We were both really excited for this tour since neither of us went on the other one and heard such great things. It was a little hard for me to listen to him for a little bit because I was so thrown off when he stated that the people in jail were just really bad people...I couldn't understand anyone saying that and grouping all those people together when each situation is different. After getting passed that, we did both learn quite a bit. I personally have seen the inside of a jail before but listening to what he had to say really blew my mind. 14,000 people get booked every year. I had no idea that so many people got arrested. Then he said most of them are repeat offenders, I would have thought with it being such a high number that most of the cases would be petty first offenses. So that really surprised me. It was also very interesting about how he was talking about how the commonsary that the inmates purchase pays for things like the TV's and such. I personally think it's good for them to have things like that because I totally agree on that aspect, how can you punish someone if they have nothing to lose. I can imagine how much it would really just plain such to lose your phone calls for a week. I actually know how that's one of the big things the people in jail are looking forward for. It may all seem like silly little stuff that we all take for granted but when you have everything striped away from you that little stuff really matters. It's also really great that that jail has such a large part in mental health. Locking someone up and not doing anything to help them is pointless, they are just going to continue what they were doing to get locked up. Treating the inmates with serious mental illnesses and treating the ones with drug addiction issues even if it means sending them to rehab is a huge part in fixing the problem. I understand some people are just committing crimes just for the heck of it but I would think most people there is some sort of under laying issue. Like the guy stated, 95% of the inmates suffer from some form of mental illness. Me and my partner both learned a lot from this tour. Of course we each took different things from it was very insightful just getting to listen to him speak. It is too bad we had such a large group and couldn't go to a lot of places the smaller groups normally would get to go to though. -mybabygirl004 -boop004
I agree with the both of you. This tour was a great refresher. I think that the population of the jail when he said it decreased was a shocker because usually there is usually about 600 inmates in the jail and usually are all for the same crime. It was great to relearn and learn new materials. GoodVibes003
I agree with you in that I couldn't get past him saying that the inmates are just bad people all around. I think that was completely unnecessary because not all of them are bad. Sure, there are some in there who are genuinely bad people, but some are good people who have made bad choices. As a professor of mine (who just so happens to work with the juveniles) once said, "We are all just one bad decision away from ending up in that place." I also think commissary is a great way to avoid from dehumanizing the inmates. Everything they have gets taken from them; they need something to call theirs. Gators003
I have been institutionalized before, not jail, but 4 years I was institutionalized and I went to this college ICC. I have been watched like a zoo too by students who simply just want a job and a degree. I felt really icky when students looked at me. So now I am out of there and I am proud to say lots of good things and NO ONE should be shoved in a cell if they did not commit a crime, no one should be put in bad situations either. If persons with mental health issues are there too then, it would be better to have them live in a humane condition. Long term is no fun at all. It really opens your mind anyone can go through something terrible like that whether they have issues or not. Maybe a person is found later not having those issues.
We were also very excited for this tour and to see the differences between the jail and the juvenile detention center where huge. I was surprised by how many differences there were but also how close they resembled one another. The thing I liked most was probably actually going inside one of the pods because it put us in their shoes and made us feel like what they have to live with for how long they are there. JE002 Rocker002
This was my second time visiting the county jail and there was one thing that I couldn’t see the last visit I went to. The medical office was the one thing that I didn’t to see the last time because we had such a bigger group. The medical office works just like a hospital, but it doesn’t make them do like what professional doctors do and I thought it was cool that they have a few rooms to where an inmate needed medical attention for a couple days they have a few rooms to keep an eye on them just in case something where to happen overnight or while they are in the office. Another thing that I enjoyed about the tour was that there were only a few females in the county because like the he said it is mostly male populated and that only a very few females are in jail for very long. When we could look down at the female pods I only saw maybe 4 in one cell block. That showed me that only very few females are committing criminal acts and they are getting lesser sentences unless they commit a serious crime. One thing that I did notice about the male blocks is that there was one that had an equal amount of white and black men in the cell block. I noticed that in the lounge area of the block that the white men where just around other white males and the black men where just around other black males. It just comes to show that even in a county jail there is a little segregation between the males. Most of these inmates looked like they were just minding their own business so that they can just get out and hopefully not have to come back. When he was explaining how many bookings they get annually that blew my mind because he said most of the bookings are repeating offenders who just don’t know how to stay out of trouble and only a very few are new offenders. The county jail is only for people who must serve less than a year, but of anything over than that is going to prison. Overall I thought this tour was a great refresher on how their jail works, what serves they provided and talking to us about what the steps should be to work as a correctional officer or to get to a higher up position. GoodVibes003
i agree with you on the medical rooms, i was standing in a spot where you could see the rooms that he was talking about and i just didnt expect to see people laying in beds watching a flat screen tv. One thing that me and my partner noticed was that in the mens pod they were either playing card games or working out, walking wall to wall or hanging from the stairs doing pull ups. boop004 mybabygirl004
We both were excited about this tour at the county jail. We knew it would be a totally different experience than the juvenile detention center. Entering the building through that garage was kind of scary for us, especially not knowing what was behind the door initially. The superintendent was a great tour guide, very educated, and very knowledgeable. He made us feel welcome. The first stop we made in the intake section was a bit scary for us. There were inmates yelling, using foul language as well as a fight had broken out. We saw the correction officers immediately take action when the call was put in. We saw the inmates being escorted to a different area other than the cell block they were in, that was quite scary because we saw them up close and personal and not behind the cell walls. As we were walking to the next section we saw people in the holding cell. We were impressed with the medical unit. Its set up like a clinic and is good that they can provide necessary services to inmates to insure their health stays intact. We also thought it was a good idea to make inmates pay a copay for the services provided, like the superintendent stated, if one can buy snacks they can pay for health services, plus it will cut down on false statements of being ill. What was mind boggling to us is the fact that inmates have the ability to commit suicide. The jail has special rooms for inmates that show signs and symptoms of a person that would harm themselves or others. But in some cases, inmates will not show the signs and symptoms. On two occasions the jail had successful suicides, one being very recent and the other was three years ago. We got to go on an empty cell block to view the day rooms and the sleep corridors. To us it was a wakeup call to never do anything to end up behind those bars. The inmates are closed in, no windows, not much to do but watch television, play cards or read books. The inmates are confined to one area and have certain times to lock back in the cells. Looking down on the inmates was a good experience for us. The men and women were totally different. The men cells were a lot larger and we noticed that the men were either watching television or working out. The woman on the other hand were playing cards socializing or reading books. The trustee pod had it made. They were able to get extra privileges for working in the kitchen. There was a big screen television with a dvd player. Being a trustee must be earned and rules must be followed to maintain that spot. After the tour, we went into the gym to wrap up and ask questions. Our classmates had great questions followed by honest answers from the superintendent. Overall the tour was outstanding and give us knowledge of what goes on behind those jail doors. If we had the opportunity, we would do it again.~Mznures004 and TootieRue004
We agree. The jail tour was really interesting. It was really eye opening to see what it was like for the inmates and the correction officers. Life has to be pretty boring for the inmates in the jail. Just from looking at their living conditions and the things they have to pass the time, we could not imagine being in their shoes and having to spend each day basically doing the same thing. We were so glad that we were able to leave and go home and not be trapped in the jail like the inmates. We were also curious of what charges each individual had. We were especially curious of the crimes the inmates with the federal charges did. We are glad we got to experience the jail tour. It was neat to be able to see first hand the job or part of the job that we would like to pursue. Steve002 and stoblues002
We were both really excited to go through the jail tour. We knew it would be a lot more intense than the juvenile detention center. I had been through the Tazewell County Jail before on a tour. This was my partner's first time doing a jail tour. Arriving to the jail, it became obvious pretty quickly that it would be a lot more different and actually feel like a jail. When we first arrived we were shown the sally port. This area is where the arresting police officer drops off the individual in custody to the jail. From there the correction officers take over and the individual belongs to the Peoria County Jail. Next, we visited the intake area. This area is where the inmate is processed, their belongings are locked away in a safe keeping area, and the inmate is placed in a holding cell. During this process, the inmate is questioned if they are suicidal or not. The risk of suicide when a person is first booked into jail is high. If the person is feeling suicidal than they are placed in a special room where they are stripped of their clothing and constantly watched. We learned that timing is everything. Right when we got inside the intake area, the correction officers were breaking up a fight between inmates. We got to see it first hand and heard some colorful language as well. Next, we saw the medical area. After the medical area, we got to see a pod. This part was really interesting as we got to see the inmates up close and their living areas. We had the privilege of seeing both the men's and women's units. The men had a larger population than the women did. This is probably common throughout jails in the United States. Lastly, we went into the gym and had a question and answer session. Overall, the jail tour was really interesting. It was really neat to be able to see the inmates up close and their living conditions. We learned a lot about the jail. It was also pretty cool to be able to experience the career or part of the career we would like to pursue someday. Steve002 and stoblues002
We agree as well the difference in the two facilities were undeniable. But Peoria County is doing a remarkable job inside of both facilities which is not always the case in jails or juvenile facilities across the county. It was cool to see both sides of the criminal justice system and the way they deal with the juveniles as well as the adults here in the County of Peoria. Overall both tours were very informative and showed the integrity that the criminal justice staff have here in Peoria. mommy001 EKT001
We also agree, the difference between both tours were night and day. There is a clear distinction between the juvenile’s being rehabilitated and then at Peoria county jail it was more of punishment to the crime they committed. GRUNT003- JE003- hawkshockey003
We agree Steve002 and stoblues002, the Peoria County Jail was much more intense than the detention center, bu the added intensity made for a much more interesting tour. It was a great experience seeing the inside of a jail and getting to witness firsthand what all the inmates have to go through in the whole process and it was great to learn about a branch of our career path we could join! zmw002 and oasis002
The tour of the Peoria Country Jail was very enlightening experience from both the criminal justice and sociology students. Our tour was given by Brian Asbell, Corrections Superintendent, he stated that in 2015 there were 12,000 people incarcerated which was down from previous years. The cost to house a person is $80.00 per day which include staff (intake personal, medical and administration) food and utilities. The Superintendent has over twenty years of experience in the criminal justice field and told us that the two basic reasons why people end up in jail here in Peoria are mental illness and necessity. There are more males incarcerated than females so the area that houses the males is larger and holds about twenty people per pod. These pods are broken down into groups that are not of the same gang affiliation to minimize fights and other violence. From our observation of the people that we saw Thursday night 96% of them were black both male and female. Mr. Asbell stated that the maximum amount of time that a person can be in Peoria County Jail is 364 days after that time they must be sent to state or federal prison. Jails are social controls for people who are exhibiting deviance bad behavior and actions. Jails do not treat or fix the reason why they ended up in jail. We see Hirschi’s Control theory which linked social controls to four types, can be applied here. 1.) Lack of attachment; many of the people had weak family structure and school relationships 2.) Lack of opportunity for future success 3.) No involvement in going to school, no job, hanging out with peers with similar problems. 4.) Weak or no belief in conventional morality. He told us that he has personally witnessed three generation of drug dealers in Peoria County Jail during his career. Another issue is that there are free stand only facilities for treating people with mental illness in this area. So people who have problems such as; drug and alcohol abuse commit a crimes stealing, robbery or driving under the influence. Here in Illinois like in many other states there has been budget cut backs which limits the amount of mental health care that is needed in jails and prisons. Because this is a jail and there is no set time for an inmate to be housed in Peoria County Jail mental health is limited. So treatment of mental illness can’t be completely applied and finished before the person is released from jail. And the person is back on the streets and possibly in jeopardy on committing a crime again. And using Mr. Asbell reasons for incarceration metal illness and necessity it reflects what we have read in sociology book this semester. buckrogers004 wonderwomen004
