This story was told by a person incarcerated at Ventura County Main Jail.
UCI: And how has the COVID situation been like there?
Caller: Honestly, it’s been the same procedures, just like mask on, the distancing, the little things like that. Sometimes they pull out people if they want to get their vaccination or stuff, you know?
UCI: Yeah, and how has the vaccination been like? Has everyone gotten vaccinated, or how does that work?
Caller: Well, they call random people, and – and they – if they want to get it, sometimes people put themselves on the list. Like, they haven’t asked me yet, so I haven’t – I haven’t got a chance to do it. I would like to get the vaccination as soon as they call me.
UCI: So, how have you been coping with everything, like being unable to get vaccinated, and just being in COVID?
Caller: Wait, what do you mean? Can you say that again? I’m sorry.
UCI: That’s okay. I was just asking like how you have been coping like with the crisis?
Caller: Oh. It’s been – honestly, it’s been like – it’s been rough. I’ve been worried about my family. My family got vaccinated and stuff. It’s like, you know?
It’s just – I’ve been worried. It’s hard in here though. Honestly, it’s really hard. There’s only so much we can do.
And – and yeah, like I said, I caught COVID in – in December here. And – yes, life is good, but I’m still here.
UCI: Yeah, how did they treat you when you got COVID? Like, did they put you in quarantine? How did that work?
Caller: Yeah, they – they quarantined me in a cell for two weeks. That was it. That was it, honestly. They just put me in a cell for two weeks, away from everybody. It was 12 of us that got it. That was around people, that was around them, they isolated us.
UCI: What – what were some of the symptoms you experienced from having COVID?
Caller: I couldn’t smell. I couldn’t taste. I couldn’t really eat. I started losing weight a little bit, but it was all right. It only lasted a little bit. I finally got my – I finally got my taste back, my smell, everything.
UCI: Okay, that’s good. Then what do you think would make the situation at your facility better?
Caller: Like honestly, they – they only give us so much like cleaner, like – like cleaning supplies, like all that stuff, you know? It’s like – it’s all limited. Like maybe they can help us out with a little bit more, like what – you know what I mean?
UCI: Yeah. How often do they give you like new masks or like new cleaner wipes?
Caller: It’s all like once a day, all the cleaners, and it’s only for like a short period of time. Like they bring all the cleaning stuff, but then they take it away. Then we get it again the next day for a little bit. It honest – I wish they had all that supplies out 24/7 so we could, you know?
UCI: Yeah. Do they follow social distancing? Like do they keep six-feet apart from you guys or like from each other?
Caller: Honestly, right now, as of like three months ago they haven’t — like four months, five — like the last four months it – they honestly stopped doing all the distancing stuff. Like everybody is like more — it’s getting more packed in here. Like more people are coming in, and everybody just seems to be like just grouping.
UCI: And how does that make you feel? Like do you feel like – like insecure, like unsafe?
Caller: Honestly – honestly, I don’t know how to take it. I don’t – I don’t know. Like yeah they – I feel like they need to make a change though, or something, like go back to — I heard it’s rising up again right now.
I don’t know if it’s true. There’s only so much that I know about because I’m – I’m currently incarcerated, so I’m like pretty much locked down all the time.
UCI: Yeah. Are you allowed visitation at all?
Caller: Yeah. Yeah, I am. Honestly, I am. But it’s all – it’s through glass. It’s not — it’s not like you – no contact.
UCI: Yeah, that’s great. What else would you want people to know about your experience?
Caller: What was that?
UCI: I asked what else do you want people to know about your experience?
Caller: Honestly – honestly, I don’t know. I – I just – then I – hopefully, I just pray for everybody, honestly. I pray every night. I hope everybody just makes it through this.
Honestly, in – in a situation like this, it’s kind of rough. It’s hard, especially right here. And I wish that anything – things could just get better, you know? I don’t know how to say it.
UCI: Yeah, thank you for calling in and participating in our project. I appreciate you sharing your story with us.
Caller: Okay, thank you so much. But like – like I said, I’m not really too good at this. Like I don’t know how that, you know? But I tried. I got your guys’ letter, and I – I gave it to a friend. Thank you all.
UCI: Yeah, no worries. If you ever have any more like stories or anything you want to share with us, feel free to call in and tell everyone you know, your friends, to consider calling us and seeing if they have anything to share as well.
Caller: Yeah, I have a neighbor right now, right? I’m – I’m about to show him the letter and everything, and I’m gonna tell him to give you guys a call. Like hopefully, he calls right now or whatever. I don’t know how you – he might just call right now.
UCI: Okay. Yeah, thank you for calling in.
Caller: Are you – are you guys like a college? Or what are you guys?
UCI: Yeah, it’s – we’re a college-based project. So, I’m actually a student, and most of the time, it’s like students answering the calls. And it’s – we’re just volunteering to help out and expand this project.
Caller: Yeah. Oh, yeah – yeah. Are – are you – do you guys do that from home? Or how do you guys do that? Or do you guys go to school and do it?
UCI: I’m at school, but, yeah, I just – we would have shifts where we pick up calls, and then we just ask people incarcerated to share their stories. And yeah, we post them up on our website.
Caller: That sounds cool cause I’m – I’m almost out. I’m almost out. I get out like January. The – the beginning of the year.
UCI: Mmhmm.
And I need to do something already. I – I’m 23. I think this is a really good time to start change. I’ve been messing up really like lately.
UCI: Yeah.
Caller: The past four years, and I’m ready to go school, and I’m ready to take it – make a change, you know? And I don’t know how to do it, though. Like what do you think is the best thing to do?
UCI: Have you talked to your family about this? You could start there. And if you have access to like a laptop or a computer, you could do research online about how to get into the schools you want to get into, and if you just search up on the internet, there’s a lot of resources that could help you with that.
Caller: Yeah. Yeah, okay then. Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate it. I’m a – I’m gonna give you guys – I’m gonna give my friend next door, I’m gonna give him the phone, and I’m gonna have him give you guys a call.
UCI: Yeah, all right. Thank you. Have a good night.
Caller: All right, thank you. Have a good night.
UCI: Yeah, bye.
