On Monday we went to tour Tent City Jail in Phoenix. This is a famous jail that was created when Sheriff Joe declared there were "vacancies" in the jail. He determined the criminals should not be treated better than the soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan - sleeping outside in tents. This tour was so interesting. Truth be told, I have never been in a jail, so had nothing from which to compare, but I thought this was similar to what I have seen in movies.
This police officer was our tour guide.
Beyond the camouflage is one of the tents. An inmate is lying on the bunk (in striped clothing).
Another view of one of the tents.
Clean laundry: striped uniforms and pink towels and underwear. Dying the underwear pink keeps the prisoners from stealing it.
This bin of pink socks reminded me of a tub of pig hocks at Hormel's.
We toured a couple of rooms inside the jail - the dining room and a place where visitors can talk to the incarcerated - behind glass walls. We also saw a "chain gang" as they returned to the facility after performing civic work outside the jail. Inmates who have done wrong inside the jail are put on this duty and must earn their way back to the tent city.
I got permission from the police officer to take this larger stone from the jail property for a souvenir and added the little "toes" from out in the parking lot to create a "stone foot" like those we saw at Sunshine Acres. I gave these to Pat and told her I call this foot "Freedom." Pat hopes to make a few of these feet.
"Happy Hour" – a daily ritual in Pat's community.
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