Clinton Correctional Facility

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Leisure Time

Interview with Andrew

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Andrew: There was one TV in the rec yard. They had weights and a basketball court.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Andrew: The TV was usually held hostage by one guy. This would be a guy who would have been in for 30 years or something like that. What he wanted to watch is what you watched.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Andrew: What I couldn't do in the rec yard, I did in my cell. Lots of pushups and calisthenics.

JM: How often did you get to go outside? What did you do outside if you were allowed to? If you were not allowed to go outside what could you do for exercise?
Andrew: They kept it simple. Only gave you time that was required by law. One hour. You take a chance risking your life going out in that yard with five hundred inmates walking around. You don't know who is carrying a shank in thier pocket. Often they hide it in the sand. They see somebody they got a beef with and they kick around to find the weapon and then use it.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Andrew: The church was built by Lucky Luciano himself when he was up there. Built and paid for. It's a stand alone building. Here's the thing, I saw inmates stab each other to death during church services. Something like that happens and they lock you in there while all that fighting and stabbing is going on. You can't get out. That's going to put you in a real bad state of shock that you can never forget something like that.

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