We both found the County Jail tour very informative. Mr. Asbell stated that the inmates there were very bad people. That wasn't very surprising it's in the paper pretty much everyday and you can see for yourself the amounts and types of crimes going on in the local area. The budget cut backs in the state have made things more complicated in the treatment of the mentally ill detained in Peoria County and it was good to hear that they now have Mental Health Services for those with mental issues. The people there with the mental disabilities seem to return over and over again. So Mr. Asbell said that treatment for the various illness was very important if they were to stop recommitting the same crimes time and time again. The fact that they use the money spent on commissary for things such as televisions was also a good idea. As he said if they don't have things like that what do you take away when they make poor choices or exhibit bad behaviors. Although they have committed criminal acts they are still human beings and need to be treated as such. It was great to encounter Mr. Asbell and see that our county jail is ran by a man with integrity. Too often inmates are mistreated because the staff lacks integrity so it was refreshing to see that is not the case here in Peoria County. He is also very qualified for the position there with 20 plus years in criminal justice. Overall it was a great opportunity to see the jail and the juvenile detention facility and both places are doing a great job in providing the adults and juveniles with the proper care and supervision needed in environments such as those. So way to go Peoria County!mommy001 EKT001
Peoria County Jail is definitely putting their heads together and making sure that they can run the place efficiently, the process of using the commissary to pay for privileges shows that they have tax payers in mind and aren’t just spending money wherever they please, I think that goes back to what he was saying in the gym about how he makes his employees live in Peoria County, makes them likely to care more about their own county than some neighboring one. I am also really glad that they started having Mental Health Services, I did an internship a couple summers ago and we ran into a lot of trouble with these patience that stayed in homes throughout the city and they were always escaping and I just don’t think these homes are doing much, hopefully the Mental Health Services in Peoria County Jail will be able to help at least a little bit. -NOsaints003
I agree that the mental facilitys are nessary for inmates to get the proper treatment if their mental copasity is not one hundred percent their. I also believe that Mr. Asbell was extremely professional in his sense of having the jail funcition in ingerity. Eagle001
That was one big difference between the juvenile detention facility and the county jail. The people at the jail had done really bad things, the super Mr. Asbell said that there were even people there for homicide. While at the juvenile detention center the tour guide told us that the kids were not really bad kids, they just made mistakes. Other than age, we think that is the main difference between the two. In the Jail you are perceived to be a bad person, while in the detention center you are just considered to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. -DTH004 CMB93004
This was the second time I have had the chance to go on a tour to the Peoria County Jail and was pleasantly surprised when we were able to go into a couple places we were not able to last time. The Medical Center was first place I did not get a chance to go in last time, was a nice well-kept facility that would be perfect for any injury that may occur to the inmates during the day or night, I definitely agree with making the offenders pay if able for their medical treatment, the nurses are they to aid them not be harassed by them. Another part of the jail that we did not get to look at the first time I went there was the gym, though I don’t know why it was called that seeing as it seemed to be used almost strictly as a chapel seeing as the inmates were doing a lot of working out inside their block or cell while we were observing them. I am always impressed with how clean all the facilities are inside the building, makes it a safer environment for both the inmates and the officers. While we were sitting in the gym asking questions, one of the students raised the questions about rehabilitation in the facility, I found the officers response very interesting because I had never really thought about the different in time for prisons and jails from a rehab standpoint, but having programs would be very difficult to lock down because of all the in and out traffic that they get while prisons they know how long each and every inmate will be with them and because of that they can nail down more accurate numbers to get funding. Always appreciate his life advice on how to take the next steps in our career and making sure we know it’s not always bad to start in a different part of the criminal justice industry to at least start getting some experience. -NOsaints003
We also were very impressed with the physical and mental health staff that worked full time on site at the jail. It is great that they meet high standards of medical safety to make sure there inmates are well taken care of. Also it was interesting how the jail does not focus on rehabilitation as much which makes sense because the inmates are not there for a long period of time. Bike001 ReidMeeks001
We would have to agree also when it comes to the mental and physical well being of the inmates. It is very reassuring that if a loved one with a mental illness would be tended to at the facility and that they take certain precautions when dealing with those types of inmates. It also was refreshing to head that those officers who use bullying as a tactic is not tolerated either. Well done. OKC002 and Ciaccio002
The visit to the Peoria County Jail was a very interesting visit for the both of us. Getting to go through the same order of events a prisoner would was very informative. The intake is where we started, which provided us with many interesting facts. The fact that prisoners were given a receipt after all of their items were cataloged was very formal. Even though they were in jail, they still received a receipt of all of their items. The fact that female prisoners were supposed to be separated from the male inmates not only from the view of them and physically, but also by sound, seemed like quite a task. Beyond soundproofing the room, we don’t really see a way to completely separate them with the holding cells being that close together. The mental health care aspect was a great addition to see be made to the jail. While mental health is in now way a cause of crime, it can be a risk factor for behavior involved in committing a crime. Far too often our criminal justice system overlooks this crucial detail, and people suffering from a disease of the mind are labeled as criminals. The medical care they provided for illness and injury was truly stellar, and the jail staff should be proud of that service. The amount of security in the jail was at the level we expected, but to see it up close was truly something to see. The amount of cameras and safety protocols was daunting. The level of offenders they had in there was quite surprising. Given that it is a jail, you expect to see low level offenders and people awaiting trial, I just honestly didn’t stop to think that murderers and federal prisoners would end up in there as well. The actual size of the pods was actually quite surprising. The pods were rather small, with only a small area to lounge in throughout the day. The yard they got to exercise in was even smaller, and surrounded by four brick walls. The ceiling was a chain link fence. The fact that the jail is one of the largest mental institutions in the state is sad. This means people needing mental help might have to go as far as ending up in jail and with a criminal record just to receive treatment. 95% of the inmates were said to have some sort of mental defect. The lack of mental healthcare in this country is sad, and a major problem. People complain about the rates of crime and the number of incarcerated people, but they really aren’t looking at the root of the problem. If some individuals just received proper mental health treatment or even an actual diagnosis, the amount of incarcerated people would probably see a drop in numbers. Hopefully facilities all across Illinois will see the Peoria County Jail as an example of what they need to strive for, and also adopt many of the stellar programs they have available within their facilities.-OKC002, Ciaccio002
The Peoria county jail tour was very interesting to be apart of. I really like how the staff takes time out of there own night to take us around the jail and show us real life people serving time in Peoria county jail. We thought that it was really great to see first hand that there was a hospital in the jail, it was much smaller then a normal hospital, but it had everything it needed to operate like a normal hospital would operate. The jail also had mental health staff employed at the jail as well. That is really great to see since 90 percent or more of inmates that end up in jail have mental health related issues. It was interesting to hear that once these people that end up in jail learn they are staying for a long time, that the do not get to go out side. They basically stay in the jail for as long as up to one day less then a year. when the tour first started a fight broke out. They said it was most likely over gambling or some type of a card game. I think that if they know fights always break out over cards, maybe they should get rid of the cards and replace them with something else. Another thing that was interesting to me was that they do not check every single inch of one’s body before they are put into the jail population. The jails reasoning for that was if an 18-year-old man or woman get busted for making a bad choice and then brought to jail, that they should not be subjected to that type of punishment. I agree with that and I also disagree with that. I thought it made perfect sense, however that would be a flaw in the jail system that violent offenders know about and if they don’t they could learn very fast how easy it is to sneak drugs or weapons into the jail. When our group was taken up stairs were the guards look down and watch the jailers, it was interesting to watch the inmates in jail and there was a lot of guys walking back and forth and other guys working out as much as they can. Also I think that it was interesting that if the inmates had money then they could buy food and candy and different drinks. This was a great tour to be apart of and our group learned a lot. GRUNT003 – hawkshockey003 – JE003
The visit to the peoria county jail to us was very informational and eye opening. After going to the jdc two days prior, the county jail was like apples to oranges. Besides the difference in number of people in each building, even the demeanor of the inmates were different from the jdc to county. Most of the inmates at the county jail, especially the re offenders, have now been labeled by not only the justice system, but the general public as jailbirds or criminals. For the small percentage who only have to spend the weekend or a week in there can shake that label off due to their means of not having a long sentence, but those who have to serve that max sentence of 364 days will have more barriers to go through to get rid of their negative label. The superintendent did a wonderful job of showing us the ins and outs of what goes on during an average day at the county jail. We were especially surprised that all of the inmates’ video phone calls had an opportunity to not be recorded due to the discretion of their lawyer. Another surprising thing was that how little of a space the women in the jail had compared to the males. I get that the population is way different from males to females but their pods seemed a whole lot more confined than the males. Even down to the televisions the females had were smaller than the men's. The inmates were also offered soft drinks and candy if they had the money to pay for them. One interesting things about how the inmates serve their time is that they work on a day by day system so if the particular inmate chosen for the program doesn't act up and they are sentenced to six months that six months goes down to three months. They also offer weekend sentences for those who have jobs and are helping society with their jobs. They come in Friday after work at five and leave Sunday night at five and do that for until they have served the amount of time they are sentenced for. At the end of the tour we had the opportunity to ask questions and we learned a lot about career paths in this field. We talked about how if you respect your inmates when you are a corrections officer then that opens you to having a lot of informants on the streets if you decide to become a patrol officer. The county also has a lot of opportunities like working at the airport or courthouse. Bike 001 ReidMeeks001
It was weird that everything on the women's side was smaller, I didn't think about it that much until everyone else said the same thing. I know that the t.v. are from the purchases from commissary, so maybe since they don't make as much from women that maybe the reason why everything was smaller. It was nice to hear that a person is able to come on the weekends so they don't lose their job. JDM004 and Kitsune004
Glad you mention the smaller space for females, because I did not get the chance to see how big the male's cells are. There really aren't that much room within the female cells to move around much. I was informed that the females are for single person, and there are no roommates, so that may or may not be why, but I do agree with your theory of the reason for smaller rooms. For the post, I do like the non recorded conversations between inmates and visitor, because they got to have some level of privacy. JupiorZ003 K9003
This was my first trip to the jail. I’ve seen shows on television (such as “60 Days In”) so I kind of had an idea of what I would see when I went through the building. As we were entering the booking area, we saw a few guards escorting an inmate to another section of the jail because he had just been in a fight. As the superintendent said, “Timing is everything.” I don’t think anyone was expecting to walk in on that scene. As we were leaving, there were (from what I saw) three men who had been booked in and were in a holding cell. Walking through the halls of the jail was pretty boring. There were doors everywhere and we wondered where they went to, but there was nothing to look at like there had been in the juvenile detention center. While we were up in the watch room, someone made the comment that they feel like we’re at the zoo; as if we’re looking into different exhibits and the inmates are on display. The men were all down there playing cards, chess, dominoes, or watching television. They seemed to be getting along (seemed being the key word). There was also a small rec room at the end of the building that we could see into from the watch room. When we went to the women’s pod, we got to go into the cells and see how small it really is for an individual and for a group of women. There were 13 cells in that pod, and the one we went into had writing on the wall that said “God please watch over me!” It was a little sad to think about the woman who was in there; we don’t know where she’s at now and what has happened to her since. After, we went above the women’s pod to see some of the women who are currently in there. In one pod, three women were out in the day room watching television while one was on the phone. In the other pod, all of the women were watching television while talking around the table. However, in that pod there was a woman who was locked in her cell. The guards agreed with saying that if given the option, they’d choose to watch over the men versus the women. Women are unpredictable whereas the men have their set “food chain” already in place. It was interesting to see the inside of the jail and to be given the opportunity to go there. I wish we had a smaller group so we could have gone to different areas of the jail, and I wish we could have had some interaction with the inmates. Nonetheless, I had a great experience at the jail and would certainly go again. Gators003
