This story was told by a person incarcerated at Santa Rita Jail.
UCI: What has the COVID situation been like at your facility?
Caller: Oh, it’s been something else. It’s been ridiculous. They’re holding onto us for dear life because COVID-19 has caused for a lot of people to be released, and they’re just more worried about money more so than people being exposed to the virus.
UCI: What do you mean by “more worried about money?”
Caller: Because that’s, instead of releasing people that are really like low-level offenders or really non-violent offenders, they’re doing anything to hold onto them for as long as they possibly can unnecessarily.
UCI: Oh, oh. How’s the vaccination-
Caller: They’re more concerned-
UCI: Oh, go ahead.
Caller: Oh, the vaccinations – the vaccinations, they’ll provide all of those services to you. But they’re not too well in keeping you not exposed, and the treatment here is kind of like torturous ’cause they don’t have enough staff. We’re not allowed out enough at recreation time, we’re not given regular clothing exchange. Like one month, we had this, we weren’t allowed to change our uniform for over a month.
UCI: Wow.
