Estrella Tent City Jail / Sheriff Joe Arpaio Where's the HEAT?!! Phoenix Arizona

"Okay according to the National Weather Service the low was no where near 28 degrees.
2/6/2008 - 40 degrees
2/7/2008 - 41 degrees
Is 40 degrees still cold, yep. But even if it did get to 28 degrees, they are in tents protected from the elements and I am sure they have blankets that can be used to keep them warm enough."

What city did you look up?  The temp. in Phoenix metro can vary by quite a bit depending on how much vegetation there is around the area and how dense the area is.  Sometimes driving even as little as 2 miles can make a huge difference.  Tent City/MC county jail is not in a dense area and has open space by it.  I was there during the winter and the temp dipped below freezing a few times while I was there.  No, you don't get enough blankets to keep you from getting sick.  You get one blanket that is barely thicker than a sheet and it's not made of wool or anything that can retain heat well.  No, you can't ask for more blankets, and you can't bring in anything with a hood, including beanies to keep from losing most of your heat through your head.  I'm lucky that I wasn't there during the summer, but the winters here, especially around open desert can get cold enough to become unhealthy.  I took responsibility for my crime and don't think that tent city should be comfortable, but I don't believe that the OP is exaggerating, and I do think that the punishment should be within reason.  People die there.  That's too harsh of a punishment for most.

"As for the person with pneumonia. If she "hasn't been seen by ANYONE" how do you know she has pneumonia?"

I think that you're grasping at straws here.  There was a woman in my intake group who was in the process of going through chemo.  She was fine until there were 15 of us placed in a cell built for 1, with very little ventilation.  As the temperature and humidity rose, even the healthy people could barely breathe.  The guard refused to help the woman with cancer, despite everyone in my holding cell risking their own safety by yelling to the guard to give her a break and let some fresh air in the cell.  

"Hopefully, she will remember this experience in the future. Then the next time she decides to drink she will think twice about getting behind the wheel and possibly killing someone next time."

That's a nice sentiment, and I agree.  I also think that perspective is a good thing, as well as a little bit of humanity.  People who get DUIs should do the time without complaining, that is, until someone gets seriously hurt because of neglect or abuse.

I am interested for years about the ongoing war in this MaricopaCounty and done a lot of research..

Astonishing how a person likes Arpaio is aloud to perpetuate his reign as "America's toughest sheriff" for the past 15 years with his corruptive ways towards people that come his way and violates the very foundation this country is build by our constitution.

The filth and suggestive medical care in his jails violates basic tenets of the U.S. Constitution and threatens life and limb with a steady parade of corpses (more then 11 thus far) in MaricopaCounty jails is indeed astonishing.

Further chronic mismanagements and destruction of records, filing law suits against people that are speaking out against him, (over seventy filed by Arpaio at this time).

Were does it end???

Rich affluent people need to stop supporting this Vermin or they will also end up in the eye of the present federal investigation which heeds better results then the corruptive tactics of people in that county.  

The way to end this, Arpaio (around 77 of age) becomes incapacitated, debilitated  or dies and even if he is brought to justice (which I doubt, 15 years is a long time) with him gone it takes a long time to clean up the destruction of this person and his cronies.

Sincerely hope that the governor bit from Arpaio is just one of his many smoke screens.

What comes around goes around and one day is payback in the least expectant way.

Just stay tune..

I am in the military, and I am a little bit put off by the fact that Sheriff Joe is saying that tent city and being in iraq are similar (well the sleeping arrangements). That is terrible, we definitely have a lot of equipment to stay warm, and I know for a fact that the bedding in tent city is not the same at all, that is a bunch of bologne. Anyways about the whole reason why she is in jail, yes she did get what she deserved by being put in jail, but it should NOT be inhumane even for other inmates. I don't exactly keep up with everything dealing with politics and with sheriff shmo, but it is ridiculous! What Robert said was down-right mean telling, Katherine, basically saying she was a bad mother. Also, everyone one of us do not have ALL of the facts anyway, its always going to be that one person thinks they know about the situation but they dont really and so fourth, but they definitly do not have to be rude about something that you are posting for answers. It's exactly as I said she has posted this looking for ANSWERS not UGLY COMMENTS! I am sure your daughter has already been released and all by now, and that is a good thing that she learned her lesson.