The Peoria county jail was unique experience. Mr. Asbell was a respectful man, the jail was ran to the best of the abilities to try to respect the people that got locked away. It was nice to see that they don't required every person to have to strip down as they first enter the jail after being arrested if this issue was minor to show respect to people who don't commit a crime that would require that sort of humiliation. What was also kind of cool is that the jail had an electronic way for imamates to send message to the jail for supplies they may need throughout their stay at the jail. Was also great to see that the jail is made to help people if they suffer a medical problem instead of just throwing these people into a pod with people who don't have the same mental capacity that they do they try to help get the correct care that person will need to function correctly in United States society. Another great feature that this jail had is that the jail does a reward and punishment system based on the behavior for adults that are going through this correctional system. It’s cool that they have access to watch every aspect of the facility to keep an eye on inmates which can be critical in a life or death position for someone that may have been attacked by several inmates. The jail is also, very aware of social factors that could annoy inmates, by having access to people being able to watch tv earn their food cards, have access to dental care, also medical care this helps to promote that inmates will turn out for the better when they are going through this process in their life. Also this was important and necessary inmates are separate from the opposite genders meaning that they won't act out to try to impress the opposite gender. This jail, also has a very small population which was extremely impressive just being a little above 300 inmates in jail. Officers are, also paid very well in this felicity with starting out with 40,000 a year just as the sort out pay. Working in the correctional felicity is the best way to get experience before working out in the streets, or doing any other law enforcement job. What was cool to see also is that the jail has a good amount of respect for freedom of religion with a non domtional church service and allowing people to have access to their background and what has personal meaning to them. Eagle001 cowboys001
Going to the Peoria county jail was very worth going to I was surprised by how the intake was pretty much the same for the juvenile jail we went to they seem to have pretty nice stuff like cars buses the building how everyone dressed and acted very good told inmates Starting from intake I thought the Cos handled everything very humanly by not making everyone get naked and do a strip search then checking to see if there part of a gang or not then mixing everyone up into different pods they place was pretty dang clean the fact that only maybe two people have keys was a very good idea keeping it were an inmate couldn't leave the building was smart idea. Then they have mantel and health care there which is almost un heard of now a days and 24 hours days if not mis taken that is so cool that there actually trying to help these guys ad girl and not just lock them up throw the key away these people are there just little amount of time in most causes and they still try take the up most care for these inmates. They have some rehab and foocues group which is really cool they give them those chooses to do that. I thought they might get to go outside for bball or other stuff but they dont even see grass well staying there. Which the only really down fall. I have had friends go to jail which is unfortunate. SO I kinda had an idea what it would look like but it was really cool and neat to hear it from the COs there self and see what there day to day job is I thought the pods would be bigger thought so are bigger then other but to have 10 people probably to a pod. A open shower and bathroom would get old but that's a reason not to get in trouble I guess pretty smart idea to have a video recording everything when on the phone really liked that the super LT was open to hire people with life experiences I though hes end talk was great really made someone that would have had a passed past still feel like they have a chance to work in these kind of fieldCowboys001 Nosaint003
There was a lot of things I learned about when we visited the county jail. One of the first things I learned was how secure the place actually was. They had 185 cameras surrounding the entire place and each door had to be buzzed for you to be able to walk through it. I also learned how much they focused on mental health because 90% of criminals in that jail had some sort of mental issue. This was really cool to me because most places might just want them to do their time and leave but here they wanted to try and stop them from repeating a crime or falling into a crime lifestyle. I learned that in the jail the majority of people are pretrial so they are waiting on their court date or to be sentenced and the maxim amount of time you can do in a jail is 364 days. They also seemed well prepared on helping people who are going through withdrawal and helping them make it through that process. This has actually made me seriously consider wanting to work there because it seems like a really good job and it really interested me. It was different to be able to go in one of the cells. They are more barren than what t.v shows have. Another thing that we learned was that profits made from commissary is what pays for televisions and any other nonessential items. A good deterrent they have to prevent inmates from wanting to see the nurse is charging a five dollar copay to go to the nurses station. One thing they did not really say about was is infection control, like if a prisoner gets a contagious disease. Something that was a different experience was going in the tower where a worker is able to keep watch on the inmates. The glass was one way glass so the inmates completely see if anyone was watching them. Before I knew that the glass was one way I was a little timid to look into the area. It's crazy that the amount of people in the jail fluctuates so much within the year. I enjoyed the experience and the question and answer part we had at the end was nice because you could hear questions that most of us wanted to know. I used to think that all jails looked the same but I learned that they are different. One last thing that I learned was that they are one of the few jails to have a medical license. JDM004 and Kitsune004
This correction’s facility is extremely well organized, maintained, and it gives the inmates many programs to correct their pass deeds. As we entered the facility, we were informed that the facility has decreased its inmate population from six hundred to mere three hundred or so. The decrease in prison population is a good sign to see, because in today’s world, the jail and prison facilities has only increase of population and not decrease. The decrease of prison population means there are less returning inmates, meaning they are given proper rehabilitation programs to not have to go back into the facility again. As the warden told us, he does not allow a naked full body search, because he is against such treatment, but he also have a greater chance of people sneaking illegal items into the prison, despite this, he is willing to take such risk and give the people the respect they deserve. The medical care of this facility is actually pretty impressive. The medical program have everything people need, for example dental care and normal pain or illness. Every jail or prison needs a medical care program for certain emergency situation, and this facility has it all. The bill of this medical care program in this facility is about 1.5 million dollars, not including the set cost of this program. I was pleased to see the female inmates are receiving proper living room, for example the females are getting their own rooms, so there would be no conflict between two females. The entire inmate population seems to have clean cloth, well maintained pods, and for the most part the inmates within the pods seems to be pretty respectful of each other, except the fight in the beginning of the tour, but that can’t be prevented in an environment like this. When a person comes off the street they have to go through a process called “intake”. In that process first they are searched with their clothes on and forced to take a mug shot. Then they have to go through fingerprinting and a series of questions. Finally they go through a cavity search and given a jumpsuit to put on. But this process may take a long time or a go really quickly because it all depends upon the person that is being booked into jail. If the person that is brought in very violent and not themselves, they will be placed into a holding cell where they will calm down for a hour or two before proceeding with the intake process.-K9003/JupiorZ003
The three of us all liked the county jail. It was very interesting to see the major difference between the detention center and the county jail. The superintendent of the jail was nice and it was interesting to see that he started at the jail and then he ended back up at the jail. When we first got there, we started out at the booking center of the jail, and there was just a fight in one of the pods so we saw some angry inmates being separated from the fight. It was interesting to see how they handle inmates after a violent attack. After that we went into the medical wing to see where they would take the inmates would go if they were sick or got hurt, we also learned that if an inmate hurts a guard intentionally then they automatically get sent to prison with a minimum sentence of three years. After they we got to go up above they cell and we got to see both the male and the female inmates and it was a real wake up call to see all the different types of inmates they the housed there. There were all different races and it varied from age group, we saw some older people and some young-looking people. He said at least 30 of them were in there for homicide which we thought was cool as well. We all thought it was an interesting place that would be a great place to start off a career in the criminal justice system and it will be interesting to go back there again to see what has changed from semester to semester. Haggard002 KT002 Orgeon002
The Peoria County Jail tour was pretty interesting for me. I found it interesting that they had a basic functioning hospital in the jail. I figured because it is not that big of a jail they wouldn’t have nearly as nice of a medical facility. It was interesting to see health facility since my mom is a nurse and has taken care of inmates in the hospital. The jail can only handle simple health issues, if they need more complex care they go to the hospital. I also thought it was really cool that they had a dental suite there too. I didn’t realize that the inmates had to pay for their medical care while within the facility. It makes sense as a deterrent for them to not go just to see the female nurses. I did kind of feel guilty when we were there looking in at the cell blocks. It almost felt like we were invading their privacy. I’m pretty glad that they could only see silhouettes because who knows how they would have reacted to knowing we were watching them. When we were in the processing center there were a couple men making gestures as we walked by to go further into the jail. It was pretty cool how the guards could look down into the cell blocks and control just about everything by the tablets they had. When my group was above the other group in the cell block the guard picked up the tablet and started messing with the lights, and said he could even turn the shower on and off from up there. I think it’s pretty cool that they can control that much of what happens in the cell block from that high up. One thing I found surprising was that the women’s pods were all a lot smaller than the men’s one. It didn’t really make sense because the men’s were double bunks while the women’s were just one bed. I am assuming the women’s side is smaller because they are less likely to commit crimes that require long periods of imprisonment. You would think double occupancy rooms would be in the smaller pods of the prison. I was surprised that the “outside” area was not really outside. It was just a small area surrounded by high brick walls and covered by fencing. On tv recreational time is always out in a yard with a lot of space. I was shocked that they were only given that small amount of being “outside”. The way the bathrooms were set up were pretty surprising to me as well, they were totally open. You could see into the showers and where inmates would use the bathroom right from the upstairs area. I get that it is so open for security reasons but I still would have thought that they would be given more privacy than that. After seeing the jail I have a better understanding of why some criminals would rather spend their life on the run or die instead of going back to jail. In jail there is no freedom and every move is under the watchful eye of others, not a place I would want to be. I do not like confined spaces and could see how jails and prisons could have an effect on the psyche of an inmate. DTH004 CMB93004
I completely agree with you that it was fascinating that the prisoners had to pay for their own medical care too. I honestly thought that it was a tad bit dirty and unclean in the small little hospital area. I also thought that it was interesting that the policemen could control things with the new technology that the had too, but it made me wonder if they could, whether they do mess with the prisoners sometimes. I felt remorseful too when I was looking down at the prisoners and kind of in a way, snooping. It felt wrong to invade their privacy. -Happy004
Going to the Peoria County Jail was very informational. I enjoyed touring a place where I feared to ever end up in. After seeing the structured systems of the jail, it motivates me to stay as far away from jail and criminal acts as possible. I thought that it was interesting that the jail had tvs and other games to entertain the prisoners. I thought it was interesting because before the tour, I would think that the criminals committed a severe crime, so they do not deserve technology or other privileges that most people don’t have. After the tour, I came to realize that the technology and privileges that are given to them are to help with discipline. Also that the right to those technologies are not just given, they are earned due to good behavior. Furthermore, I was absolutely scared out of my mind to go to the Peoria County Jail tour. I thought that going to a jail would be completely different. I have always thought that it would be like the movies. I have always thought that it would be like a zoo, with people everywhere fighting and acting like complete animals. What I came to see was not a mess, it was very well structured and held together. It was interesting that not all officers have keys and that it is controlled by buttons due to safety reasons. Another captivating thing was the part of the tour when our large group went into the seeing area to look at the convicted. Looking down at the prisoners made me feel like I was looking down at the convicts. It was like a zoo; looking down at the “animals” as they are confined. Instead of animals, we were looking at real people. The convicted side of the males versus the females were fairly different; men were more energetic than the females. I did wonder how the females get their pads and tampons and what they need when they are on their menstrual cycle. Also, I kind of felt bad for the prisoners because they could only sleep on a foam mattress and have a desk if they were lucky. I felt bad because it seems so sad and lonely; that is when I realized why depression is so high. Moreover, I wanted to ask if they have ever had any escapes, but I remember when I was in fourth grade in 2009 or 2010, I remember being in a lockdown in school because two or three men escaped from the Peoria County Jail and was in terror because it was only a couple minutes from where I live. All in all, the tour was very informative and educational. -Happy004
