Dec. 13, 2014
How’s it goin? Appreciate you sendin books and tryin to make things better out there and in here. I’m good, makin do with my fellas in –. What concerning me tonight especially is how some c.o.’s just do shit to stir shit up it seems. They cross the line. To quote Charlie Murphy, “They habitual line steppers!” Things are goin good and they feel the need to say or do something to piss us off. Tonight for example we watchin the news and c.o. cuts it off for lockbacks and we all comply. Then when it comes on about the protests people had downtown we ask to turn it up and she says “people protest this one day, people protest that the next. It don’t matter, it ain’t gonna change shit.” That type of shit crossing the line! Just do your job and turn it up. Don’t make yourself feel more important than you are, you’re basically a glorified servant. No need to throw gas on the fire. Even while I write this she out there bitching. Again, appreciate what you doin. Keep it up. Got to go before she take my pencil.
Much respect,
S.H.
This S. again. The IOA is a great idea and organization! Everyday our rights are stepped on and their ain’t no need for all that. Being locked up in jail is our punishment, some being innocent, awaiting trial. They need to treat us with respect and in turn they get it. Some just can’t comprehend that and try to throw their weight around. I’m trying to think of something more that I, us, we can do but strugglin with it right now. I’ll be in touch and hope to hear from y’all soon. If you got any books to spare I like westerns, nature books, Jack London things like that. Lets the beast out in my mind, reminds me of freedom!!
Much respect,
S.H.
Amplify Voices Inside 
I spend a great deal of time in the jail trying to help people. If anything the place is kept too warm. If they don’t like the conditions then they should stay out of jail! What a joke!
Terry, jail is not prison. Jail is where people are held while they await trial. That means some of them are definitely innocent. The idea that an innocent person can just choose to stay out of jail is a joke. Innocent people only end up in jail by mistakes that they usually cannot control.
While I don’t doubt some of the rooms are too warm, it is also likely that some of them are too cold. All buildings have that problem and I’m sure the Durham County Jail is no exception. Also, some people get colder easier than others. What the person said is very reasonable. If someone says they are cold, the corrections officer should be willing to let them have a second blanket. To not is cruel and is really a form of punishment. Jail is not supposed to be punishment. There are innocent people in there. It’s just supposed to be a holding facility for people who weren’t permitted to post bail or couldn’t afford to post bail in order to go home while awaiting their trial.