like, Southwest, it’s, like, one cell at a time, you know what I mean.
And it’s like, so, like, you get out one time a day for 30, maybe 45 minutes. Like, by the time you take a shower and then, like, go to hop on the phone you’re already getting told to go back down to your cell.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: That’s like, I mean, the guards don’t do really anything about, like, answering any of the kites or, like, doing anything about really anything.
UCI: So, it seems like they just –
Caller: I mean, here at Blythe the guards are cool.
UCI: Sorry, say that one more time?
Caller: I said here in Blythe the guards are cool. And the ones at Banning, I mean, they’re, like, cool, I guess.
UCI: So, it seems like you just needed more time out of your cell.
Caller: Yeah, for the most part, yeah. And, like, better food would have been cool. Well, I mean, like, but I mean, like, there’s nothing we can really do about that.
UCI: Right, and let’s see, I mean, is there anything else you want to share or you want people to know? This is going to be up on our website so you can share anything that has to do with COVID and your experience inside right now.
Caller: Don’t get arrested. Like, yeah, don’t go do dumb shit. That’s really the best, only thing you really, like, can say. I mean, like, the situation sucks but, I mean, like, it’s [unintelligible] out here. You’re not supposed to have fun.
You’re in jail, you did dumb shit, you got arrested, it’s your fault. Don’t get arrested, don’t do dumb shit. I mean, you don’t want to be stuck in a cell all day, don’t go to jail. Best way not to go to jail, don’t do dumb shit. Excuse my language.
UCI: Okay, thank you so much for sharing your story with prison pandemic. And if you would like to further share we have an address that you can mail something to, a letter, or you can call us back at any time. And we would greatly appreciate it if you shared our information with anyone else.
Caller: Okay.
UCI: Thank you so much.
Caller: Thank you, have a nice day.
UCI: You, too. Bye-bye.
Caller: Bye.