When the females are going through their menstrual cycle they are provided with materials. This is a basic need. We too thought it was interesting that not everyone had keys, but with good reason. It could prevent people from breaking inmates out or a number of other serious offenses. Jail is meant to be sad and lonely to teach a lesson, all they need is a foam mattress. Only the inmates that are well behaved receive televisions. Overall, very informative. oasis_002 zmw002
The way in which the Peoria County jail was operated in my opinion was great. They are focused on the safety of staff as well as inmates. It is also ran with integrity which is very imperative in a time were people harbor so much mistrust of law enforcement. The fact that everyone does't have keys goes back to the jail wanting everyone to be safe. The less keys carried around the facility the less chance of staff being overpowered and having their keys taken. Overall the county jail is doing a great job and operating the jail as the system intended for it to operate. Mommy001
The tour of the Peoria County Jail was a very interesting event. It was a very different experience from being in the Juvenile Detention Center. There were not any fences around the detention center, while the jail had big fences with barbed wire on them. The inside of the jail was also very different from the detention center. While the detention center had a very friendly and laid back environment, the inside of the jail felt very tense and hostile. It was uncomfortable walking through the jail and seeing all of the inmates watching you and checking out everyone. Another big difference was the guards. In the detention center, the guards dressed casually with jeans and a nice shirt. In the jail, the guards wore uniforms with bulletproof vests and looked much more intimidating. It also felt a little more unclean than the detention center in some places. All of these things combined really helped make the place feel unwelcoming. It was interesting seeing the differences between the male inmates and the female inmates. For starters, there were an overwhelmingly higher amount of males than there were females. Because of this, male cells were bigger in size and there were more of them when compared to the female cells. Even the things they do in their cells are even different. The men like to play cards, chess, chess, or checkers, while, according to a guard, all the female inmates do is braid each other's hair and watch soap operas. Something else that was striking about the jail was that most fights arise due to gambling in card games. We found it interesting that the phones and visits all took place in the room where they live. The visits were via video chat. The only time the inmates ever leave the room is if they are going to go see the doctor. The superintendent also told us something that shocking, this was that they do not strip search all of the new coming inmates unless they have probable cause to do so. This brings a lot of risk of sneaking contraband into the jail. The jail is only housing 340 inmates currently, however, it can hold over 600. The crime rate has fallen due to various reasons. The superintendent explained to us that a large issue is that males and females must never come in contact in the jail. This includes sight and hearing. Sound travels through walls which can make it tricky to follow all of the state regulations. Overall, it was a very informative event and we hope that we are able to attend with a smaller group. Oasis_002 zmw002
I completely agree with you that it was fascinating that the prisoners had to pay for their own medical care too. I honestly thought that it was a tad bit dirty and unclean in the small little hospital area. I also thought that it was interesting that the policemen could control things with the new technology that the had too, but it made me wonder if they could, whether they do mess with the prisoners sometimes. I felt remorseful too when I was looking down at the prisoners and kind of in a way, snooping. It felt wrong to invade their privacy. -Happy004
The very first impression I had with the inmates is somebody must have been the root to the cause of the arrest. Child abuse, trauma, sociological problems, and poverty must have arisen way before the arrest. Bias is a term used to describe a person locked up in a cell based on APPEARANCE. Any person can be an example, the person with too many tattoos maybe looks a certain way, and then talks a certain way, and carries them self a certain way then they get arrested I can take myself or any person in our classes and say hey you look a certain way maybe you’re committing the crime. So maybe if I put myself in a cell and looked like what a judge once called a "country-bumpkin" in my jail outfit then maybe I am in jail for bias reasons because a cell matches the way I appear if I am considered by society as completely powerless with no say over myself. Anyone can be called crook, retard, bastard, and any name in the book based on the fact that they have no money to make them self look “a certain way. "This is at the point where JC already knows about the person but no one else can say to the person, listen here I understand you, we are bias towards you and it is wrong. We should not be biased to you, you are a human being with a soul and JC loves you. Everyone is Gods child. No matter what we go through we all go through something and labels and names and "country bumpkin" " White Trash" horrible names lewd names are all just in humane and if people can see that then there's Gods eyes and you sense what God sees in people then change is a direction moving forward.
We agree with you! Each and every person had to have something happen to them either as a child or as an adult that made them who they are today. Many people were abused as children, had gone through traumatic events, and may have been cursed with a mental illness that is passed down in the family. Most people in there did not deal their own deck of cards, they had to deal with what hand was given to them. The names that people receive in jail are labels that should be stopped. No one truly knows what another person has gone through, has never walked in their shoes. agentp001 and golfer001
The tour of the County Jail was very interesting. I toured there when I was in 8th grade and it was a bit different from all those years ago. The infirmary was better then it was. I didn't know the inmates who had commissary money had to pay on there medical care. I actually thought that was a good idea especially for the inmates that say they are sick so they can just see a nurse. It was also great that they are trying to give care to the mentally ill patients there. Mental illness is a huge problem in the jail so it really needed addressed. Like Mr. Asbell said if the illness is not treated the person will continue to commit crime and return over and over again to the jail. Looking down into the inmate pods was an eye opener. I couldn't imagine spending months of my life in such a confined space. The inmates did everything in that small space. From visits, phone calls, showers, and eating. The only movement outside of the pods was to get medical care or go to court. However, this was a way to increase the safety of staff as well as other inmates. The majority of people there although not yet convicted have broken the law and jail is not meant to be a fun place. They used commissary money to provide televisions to the inmates. Like Mr Asbell stated some people feel they shouldn't be provided televisions in the pods, but they have to have things to do so that they can be taken away when the inmates make poor choices or exhibit bad behavior. Overall I felt that the Peoria County Jail was operated with integrity and safety in mind for the inmates housed there. I enjoyed the tour there but enjoyed the juvenile tour more. I am interested in working with the juveniles and not the adults so I took more away from the juvenile tour. But both facilities appeared to do exactly what they were put in place to do. Rehabilitation for the kids and punishment for the adults, which is how the system is supposed to operate. Good job to the city of Peoria for doing the best job they can in a cash strapped state. mommy001
The jail really was a cool experience and really opened up my eyes to all the different jobs out there in the criminal justice system. I was shocked by how big the actual jail was and I had no clue that they had over 300 people in there that surprised me I didn't think it would be that high. Another thing that was very surprising was the annual intake they have which is around 14,000 people which is a lot of people and I really wonder how many of those people are repeat offenders. As we went farther into the jail I was surprised to see that the detainees act segregated almost even when they are not. As I was looking into the pods there were a fair mix of white and black people within that pod and you could almost draw a line right down the center of the room and on one side where all whites and the other side were all blacks. I know that jail isn't like a meeting place but I just found that super surprising that it would be like that it was kind of a shock to me. I have never been in a jail before but I thought that there intake room was small I thought it would be much bigger than what that was. But it seemed to work well they had a good inventory system each person had there own little locker that could store what they came in with. They had many holding cells which had some people in them and then just through the next door you had a pod. As we actually got to go into a pod I found it very small and there is no way I could do that and the small rooms and everything there is just no way I could even make it a week in there. One thing I really liked was there infirmary and how they had it set up it seemed to be a good design and they actually care about the people there and treat them like human beings which in some places I doubt they treat them like humans. Now a prison I would think would be way bigger than this jail and way different then how this jail was set up. This tour really helped me out a lot it opened my eyes now I'm not for sure if I want to be a cop or if I would rather work in a jail or prison either one I'd be happy with but I'm not for sure anymore. JE002 Rocker 002
This was my first time in the Peoria County Jail just like the Juvenile Detention Center. During the tour, we got to see the rooms where they put the inmates who are at risk for suicide. The corrections officers are watching them throughout the day so they don't harm themselves. Also, they have a good medical team for the inmates and make sure that they the proper treatment and testing that they need to maintain their health instead of being treated like animals. We got to go see the trustees inside their pods from the tower view, which it was surprising how well-behaved and social they were with different races in their pods. The correctional officers treat the inmates with respect and care. This tour made me think about my career and future in law enforcement. I would prefer to work in the jail first because I want to get experience and learn how to work with different races and religions before I patrol the streets as a police officer. It's a critical time to be the law enforcement so I think it's a great opportunity to start in the jail as a correctional officer then work my way up into being a police officer. As it goes for rehabilitation, it's just not possible for inmates to receive it because they're in there for 364 days or less unlike inmates are in prisons for years so they have a better chance to change their lives. The jail does offer the inmates the opportunity to have reentry programs and the chance to attend church in the jail. It was definitely an eye opening experience from touring the Juvenile Detention Center to the Peoria County Jail because the juvenile correctional officers are dressed in casual clothes and the residents wear colored level shirts depending on their behavior and their main concern for them is rehabilitation and school education. In the jail, the correctional officers are dressed in police uniforms and the inmates wear either white shirts as trustees or orange shirts as the general population and their main concern for them is their mental health and safety. It's remarkable how the population in the jail has reduced in half of the population in the recent years because there is no need to have an overcrowded criminal rate from the community. -RW003
Both my partner and I really enjoyed going to the Adult county jail. We both agreed that it was very informative. We knew that it would be more intense and eye-opening than the Juvenile Detention Center. Having spent an entire semester talking about juveniles we kind of had a little insight going into the JDC tour.. The Adult county jail was eye opening by the fact that everything is so guarded. From the moment the criminals come into the jail by being shut in in a large garage, to the rest of the intake process, and then finally being set up into their own cells. It was interesting enough to be able to see both the men and women areas of the jail and see how they interacted with each other. The women all seemed to act just like normal women do; they watched TV, were reading or were playing card games. They were even sitting down at a table and socializing. It really puts it into perspective and makes you think about how a lot of the people in the jail are just like us; they just made a mistake and was punished for it or were about to be punished for it. There was not much to see in the men's pods because when we went to their side, the men were all in their cells with the doors closed. Both my partner and I found it interesting that each pod had a communal toilet. One would not think there would be a need for it but then we realized that when the inmates are outside in the pod, the doors are all closed. There is a shower and a toilet that is shared by all and it is not very private at all. There are no curtains, no stall doors or anything like that. Another area that we toured was the medical area. We both agree that it was interesting how it was all set up. I told my partner that it reminded me as something you would see on a military post, something like Sick Call. It was set up in that manner, somewhat organized but also not at the same time. It was interesting to see down at the end of the room there was a "glass box" which I could not tell if it was for either a shower area or just to hold inmates while waiting. A lot of great questions were asked in the end when we all met in the chapel area. A lot of the questions revolved around how to pursue a job in corrections and where to go from there, and a few questions asked about the dangers that come with the job. WE both agree that it was pretty awesome to be shown around by Mr. Asbell and see what pride he takes in running the jail. He seemed like a very put together man and definitely seemed qualified for the job. Overall it was an amazing opportunity to see both the JDC and the Adult Jail and learn both sides of the probations work. agentp001 and golfer001
We were both really excited for this tour since neither of us went on the other one and heard such great things.
ReplyDeleteIt was a little hard for me to listen to him for a little bit because I was so thrown off when he stated that the people in jail were just really bad people...I couldn't understand anyone saying that and grouping all those people together when each situation is different.
