This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Orange County Theo Lacy Jail.
UCI: So the other question is regarding reduced visitation and programming.
Caller: Oh yeah. We went a whole year without visits and just recently, this April, they allowed it one visit a month per person. And then I guess just recently two weeks after that, after it got better, then now we’re allowed to have two visits a month. And then supposedly I guess we’re supposed to, I guess if you’re aware how San Diego is, how they do visits by the phone and the tablet, we’re supposed to be going somewhere with it like that.
But I don’t know how fast that’s going to come in but other than that the visiting, yeah, that kind of sucks, the food’s a major point. And then other than that, I guess, I think they’re doing something where, instead of, it hasn’t gotten to us but some people who are eligible for kicks may be getting kicks. And then some people who, It’s called- it’s like an ankle monitor where if they have some time left on their sentence, then they get released on an ankle monitor for housing purposes just to keep the jail count down.
UCI: OK, I didn’t know that. And you know with reduced visitation, there’s also that part of the family and loved ones and how, with this COVID situation how has that affected your family or loved ones?
Caller: The worst part about it is I’ve had my grandfather pass away and then my grandma almost went too, you know. But other than that, it’s been alright, it’s not cool ’cause, you know, I can’t complain or bicker about something I put myself in. You know? It just, I mean yeah, I mean it just, it sucks, they did what they could it just it’s sucks, when somebody looks at you a certain way and holds you to a certain parr.
I’m not what they think I am, you know, so if I wasn’t at that caliber, supposedly, then they would have already done let me go for no reason, you know? And just like the whole other bunch of people that they let go, and I could’ve went on with my life but they want to hold me here for other reasons. And that kind of strains my family ’cause my family knows what kind of person I am.
UCI: And with this whole COVID situation going on, how have you been coping with the crisis?
Caller: Ultimately, the money situation has been bad since the working. And then, I was going to ask you, you said there’s no way for help with our case, but what about actually information, you can look something up. And I don’t know how you would get it at me, is it now, or in a letter, but the stimulus situation. Normally with the other stimuluses, the people have been allowed, ’cause I guess they get OKd for people to get them in jail and now it’s OK, we’re allowed to get them.