Hi! I am going to be sentenced to a 2 year state prison term on 1/25/06. I have been accepted into the family foundations program and I have been told that I will be in county jail (twin towers) for up to 2 weeks before I am transferred. Can anyone give me any info? What to expect when I first get there? Should I take money with me? Can I buy phone cards or do I have to call collect? Do you ever get to leave your cell during the day?
I am a little nervous about going to county. Once I get to family foundations, it is not a prison but a residential center so I'm not worried at all.
Thanks for any info!!!:)

hi julie, its been awhile since i've heard from you. i thought maybe you had already gone in. well, i'm glad to know your getting what you wanted. i can't tell you much about l.a. county, its been along time since i've been there. keep in touch an i wish you alot of luck an hope all goes ok for you.

hi Julie,

i was wondering what happened to you. I haven ever been in jail so of course I do not know anything about it. But I would think that when theyprocess women it's the same as men. Any money you have with you willo go on your property and you can ask them to put it on your books. No phone cards, but you can call collect ( i assume). Are you doing the whole two years? or half time? That's to bad that they didn't give you probation :( I really thought they would after seeing all your posts. you might be at twin towers longer then two weeks, so do not go off of what people tell you. The system does what it wants to do.

How are your kids holding up??? I can't imagine how you are feeling :(

The program that I'm going into is 1 year and I get to bring my 3 year old with me so I can't complain. I was hoping for probation but the Judge wouldn't allow it because of the amount of $ taken. My attorney spoke to the cdc women's and children unit and they told him I'm already on the board and there are beds available all the time so I shouldn't be at county for more than 2 weeks. The only reason I have to go for county is to be "processed" in. When I was in the court jail cell at my arraignment, some of the girls from county were talking about phone cards to make calls, but I can't remember exactly what they told me. I'm just trying to find out all information that I can so I can prepare my husband and myself for what to expect. I have heard that twin towers is pretty bad.

You can buy phone cards, they cost 10 dollars for 20 mins, and it would be better for someone else to put the money on ur books after u arrive, then it goes in automatically.

Does anyone know if I will be able to make calls when I first get there or is it like state prison and you have to wait a certain amount of time?

since youa re going to a program i dont know if you have to wait like you would in prison. when u go to prison u wait to get classified. Is this place near by? does your 3 year old understand?

about the phone cards, I totally forgot, but I remember when my hubby used to use them it was a waste cause you can spend less on a collect call and talk longer.

They have 2 facilities- one in santa fe springs (which I'm hoping for) and the other is in san diego. My 3 year old thinks that I am going to a special school so that I can get a really good job (not totally a lie) and that she is coming with me. My husband will be able to take her out 1 night per week, visit on the weekends, take her one full weekend a month and 3 full weeks during the year. I have told her after I'm done, we will come home. She is okay with it and seems to understand. I'm sure she'll have some adjustments to make, but at least she can keep in contact with both of us.
I won't have to go to state prison at all- it is the only alternative sentencing within the cdc that you don't have to go to prison first. I'm very lucky.
I was just wondering if there is a waiting period in county jail or can I make a phone call right away?

julie~
best of luck to you..... hopefully the next year flys:)

yea when you get into booking there will be phones to make calls, they'll have to be collect once your housed you'll be able to use the phones but when an how much dayroom time you'll get i don't know. its about the same in every county but also in every county their dayroom times are up to the pod officers. you should be able to make collect calls as not everyone can afford calling cards. to me personally, i always had money on me when i came in cuz it automatically goes on your books. in riverside co. we get debit cards when you come in even without money in case someone does put it on then the pod officers will activate them if they feel it. i do know that l.a. uses the calling cards an i think i've heard that you get them thru commissary but again thats word of mouth.

thanks!!!

Hi there Julie,
Answering your questions about the county system, Yes, once you "surrender" you will be able to make a phone call (collect).While in processing you will be in holding tanks for longs hours.It is very NASTY! The sheriffs usually fill up a holding tank with about 50 girls in it. Its hot, nasty and very uncomfortable. The holding tanks are similar to the courthouses'. If you don't like bologna Sanwhichs...You better get used to them because thats all they feed you for lunch. Every now and then they will give P & J sandwhichs. Commisary days to order your calling cards are Tuesdays and you will get your stuff on Wednesday. It doesn't make a difference if you take money or if your husband puts money on your books. Once you are in your POD, and the court already processed your prison paper work, you have to wait for your State Prison status to turn (SP4), Regardless if you are going to a program!Once you turn SP4, transportation will come pick you up. Usually, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays mornings,around 4am. I hope this was some useful information.