After getting passed that, we did both learn quite a bit. I personally have seen the inside of a jail before but listening to what he had to say really blew my mind. 14,000 people get booked every year. I had no idea that so many people got arrested. Then he said most of them are repeat offenders, I would have thought with it being such a high number that most of the cases would be petty first offenses. So that really surprised me. It was also very interesting about how he was talking about how the commonsary that the inmates purchase pays for things like the TV's and such. I personally think it's good for them to have things like that because I totally agree on that aspect, how can you punish someone if they have nothing to lose. I can imagine how much it would really just plain such to lose your phone calls for a week. I actually know how that's one of the big things the people in jail are looking forward for. It may all seem like silly little stuff that we all take for granted but when you have everything striped away from you that little stuff really matters. It's also really great that that jail has such a large part in mental health. Locking someone up and not doing anything to help them is pointless, they are just going to continue what they were doing to get locked up. Treating the inmates with serious mental illnesses and treating the ones with drug addiction issues even if it means sending them to rehab is a huge part in fixing the problem. I understand some people are just committing crimes just for the heck of it but I would think most people there is some sort of under laying issue. Like the guy stated, 95% of the inmates suffer from some form of mental illness.
Me and my partner both learned a lot from this tour. Of course we each took different things from it was very insightful just getting to listen to him speak. It is too bad we had such a large group and couldn't go to a lot of places the smaller groups normally would get to go to though.
-mybabygirl004
-boop004
I agree with the both of you. This tour was a great refresher. I think that the population of the jail when he said it decreased was a shocker because usually there is usually about 600 inmates in the jail and usually are all for the same crime. It was great to relearn and learn new materials. GoodVibes003
DeleteI agree with you in that I couldn't get past him saying that the inmates are just bad people all around. I think that was completely unnecessary because not all of them are bad. Sure, there are some in there who are genuinely bad people, but some are good people who have made bad choices. As a professor of mine (who just so happens to work with the juveniles) once said, "We are all just one bad decision away from ending up in that place."
DeleteI also think commissary is a great way to avoid from dehumanizing the inmates. Everything they have gets taken from them; they need something to call theirs. Gators003
I have been institutionalized before, not jail, but 4 years I was institutionalized and I went to this college ICC. I have been watched like a zoo too by students who simply just want a job and a degree. I felt really icky when students looked at me. So now I am out of there and I am proud to say lots of good things and NO ONE should be shoved in a cell if they did not commit a crime, no one should be put in bad situations either. If persons with mental health issues are there too then, it would be better to have them live in a humane condition. Long term is no fun at all. It really opens your mind anyone can go through something terrible like that whether they have issues or not. Maybe a person is found later not having those issues.
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DeleteWe were also very excited for this tour and to see the differences between the jail and the juvenile detention center where huge. I was surprised by how many differences there were but also how close they resembled one another. The thing I liked most was probably actually going inside one of the pods because it put us in their shoes and made us feel like what they have to live with for how long they are there. JE002 Rocker002
DeleteThis was my second time visiting the county jail and there was one thing that I couldn’t see the last visit I went to. The medical office was the one thing that I didn’t to see the last time because we had such a bigger group. The medical office works just like a hospital, but it doesn’t make them do like what professional doctors do and I thought it was cool that they have a few rooms to where an inmate needed medical attention for a couple days they have a few rooms to keep an eye on them just in case something where to happen overnight or while they are in the office. Another thing that I enjoyed about the tour was that there were only a few females in the county because like the he said it is mostly male populated and that only a very few females are in jail for very long. When we could look down at the female pods I only saw maybe 4 in one cell block. That showed me that only very few females are committing criminal acts and they are getting lesser sentences unless they commit a serious crime. One thing that I did notice about the male blocks is that there was one that had an equal amount of white and black men in the cell block. I noticed that in the lounge area of the block that the white men where just around other white males and the black men where just around other black males. It just comes to show that even in a county jail there is a little segregation between the males. Most of these inmates looked like they were just minding their own business so that they can just get out and hopefully not have to come back. When he was explaining how many bookings they get annually that blew my mind because he said most of the bookings are repeating offenders who just don’t know how to stay out of trouble and only a very few are new offenders. The county jail is only for people who must serve less than a year, but of anything over than that is going to prison. Overall I thought this tour was a great refresher on how their jail works, what serves they provided and talking to us about what the steps should be to work as a correctional officer or to get to a higher up position. GoodVibes003
ReplyDeletei agree with you on the medical rooms, i was standing in a spot where you could see the rooms that he was talking about and i just didnt expect to see people laying in beds watching a flat screen tv. One thing that me and my partner noticed was that in the mens pod they were either playing card games or working out, walking wall to wall or hanging from the stairs doing pull ups.
Deleteboop004
mybabygirl004
We both were excited about this tour at the county jail. We knew it would be a totally different experience than the juvenile detention center. Entering the building through that garage was kind of scary for us, especially not knowing what was behind the door initially. The superintendent was a great tour guide, very educated, and very knowledgeable. He made us feel welcome. The first stop we made in the intake section was a bit scary for us. There were inmates yelling, using foul language as well as a fight had broken out. We saw the correction officers immediately take action when the call was put in. We saw the inmates being escorted to a different area other than the cell block they were in, that was quite scary because we saw them up close and personal and not behind the cell walls. As we were walking to the next section we saw people in the holding cell. We were impressed with the medical unit. Its set up like a clinic and is good that they can provide necessary services to inmates to insure their health stays intact. We also thought it was a good idea to make inmates pay a copay for the services provided, like the superintendent stated, if one can buy snacks they can pay for health services, plus it will cut down on false statements of being ill. What was mind boggling to us is the fact that inmates have the ability to commit suicide. The jail has special rooms for inmates that show signs and symptoms of a person that would harm themselves or others. But in some cases, inmates will not show the signs and symptoms. On two occasions the jail had successful suicides, one being very recent and the other was three years ago. We got to go on an empty cell block to view the day rooms and the sleep corridors. To us it was a wakeup call to never do anything to end up behind those bars. The inmates are closed in, no windows, not much to do but watch television, play cards or read books. The inmates are confined to one area and have certain times to lock back in the cells. Looking down on the inmates was a good experience for us. The men and women were totally different. The men cells were a lot larger and we noticed that the men were either watching television or working out. The woman on the other hand were playing cards socializing or reading books. The trustee pod had it made. They were able to get extra privileges for working in the kitchen. There was a big screen television with a dvd player. Being a trustee must be earned and rules must be followed to maintain that spot. After the tour, we went into the gym to wrap up and ask questions. Our classmates had great questions followed by honest answers from the superintendent. Overall the tour was outstanding and give us knowledge of what goes on behind those jail doors. If we had the opportunity, we would do it again.~Mznures004 and TootieRue004
ReplyDeleteWe agree. The jail tour was really interesting. It was really eye opening to see what it was like for the inmates and the correction officers. Life has to be pretty boring for the inmates in the jail. Just from looking at their living conditions and the things they have to pass the time, we could not imagine being in their shoes and having to spend each day basically doing the same thing. We were so glad that we were able to leave and go home and not be trapped in the jail like the inmates. We were also curious of what charges each individual had. We were especially curious of the crimes the inmates with the federal charges did. We are glad we got to experience the jail tour. It was neat to be able to see first hand the job or part of the job that we would like to pursue. Steve002 and stoblues002
DeleteWe were both really excited to go through the jail tour. We knew it would be a lot more intense than the juvenile detention center. I had been through the Tazewell County Jail before on a tour. This was my partner's first time doing a jail tour. Arriving to the jail, it became obvious pretty quickly that it would be a lot more different and actually feel like a jail. When we first arrived we were shown the sally port. This area is where the arresting police officer drops off the individual in custody to the jail. From there the correction officers take over and the individual belongs to the Peoria County Jail. Next, we visited the intake area. This area is where the inmate is processed, their belongings are locked away in a safe keeping area, and the inmate is placed in a holding cell. During this process, the inmate is questioned if they are suicidal or not. The risk of suicide when a person is first booked into jail is high. If the person is feeling suicidal than they are placed in a special room where they are stripped of their clothing and constantly watched. We learned that timing is everything. Right when we got inside the intake area, the correction officers were breaking up a fight between inmates. We got to see it first hand and heard some colorful language as well. Next, we saw the medical area. After the medical area, we got to see a pod. This part was really interesting as we got to see the inmates up close and their living areas. We had the privilege of seeing both the men's and women's units. The men had a larger population than the women did. This is probably common throughout jails in the United States. Lastly, we went into the gym and had a question and answer session. Overall, the jail tour was really interesting. It was really neat to be able to see the inmates up close and their living conditions. We learned a lot about the jail. It was also pretty cool to be able to experience the career or part of the career we would like to pursue someday. Steve002 and stoblues002
ReplyDeleteWe agree as well the difference in the two facilities were undeniable. But Peoria County is doing a remarkable job inside of both facilities which is not always the case in jails or juvenile facilities across the county. It was cool to see both sides of the criminal justice system and the way they deal with the juveniles as well as the adults here in the County of Peoria. Overall both tours were very informative and showed the integrity that the criminal justice staff have here in Peoria. mommy001 EKT001
DeleteWe also agree, the difference between both tours were night and day. There is a clear distinction between the juvenile’s being rehabilitated and then at Peoria county jail it was more of punishment to the crime they committed. GRUNT003- JE003- hawkshockey003
DeleteWe agree Steve002 and stoblues002, the Peoria County Jail was much more intense than the detention center, bu the added intensity made for a much more interesting tour. It was a great experience seeing the inside of a jail and getting to witness firsthand what all the inmates have to go through in the whole process and it was great to learn about a branch of our career path we could join! zmw002 and oasis002
ReplyDeleteThe tour of the Peoria Country Jail was very enlightening experience from both the criminal justice and sociology students. Our tour was given by Brian Asbell, Corrections Superintendent, he stated that in 2015 there were 12,000 people incarcerated which was down from previous years. The cost to house a person is $80.00 per day which include staff (intake personal, medical and administration) food and utilities. The Superintendent has over twenty years of experience in the criminal justice field and told us that the two basic reasons why people end up in jail here in Peoria are mental illness and necessity.
ReplyDeleteThere are more males incarcerated than females so the area that houses the males is larger and holds about twenty people per pod. These pods are broken down into groups that are not of the same gang affiliation to minimize fights and other violence. From our observation of the people that we saw Thursday night 96% of them were black both male and female. Mr. Asbell stated that the maximum amount of time that a person can be in Peoria County Jail is 364 days after that time they must be sent to state or federal prison.
Jails are social controls for people who are exhibiting deviance bad behavior and actions. Jails do not treat or fix the reason why they ended up in jail. We see Hirschi’s Control theory which linked social controls to four types, can be applied here. 1.) Lack of attachment; many of the people had weak family structure and school relationships 2.) Lack of opportunity for future success 3.) No involvement in going to school, no job, hanging out with peers with similar problems. 4.) Weak or no belief in conventional morality. He told us that he has personally witnessed three generation of drug dealers in Peoria County Jail during his career.
Another issue is that there are free stand only facilities for treating people with mental illness in this area. So people who have problems such as; drug and alcohol abuse commit a crimes stealing, robbery or driving under the influence. Here in Illinois like in many other states there has been budget cut backs which limits the amount of mental health care that is needed in jails and prisons. Because this is a jail and there is no set time for an inmate to be housed in Peoria County Jail mental health is limited. So treatment of mental illness can’t be completely applied and finished before the person is released from jail. And the person is back on the streets and possibly in jeopardy on committing a crime again.
