Author: Sabrina

Here are some basic tips if you ever find yourself facing time on the inside- Of course the best tip is just to avoid getting sent here in the first place!  But if worse comes to worse… First and foremost be aware of your surroundings.  Don’t ‘get caught slippin’ which just means letting your guard down.  And project the right attitude- a little stand-offish with a ‘don’t mess with me’ look without being aggressive or mean.  Be polite but not too friendly or sweet because you will be thought of as naïve or weak and will get bullied. Always choose your words very carefully. Remember- respect is a big deal!  These guidelines are especially important when you are new and have no idea who to trust. “Neither a borrower or a lender be.” If other inmates offer to ‘help’ you by giving you things (shampoo, coffee, etc) don’t take it!  At some point, they will come back and want something in return and if you don’t have it, then you could be in trouble.  And don’t ‘feed the strays’ as they say here, which means if someone asks you for something, simply say ‘Sorry, I can’t.”   For instance, if you give one girl a cigarette, she will then point others in your direction and if you don’t help them too, it becomes an argument or a fight. (The respect thing again).  It’s sad that the system doesn’t lend itself to kindness or camaraderie but it is what it is. One

The prison here is divided up into sections called yards, each with various buildings and outdoor exercise area. There are three minimum security yards, with populations ranging from 225 to almost 2,000 women and two medium yards which house about 1,500 each. Then there’s San Pedro. It is the medical yard where anyone with a chronic illness gets sent- if you are on any type of medication you also will go to Pedro. Lumley is the maximum-security yard (the Bad Girls’ Club as it’s also called). And last and worst-a fenced off section for death row inmates who are literally locked in cages 23 hours a day. Like a dog pound, but with people in it.