And using Mr. Asbell reasons for incarceration metal illness and necessity it reflects what we have read in sociology book this semester.
buckrogers004
wonderwomen004
We both found the County Jail tour very informative. Mr. Asbell stated that the inmates there were very bad people. That wasn't very surprising it's in the paper pretty much everyday and you can see for yourself the amounts and types of crimes going on in the local area. The budget cut backs in the state have made things more complicated in the treatment of the mentally ill detained in Peoria County and it was good to hear that they now have Mental Health Services for those with mental issues. The people there with the mental disabilities seem to return over and over again. So Mr. Asbell said that treatment for the various illness was very important if they were to stop recommitting the same crimes time and time again. The fact that they use the money spent on commissary for things such as televisions was also a good idea. As he said if they don't have things like that what do you take away when they make poor choices or exhibit bad behaviors. Although they have committed criminal acts they are still human beings and need to be treated as such. It was great to encounter Mr. Asbell and see that our county jail is ran by a man with integrity. Too often inmates are mistreated because the staff lacks integrity so it was refreshing to see that is not the case here in Peoria County. He is also very qualified for the position there with 20 plus years in criminal justice. Overall it was a great opportunity to see the jail and the juvenile detention facility and both places are doing a great job in providing the adults and juveniles with the proper care and supervision needed in environments such as those. So way to go Peoria County!mommy001 EKT001
ReplyDeletePeoria County Jail is definitely putting their heads together and making sure that they can run the place efficiently, the process of using the commissary to pay for privileges shows that they have tax payers in mind and aren’t just spending money wherever they please, I think that goes back to what he was saying in the gym about how he makes his employees live in Peoria County, makes them likely to care more about their own county than some neighboring one. I am also really glad that they started having Mental Health Services, I did an internship a couple summers ago and we ran into a lot of trouble with these patience that stayed in homes throughout the city and they were always escaping and I just don’t think these homes are doing much, hopefully the Mental Health Services in Peoria County Jail will be able to help at least a little bit. -NOsaints003
DeleteI agree that the mental facilitys are nessary for inmates to get the proper treatment if their mental copasity is not one hundred percent their. I also believe that Mr. Asbell was extremely professional in his sense of having the jail funcition in ingerity. Eagle001
DeleteThat was one big difference between the juvenile detention facility and the county jail. The people at the jail had done really bad things, the super Mr. Asbell said that there were even people there for homicide. While at the juvenile detention center the tour guide told us that the kids were not really bad kids, they just made mistakes. Other than age, we think that is the main difference between the two. In the Jail you are perceived to be a bad person, while in the detention center you are just considered to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Delete-DTH004 CMB93004
This was the second time I have had the chance to go on a tour to the Peoria County Jail and was pleasantly surprised when we were able to go into a couple places we were not able to last time. The Medical Center was first place I did not get a chance to go in last time, was a nice well-kept facility that would be perfect for any injury that may occur to the inmates during the day or night, I definitely agree with making the offenders pay if able for their medical treatment, the nurses are they to aid them not be harassed by them. Another part of the jail that we did not get to look at the first time I went there was the gym, though I don’t know why it was called that seeing as it seemed to be used almost strictly as a chapel seeing as the inmates were doing a lot of working out inside their block or cell while we were observing them. I am always impressed with how clean all the facilities are inside the building, makes it a safer environment for both the inmates and the officers. While we were sitting in the gym asking questions, one of the students raised the questions about rehabilitation in the facility, I found the officers response very interesting because I had never really thought about the different in time for prisons and jails from a rehab standpoint, but having programs would be very difficult to lock down because of all the in and out traffic that they get while prisons they know how long each and every inmate will be with them and because of that they can nail down more accurate numbers to get funding. Always appreciate his life advice on how to take the next steps in our career and making sure we know it’s not always bad to start in a different part of the criminal justice industry to at least start getting some experience. -NOsaints003
ReplyDeleteWe also were very impressed with the physical and mental health staff that worked full time on site at the jail. It is great that they meet high standards of medical safety to make sure there inmates are well taken care of. Also it was interesting how the jail does not focus on rehabilitation as much which makes sense because the inmates are not there for a long period of time. Bike001 ReidMeeks001
DeleteWe would have to agree also when it comes to the mental and physical well being of the inmates. It is very reassuring that if a loved one with a mental illness would be tended to at the facility and that they take certain precautions when dealing with those types of inmates. It also was refreshing to head that those officers who use bullying as a tactic is not tolerated either. Well done. OKC002 and Ciaccio002
DeleteThe visit to the Peoria County Jail was a very interesting visit for the both of us. Getting to go through the same order of events a prisoner would was very informative. The intake is where we started, which provided us with many interesting facts. The fact that prisoners were given a receipt after all of their items were cataloged was very formal. Even though they were in jail, they still received a receipt of all of their items. The fact that female prisoners were supposed to be separated from the male inmates not only from the view of them and physically, but also by sound, seemed like quite a task. Beyond soundproofing the room, we don’t really see a way to completely separate them with the holding cells being that close together. The mental health care aspect was a great addition to see be made to the jail. While mental health is in now way a cause of crime, it can be a risk factor for behavior involved in committing a crime. Far too often our criminal justice system overlooks this crucial detail, and people suffering from a disease of the mind are labeled as criminals. The medical care they provided for illness and injury was truly stellar, and the jail staff should be proud of that service. The amount of security in the jail was at the level we expected, but to see it up close was truly something to see. The amount of cameras and safety protocols was daunting. The level of offenders they had in there was quite surprising. Given that it is a jail, you expect to see low level offenders and people awaiting trial, I just honestly didn’t stop to think that murderers and federal prisoners would end up in there as well. The actual size of the pods was actually quite surprising. The pods were rather small, with only a small area to lounge in throughout the day. The yard they got to exercise in was even smaller, and surrounded by four brick walls. The ceiling was a chain link fence. The fact that the jail is one of the largest mental institutions in the state is sad. This means people needing mental help might have to go as far as ending up in jail and with a criminal record just to receive treatment. 95% of the inmates were said to have some sort of mental defect. The lack of mental healthcare in this country is sad, and a major problem. People complain about the rates of crime and the number of incarcerated people, but they really aren’t looking at the root of the problem. If some individuals just received proper mental health treatment or even an actual diagnosis, the amount of incarcerated people would probably see a drop in numbers. Hopefully facilities all across Illinois will see the Peoria County Jail as an example of what they need to strive for, and also adopt many of the stellar programs they have available within their facilities.-OKC002, Ciaccio002
ReplyDeleteThe Peoria county jail tour was very interesting to be apart of. I really like how the staff takes time out of there own night to take us around the jail and show us real life people serving time in Peoria county jail. We thought that it was really great to see first hand that there was a hospital in the jail, it was much smaller then a normal hospital, but it had everything it needed to operate like a normal hospital would operate. The jail also had mental health staff employed at the jail as well. That is really great to see since 90 percent or more of inmates that end up in jail have mental health related issues. It was interesting to hear that once these people that end up in jail learn they are staying for a long time, that the do not get to go out side. They basically stay in the jail for as long as up to one day less then a year. when the tour first started a fight broke out. They said it was most likely over gambling or some type of a card game. I think that if they know fights always break out over cards, maybe they should get rid of the cards and replace them with something else. Another thing that was interesting to me was that they do not check every single inch of one’s body before they are put into the jail population. The jails reasoning for that was if an 18-year-old man or woman get busted for making a bad choice and then brought to jail, that they should not be subjected to that type of punishment. I agree with that and I also disagree with that. I thought it made perfect sense, however that would be a flaw in the jail system that violent offenders know about and if they don’t they could learn very fast how easy it is to sneak drugs or weapons into the jail. When our group was taken up stairs were the guards look down and watch the jailers, it was interesting to watch the inmates in jail and there was a lot of guys walking back and forth and other guys working out as much as they can. Also I think that it was interesting that if the inmates had money then they could buy food and candy and different drinks. This was a great tour to be apart of and our group learned a lot.
ReplyDeleteGRUNT003 – hawkshockey003 – JE003
The visit to the peoria county jail to us was very informational and eye opening. After going to the jdc two days prior, the county jail was like apples to oranges. Besides the difference in number of people in each building, even the demeanor of the inmates were different from the jdc to county. Most of the inmates at the county jail, especially the re offenders, have now been labeled by not only the justice system, but the general public as jailbirds or criminals. For the small percentage who only have to spend the weekend or a week in there can shake that label off due to their means of not having a long sentence, but those who have to serve that max sentence of 364 days will have more barriers to go through to get rid of their negative label. The superintendent did a wonderful job of showing us the ins and outs of what goes on during an average day at the county jail. We were especially surprised that all of the inmates’ video phone calls had an opportunity to not be recorded due to the discretion of their lawyer. Another surprising thing was that how little of a space the women in the jail had compared to the males. I get that the population is way different from males to females but their pods seemed a whole lot more confined than the males. Even down to the televisions the females had were smaller than the men's. The inmates were also offered soft drinks and candy if they had the money to pay for them. One interesting things about how the inmates serve their time is that they work on a day by day system so if the particular inmate chosen for the program doesn't act up and they are sentenced to six months that six months goes down to three months. They also offer weekend sentences for those who have jobs and are helping society with their jobs. They come in Friday after work at five and leave Sunday night at five and do that for until they have served the amount of time they are sentenced for. At the end of the tour we had the opportunity to ask questions and we learned a lot about career paths in this field. We talked about how if you respect your inmates when you are a corrections officer then that opens you to having a lot of informants on the streets if you decide to become a patrol officer. The county also has a lot of opportunities like working at the airport or courthouse. Bike 001 ReidMeeks001
ReplyDeleteIt was weird that everything on the women's side was smaller, I didn't think about it that much until everyone else said the same thing. I know that the t.v. are from the purchases from commissary, so maybe since they don't make as much from women that maybe the reason why everything was smaller. It was nice to hear that a person is able to come on the weekends so they don't lose their job.
DeleteJDM004 and Kitsune004
Glad you mention the smaller space for females, because I did not get the chance to see how big the male's cells are. There really aren't that much room within the female cells to move around much. I was informed that the females are for single person, and there are no roommates, so that may or may not be why, but I do agree with your theory of the reason for smaller rooms. For the post, I do like the non recorded conversations between inmates and visitor, because they got to have some level of privacy. JupiorZ003 K9003
DeleteThis was my first trip to the jail. I’ve seen shows on television (such as “60 Days In”) so I kind of had an idea of what I would see when I went through the building. As we were entering the booking area, we saw a few guards escorting an inmate to another section of the jail because he had just been in a fight. As the superintendent said, “Timing is everything.” I don’t think anyone was expecting to walk in on that scene. As we were leaving, there were (from what I saw) three men who had been booked in and were in a holding cell. Walking through the halls of the jail was pretty boring. There were doors everywhere and we wondered where they went to, but there was nothing to look at like there had been in the juvenile detention center. While we were up in the watch room, someone made the comment that they feel like we’re at the zoo; as if we’re looking into different exhibits and the inmates are on display. The men were all down there playing cards, chess, dominoes, or watching television. They seemed to be getting along (seemed being the key word). There was also a small rec room at the end of the building that we could see into from the watch room. When we went to the women’s pod, we got to go into the cells and see how small it really is for an individual and for a group of women. There were 13 cells in that pod, and the one we went into had writing on the wall that said “God please watch over me!” It was a little sad to think about the woman who was in there; we don’t know where she’s at now and what has happened to her since. After, we went above the women’s pod to see some of the women who are currently in there. In one pod, three women were out in the day room watching television while one was on the phone. In the other pod, all of the women were watching television while talking around the table. However, in that pod there was a woman who was locked in her cell. The guards agreed with saying that if given the option, they’d choose to watch over the men versus the women. Women are unpredictable whereas the men have their set “food chain” already in place. It was interesting to see the inside of the jail and to be given the opportunity to go there. I wish we had a smaller group so we could have gone to different areas of the jail, and I wish we could have had some interaction with the inmates. Nonetheless, I had a great experience at the jail and would certainly go again. Gators003
ReplyDeleteThe Peoria county jail was unique experience. Mr. Asbell was a respectful man, the jail was ran to the best of the abilities to try to respect the people that got locked away. It was nice to see that they don't required every person to have to strip down as they first enter the jail after being arrested if this issue was minor to show respect to people who don't commit a crime that would require that sort of humiliation. What was also kind of cool is that the jail had an electronic way for imamates to send message to the jail for supplies they may need throughout their stay at the jail. Was also great to see that the jail is made to help people if they suffer a medical problem instead of just throwing these people into a pod with people who don't have the same mental capacity that they do they try to help get the correct care that person will need to function correctly in United States society. Another great feature that this jail had is that the jail does a reward and punishment system based on the behavior for adults that are going through this correctional system. It’s cool that they have access to watch every aspect of the facility to keep an eye on inmates which can be critical in a life or death position for someone that may have been attacked by several inmates. The jail is also, very aware of social factors that could annoy inmates, by having access to people being able to watch tv earn their food cards, have access to dental care, also medical care this helps to promote that inmates will turn out for the better when they are going through this process in their life. Also this was important and necessary inmates are separate from the opposite genders meaning that they won't act out to try to impress the opposite gender. This jail, also has a very small population which was extremely impressive just being a little above 300 inmates in jail. Officers are, also paid very well in this felicity with starting out with 40,000 a year just as the sort out pay. Working in the correctional felicity is the best way to get experience before working out in the streets, or doing any other law enforcement job. What was cool to see also is that the jail has a good amount of respect for freedom of religion with a non domtional church service and allowing people to have access to their background and what has personal meaning to them. Eagle001
ReplyDeletecowboys001
Going to the Peoria county jail was very worth going to I was surprised by how the intake was pretty much the same for the juvenile jail we went to they seem to have pretty nice stuff like cars buses the building how everyone dressed and acted very good told inmates Starting from intake I thought the Cos handled everything very humanly by not making everyone get naked and do a strip search then checking to see if there part of a gang or not then mixing everyone up into different pods they place was pretty dang clean the fact that only maybe two people have keys was a very good idea keeping it were an inmate couldn't leave the building was smart idea. Then they have mantel and health care there which is almost un heard of now a days and 24 hours days if not mis taken that is so cool that there actually trying to help these guys ad girl and not just lock them up throw the key away these people are there just little amount of time in most causes and they still try take the up most care for these inmates. They have some rehab and foocues group which is really cool they give them those chooses to do that. I thought they might get to go outside for bball or other stuff but they dont even see grass well staying there. Which the only really down fall. I have had friends go to jail which is unfortunate. SO I kinda had an idea what it would look like but it was really cool and neat to hear it from the COs there self and see what there day to day job is I thought the pods would be bigger thought so are bigger then other but to have 10 people probably to a pod. A open shower and bathroom would get old but that's a reason not to get in trouble I guess pretty smart idea to have a video recording everything when on the phone really liked that the super LT was open to hire people with life experiences I though hes end talk was great really made someone that would have had a passed past still feel like they have a chance to work in these kind of fieldCowboys001 Nosaint003
ReplyDeleteThere was a lot of things I learned about when we visited the county jail. One of the first things I learned was how secure the place actually was. They had 185 cameras surrounding the entire place and each door had to be buzzed for you to be able to walk through it. I also learned how much they focused on mental health because 90% of criminals in that jail had some sort of mental issue. This was really cool to me because most places might just want them to do their time and leave but here they wanted to try and stop them from repeating a crime or falling into a crime lifestyle. I learned that in the jail the majority of people are pretrial so they are waiting on their court date or to be sentenced and the maxim amount of time you can do in a jail is 364 days. They also seemed well prepared on helping people who are going through withdrawal and helping them make it through that process. This has actually made me seriously consider wanting to work there because it seems like a really good job and it really interested me. It was different to be able to go in one of the cells. They are more barren than what t.v shows have. Another thing that we learned was that profits made from commissary is what pays for televisions and any other nonessential items. A good deterrent they have to prevent inmates from wanting to see the nurse is charging a five dollar copay to go to the nurses station. One thing they did not really say about was is infection control, like if a prisoner gets a contagious disease. Something that was a different experience was going in the tower where a worker is able to keep watch on the inmates. The glass was one way glass so the inmates completely see if anyone was watching them. Before I knew that the glass was one way I was a little timid to look into the area. It's crazy that the amount of people in the jail fluctuates so much within the year. I enjoyed the experience and the question and answer part we had at the end was nice because you could hear questions that most of us wanted to know. I used to think that all jails looked the same but I learned that they are different. One last thing that I learned was that they are one of the few jails to have a medical license.
ReplyDeleteJDM004 and Kitsune004
This correction’s facility is extremely well organized, maintained, and it gives the inmates many programs to correct their pass deeds. As we entered the facility, we were informed that the facility has decreased its inmate population from six hundred to mere three hundred or so. The decrease in prison population is a good sign to see, because in today’s world, the jail and prison facilities has only increase of population and not decrease. The decrease of prison population means there are less returning inmates, meaning they are given proper rehabilitation programs to not have to go back into the facility again. As the warden told us, he does not allow a naked full body search, because he is against such treatment, but he also have a greater chance of people sneaking illegal items into the prison, despite this, he is willing to take such risk and give the people the respect they deserve. The medical care of this facility is actually pretty impressive. The medical program have everything people need, for example dental care and normal pain or illness. Every jail or prison needs a medical care program for certain emergency situation, and this facility has it all. The bill of this medical care program in this facility is about 1.5 million dollars, not including the set cost of this program. I was pleased to see the female inmates are receiving proper living room, for example the females are getting their own rooms, so there would be no conflict between two females. The entire inmate population seems to have clean cloth, well maintained pods, and for the most part the inmates within the pods seems to be pretty respectful of each other, except the fight in the beginning of the tour, but that can’t be prevented in an environment like this. When a person comes off the street they have to go through a process called “intake”. In that process first they are searched with their clothes on and forced to take a mug shot. Then they have to go through fingerprinting and a series of questions. Finally they go through a cavity search and given a jumpsuit to put on. But this process may take a long time or a go really quickly because it all depends upon the person that is being booked into jail. If the person that is brought in very violent and not themselves, they will be placed into a holding cell where they will calm down for a hour or two before proceeding with the intake process.-K9003/JupiorZ003
ReplyDeleteThe three of us all liked the county jail. It was very interesting to see the major difference between the detention center and the county jail. The superintendent of the jail was nice and it was interesting to see that he started at the jail and then he ended back up at the jail. When we first got there, we started out at the booking center of the jail, and there was just a fight in one of the pods so we saw some angry inmates being separated from the fight. It was interesting to see how they handle inmates after a violent attack. After that we went into the medical wing to see where they would take the inmates would go if they were sick or got hurt, we also learned that if an inmate hurts a guard intentionally then they automatically get sent to prison with a minimum sentence of three years. After they we got to go up above they cell and we got to see both the male and the female inmates and it was a real wake up call to see all the different types of inmates they the housed there. There were all different races and it varied from age group, we saw some older people and some young-looking people. He said at least 30 of them were in there for homicide which we thought was cool as well. We all thought it was an interesting place that would be a great place to start off a career in the criminal justice system and it will be interesting to go back there again to see what has changed from semester to semester. Haggard002 KT002 Orgeon002
ReplyDeleteThe Peoria County Jail tour was pretty interesting for me. I found it interesting that they had a basic functioning hospital in the jail. I figured because it is not that big of a jail they wouldn’t have nearly as nice of a medical facility. It was interesting to see health facility since my mom is a nurse and has taken care of inmates in the hospital. The jail can only handle simple health issues, if they need more complex care they go to the hospital. I also thought it was really cool that they had a dental suite there too. I didn’t realize that the inmates had to pay for their medical care while within the facility. It makes sense as a deterrent for them to not go just to see the female nurses. I did kind of feel guilty when we were there looking in at the cell blocks. It almost felt like we were invading their privacy. I’m pretty glad that they could only see silhouettes because who knows how they would have reacted to knowing we were watching them. When we were in the processing center there were a couple men making gestures as we walked by to go further into the jail. It was pretty cool how the guards could look down into the cell blocks and control just about everything by the tablets they had. When my group was above the other group in the cell block the guard picked up the tablet and started messing with the lights, and said he could even turn the shower on and off from up there. I think it’s pretty cool that they can control that much of what happens in the cell block from that high up. One thing I found surprising was that the women’s pods were all a lot smaller than the men’s one. It didn’t really make sense because the men’s were double bunks while the women’s were just one bed. I am assuming the women’s side is smaller because they are less likely to commit crimes that require long periods of imprisonment. You would think double occupancy rooms would be in the smaller pods of the prison. I was surprised that the “outside” area was not really outside. It was just a small area surrounded by high brick walls and covered by fencing. On tv recreational time is always out in a yard with a lot of space. I was shocked that they were only given that small amount of being “outside”. The way the bathrooms were set up were pretty surprising to me as well, they were totally open. You could see into the showers and where inmates would use the bathroom right from the upstairs area. I get that it is so open for security reasons but I still would have thought that they would be given more privacy than that. After seeing the jail I have a better understanding of why some criminals would rather spend their life on the run or die instead of going back to jail. In jail there is no freedom and every move is under the watchful eye of others, not a place I would want to be. I do not like confined spaces and could see how jails and prisons could have an effect on the psyche of an inmate.
ReplyDeleteDTH004 CMB93004
I completely agree with you that it was fascinating that the prisoners had to pay for their own medical care too. I honestly thought that it was a tad bit dirty and unclean in the small little hospital area. I also thought that it was interesting that the policemen could control things with the new technology that the had too, but it made me wonder if they could, whether they do mess with the prisoners sometimes. I felt remorseful too when I was looking down at the prisoners and kind of in a way, snooping. It felt wrong to invade their privacy. -Happy004
DeleteGoing to the Peoria County Jail was very informational. I enjoyed touring a place where I feared to ever end up in. After seeing the structured systems of the jail, it motivates me to stay as far away from jail and criminal acts as possible. I thought that it was interesting that the jail had tvs and other games to entertain the prisoners. I thought it was interesting because before the tour, I would think that the criminals committed a severe crime, so they do not deserve technology or other privileges that most people don’t have. After the tour, I came to realize that the technology and privileges that are given to them are to help with discipline. Also that the right to those technologies are not just given, they are earned due to good behavior. Furthermore, I was absolutely scared out of my mind to go to the Peoria County Jail tour. I thought that going to a jail would be completely different. I have always thought that it would be like the movies. I have always thought that it would be like a zoo, with people everywhere fighting and acting like complete animals. What I came to see was not a mess, it was very well structured and held together. It was interesting that not all officers have keys and that it is controlled by buttons due to safety reasons. Another captivating thing was the part of the tour when our large group went into the seeing area to look at the convicted. Looking down at the prisoners made me feel like I was looking down at the convicts. It was like a zoo; looking down at the “animals” as they are confined. Instead of animals, we were looking at real people. The convicted side of the males versus the females were fairly different; men were more energetic than the females. I did wonder how the females get their pads and tampons and what they need when they are on their menstrual cycle. Also, I kind of felt bad for the prisoners because they could only sleep on a foam mattress and have a desk if they were lucky. I felt bad because it seems so sad and lonely; that is when I realized why depression is so high. Moreover, I wanted to ask if they have ever had any escapes, but I remember when I was in fourth grade in 2009 or 2010, I remember being in a lockdown in school because two or three men escaped from the Peoria County Jail and was in terror because it was only a couple minutes from where I live. All in all, the tour was very informative and educational. -Happy004
ReplyDeleteWhen the females are going through their menstrual cycle they are provided with materials. This is a basic need. We too thought it was interesting that not everyone had keys, but with good reason. It could prevent people from breaking inmates out or a number of other serious offenses. Jail is meant to be sad and lonely to teach a lesson, all they need is a foam mattress. Only the inmates that are well behaved receive televisions. Overall, very informative. oasis_002 zmw002
DeleteThe way in which the Peoria County jail was operated in my opinion was great. They are focused on the safety of staff as well as inmates. It is also ran with integrity which is very imperative in a time were people harbor so much mistrust of law enforcement. The fact that everyone does't have keys goes back to the jail wanting everyone to be safe. The less keys carried around the facility the less chance of staff being overpowered and having their keys taken. Overall the county jail is doing a great job and operating the jail as the system intended for it to operate. Mommy001
DeleteThe tour of the Peoria County Jail was a very interesting event. It was a very different experience from being in the Juvenile Detention Center. There were not any fences around the detention center, while the jail had big fences with barbed wire on them. The inside of the jail was also very different from the detention center. While the detention center had a very friendly and laid back environment, the inside of the jail felt very tense and hostile. It was uncomfortable walking through the jail and seeing all of the inmates watching you and checking out everyone. Another big difference was the guards. In the detention center, the guards dressed casually with jeans and a nice shirt. In the jail, the guards wore uniforms with bulletproof vests and looked much more intimidating. It also felt a little more unclean than the detention center in some places. All of these things combined really helped make the place feel unwelcoming. It was interesting seeing the differences between the male inmates and the female inmates. For starters, there were an overwhelmingly higher amount of males than there were females. Because of this, male cells were bigger in size and there were more of them when compared to the female cells. Even the things they do in their cells are even different. The men like to play cards, chess, chess, or checkers, while, according to a guard, all the female inmates do is braid each other's hair and watch soap operas. Something else that was striking about the jail was that most fights arise due to gambling in card games. We found it interesting that the phones and visits all took place in the room where they live. The visits were via video chat. The only time the inmates ever leave the room is if they are going to go see the doctor. The superintendent also told us something that shocking, this was that they do not strip search all of the new coming inmates unless they have probable cause to do so. This brings a lot of risk of sneaking contraband into the jail. The jail is only housing 340 inmates currently, however, it can hold over 600. The crime rate has fallen due to various reasons. The superintendent explained to us that a large issue is that males and females must never come in contact in the jail. This includes sight and hearing. Sound travels through walls which can make it tricky to follow all of the state regulations. Overall, it was a very informative event and we hope that we are able to attend with a smaller group. Oasis_002 zmw002
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that it was fascinating that the prisoners had to pay for their own medical care too. I honestly thought that it was a tad bit dirty and unclean in the small little hospital area. I also thought that it was interesting that the policemen could control things with the new technology that the had too, but it made me wonder if they could, whether they do mess with the prisoners sometimes. I felt remorseful too when I was looking down at the prisoners and kind of in a way, snooping. It felt wrong to invade their privacy. -Happy004
ReplyDeleteThe very first impression I had with the inmates is somebody must have been the root to the cause of the arrest. Child abuse, trauma, sociological problems, and poverty must have arisen way before the arrest. Bias is a term used to describe a person locked up in a cell based on APPEARANCE. Any person can be an example, the person with too many tattoos maybe looks a certain way, and then talks a certain way, and carries them self a certain way then they get arrested I can take myself or any person in our classes and say hey you look a certain way maybe you’re committing the crime. So maybe if I put myself in a cell and looked like what a judge once called a "country-bumpkin" in my jail outfit then maybe I am in jail for bias reasons because a cell matches the way I appear if I am considered by society as completely powerless with no say over myself.
ReplyDeleteAnyone can be called crook, retard, bastard, and any name in the book based on the fact that they have no money to make them self look “a certain way. "This is at the point where JC already knows about the person but no one else can say to the person, listen here I understand you, we are bias towards you and it is wrong. We should not be biased to you, you are a human being with a soul and JC loves you. Everyone is Gods child. No matter what we go through we all go through something and labels and names and "country bumpkin" " White Trash" horrible names lewd names are all just in humane and if people can see that then there's Gods eyes and you sense what God sees in people then change is a direction moving forward.
We agree with you! Each and every person had to have something happen to them either as a child or as an adult that made them who they are today. Many people were abused as children, had gone through traumatic events, and may have been cursed with a mental illness that is passed down in the family. Most people in there did not deal their own deck of cards, they had to deal with what hand was given to them. The names that people receive in jail are labels that should be stopped. No one truly knows what another person has gone through, has never walked in their shoes. agentp001 and golfer001
DeleteThe tour of the County Jail was very interesting. I toured there when I was in 8th grade and it was a bit different from all those years ago. The infirmary was better then it was. I didn't know the inmates who had commissary money had to pay on there medical care. I actually thought that was a good idea especially for the inmates that say they are sick so they can just see a nurse. It was also great that they are trying to give care to the mentally ill patients there. Mental illness is a huge problem in the jail so it really needed addressed. Like Mr. Asbell said if the illness is not treated the person will continue to commit crime and return over and over again to the jail. Looking down into the inmate pods was an eye opener. I couldn't imagine spending months of my life in such a confined space. The inmates did everything in that small space. From visits, phone calls, showers, and eating. The only movement outside of the pods was to get medical care or go to court. However, this was a way to increase the safety of staff as well as other inmates. The majority of people there although not yet convicted have broken the law and jail is not meant to be a fun place. They used commissary money to provide televisions to the inmates. Like Mr Asbell stated some people feel they shouldn't be provided televisions in the pods, but they have to have things to do so that they can be taken away when the inmates make poor choices or exhibit bad behavior. Overall I felt that the Peoria County Jail was operated with integrity and safety in mind for the inmates housed there. I enjoyed the tour there but enjoyed the juvenile tour more. I am interested in working with the juveniles and not the adults so I took more away from the juvenile tour. But both facilities appeared to do exactly what they were put in place to do. Rehabilitation for the kids and punishment for the adults, which is how the system is supposed to operate. Good job to the city of Peoria for doing the best job they can in a cash strapped state. mommy001
ReplyDeleteThe jail really was a cool experience and really opened up my eyes to all the different jobs out there in the criminal justice system. I was shocked by how big the actual jail was and I had no clue that they had over 300 people in there that surprised me I didn't think it would be that high. Another thing that was very surprising was the annual intake they have which is around 14,000 people which is a lot of people and I really wonder how many of those people are repeat offenders. As we went farther into the jail I was surprised to see that the detainees act segregated almost even when they are not. As I was looking into the pods there were a fair mix of white and black people within that pod and you could almost draw a line right down the center of the room and on one side where all whites and the other side were all blacks. I know that jail isn't like a meeting place but I just found that super surprising that it would be like that it was kind of a shock to me. I have never been in a jail before but I thought that there intake room was small I thought it would be much bigger than what that was. But it seemed to work well they had a good inventory system each person had there own little locker that could store what they came in with. They had many holding cells which had some people in them and then just through the next door you had a pod. As we actually got to go into a pod I found it very small and there is no way I could do that and the small rooms and everything there is just no way I could even make it a week in there. One thing I really liked was there infirmary and how they had it set up it seemed to be a good design and they actually care about the people there and treat them like human beings which in some places I doubt they treat them like humans. Now a prison I would think would be way bigger than this jail and way different then how this jail was set up. This tour really helped me out a lot it opened my eyes now I'm not for sure if I want to be a cop or if I would rather work in a jail or prison either one I'd be happy with but I'm not for sure anymore. JE002 Rocker 002
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time in the Peoria County Jail just like the Juvenile Detention Center. During the tour, we got to see the rooms where they put the inmates who are at risk for suicide. The corrections officers are watching them throughout the day so they don't harm themselves. Also, they have a good medical team for the inmates and make sure that they the proper treatment and testing that they need to maintain their health instead of being treated like animals. We got to go see the trustees inside their pods from the tower view, which it was surprising how well-behaved and social they were with different races in their pods. The correctional officers treat the inmates with respect and care. This tour made me think about my career and future in law enforcement. I would prefer to work in the jail first because I want to get experience and learn how to work with different races and religions before I patrol the streets as a police officer. It's a critical time to be the law enforcement so I think it's a great opportunity to start in the jail as a correctional officer then work my way up into being a police officer. As it goes for rehabilitation, it's just not possible for inmates to receive it because they're in there for 364 days or less unlike inmates are in prisons for years so they have a better chance to change their lives. The jail does offer the inmates the opportunity to have reentry programs and the chance to attend church in the jail. It was definitely an eye opening experience from touring the Juvenile Detention Center to the Peoria County Jail because the juvenile correctional officers are dressed in casual clothes and the residents wear colored level shirts depending on their behavior and their main concern for them is rehabilitation and school education. In the jail, the correctional officers are dressed in police uniforms and the inmates wear either white shirts as trustees or orange shirts as the general population and their main concern for them is their mental health and safety. It's remarkable how the population in the jail has reduced in half of the population in the recent years because there is no need to have an overcrowded criminal rate from the community. -RW003
ReplyDeleteBoth my partner and I really enjoyed going to the Adult county jail. We both agreed that it was very informative. We knew that it would be more intense and eye-opening than the Juvenile Detention Center. Having spent an entire semester talking about juveniles we kind of had a little insight going into the JDC tour.. The Adult county jail was eye opening by the fact that everything is so guarded. From the moment the criminals come into the jail by being shut in in a large garage, to the rest of the intake process, and then finally being set up into their own cells. It was interesting enough to be able to see both the men and women areas of the jail and see how they interacted with each other. The women all seemed to act just like normal women do; they watched TV, were reading or were playing card games. They were even sitting down at a table and socializing. It really puts it into perspective and makes you think about how a lot of the people in the jail are just like us; they just made a mistake and was punished for it or were about to be punished for it. There was not much to see in the men's pods because when we went to their side, the men were all in their cells with the doors closed. Both my partner and I found it interesting that each pod had a communal toilet. One would not think there would be a need for it but then we realized that when the inmates are outside in the pod, the doors are all closed. There is a shower and a toilet that is shared by all and it is not very private at all. There are no curtains, no stall doors or anything like that. Another area that we toured was the medical area. We both agree that it was interesting how it was all set up. I told my partner that it reminded me as something you would see on a military post, something like Sick Call. It was set up in that manner, somewhat organized but also not at the same time. It was interesting to see down at the end of the room there was a "glass box" which I could not tell if it was for either a shower area or just to hold inmates while waiting. A lot of great questions were asked in the end when we all met in the chapel area. A lot of the questions revolved around how to pursue a job in corrections and where to go from there, and a few questions asked about the dangers that come with the job. WE both agree that it was pretty awesome to be shown around by Mr. Asbell and see what pride he takes in running the jail. He seemed like a very put together man and definitely seemed qualified for the job. Overall it was an amazing opportunity to see both the JDC and the Adult Jail and learn both sides of the probations work. agentp001 and golfer001
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