Have you ever been to the website arpaio.com?Sheriff joe is a narcicisstic mean spirited crook whose only goal is publicity and his own self glorification.There are many people trying to get him out of office.Try that website and maybe you can find someone to help you.Good luck to you and your daughter.

I just got out of that sham called a jail on Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix. I can assure everyone on this post that I am not a hardened criminal, have no prior record, and committed a crime that would not even register on most states radar screen, except this is Joe Shmuck Bizzaro Land. This jail is disgusting and not fit for anyone or anything other than crickets, rats and birds. The cots, blankets and towels are thin, useless and dirty beyond anything that would be deemed acceptable by any parent, son, daughter, father, etc...

For anyone to compare this to the sleeping arrangements provided to our wonderful troops overseas is an insult to those very troops. My brother is in Iraq and has been there on 3 separate tours. He's insulted every time Joe-wanna-be-a-politician makes the comparison between the living conditions in Iraq and those in tent city. For one, many of the men and women sent to tent-city have committed minor offenses not worthy of such punishment. Yet, judges keep sending so-called criminals to Joe's-money-making scheme to promote his reign of error.

I can understand the need to punish criminals and place them in less-than comfortable surroundings for days, weeks and months, but but I can assure you that many people in this so-called "jail" simply do not deserve the treatment they receive in this facility. The guards and DO's are neanderthals, with IQ's lower than my shoe size.

I'm not bitter that I was sent to tent city. I can handle it and understand there was a price to pay for my mistakes. However, many of those who are sent to tent city do not belong there and certainly deserve the treatment they receive. These tents have the opposite effect that most outsiders feel they may have. People leave feeling that no one really gives two cents about them, no one will look out for them, and the law is always on their back. Where does treatment, human rights and education come into play? This is how you prevent from this place becoming a revolving door.

Oh, wait. Joe the Profiteer likes it that way. His wife needs another Bentley soon.

First of all Steve, I am a VERY concerned mother; however, my daughter is an ADULT and made the choice to drive. Why should I make it MY responsibility to fix what she clearly did wrong? I am there for her, without a doubt, but I know I did not CAUSE her situation, nor can I CURE her situation, or can I CONTROL her situation. This my friend, has to come from her. This is HER lesson...not mine and I pray she LEARNS the lesson. I could take offense to your telling me that I am not a concerned mother, but I don't, because I feel your ignorant to the facts. It's not my job to fix her messes and, most importantly, she didn't ask me. In fact, she told me that she got herself in this situation and it's up to her to fix it. So with that, I am proud of the woman she's become and holds herself accountable for her own actions. She made a mistake, as I'm sure most of us have. If I try to fix her, what good will that do her...she will not learn the lesson.

Second of all Steve, with respect to the blankets, I know from 4 very reliable sources, including having a friend who is a Maricopa County Supervisor, that their blankets are NOT army/wool blankets; they are cotton AND that there is no heat. My friend also told me that this has been a huge complaint for many years. I don't know how many years ago you were in there, but maybe it was prior to Sheriff Joe. I think it's important that my daughter and the other inmates not to be treated like princesses, but with humanity. Short, thin, cotton blankets with no heat is inhumane. The one thing I was able to do, as a concerned mother, was to ask my Supervisor friend if there was anything he could do to get her over to the Work Furlough tents sooner, which was accomplished. Still NO heat and same flimsy blankets, but she can wear HER clothes, all of them if she wants to, and not just the "pink" underwear (longjohns).

So with this, Steve, I suggest that YOU get your facts straight.

Katharine,

You obviously do not have all of the facts about your daughter's situation, or the tent city jail.

First of all, if you were REALLY a concerned mother, you would have seen to it she had an adequate defense. A public defender is a direct path to jail. Nobody wins with a public defender. This is common sense, which obviously you or your daughter have none of.

Second, your daughter is exaggerating about not having blankets, etc.

They do have bedding in the tent city jail. They also have some heat. They have blankets available more substantial than what you are describing. They have military surplus blankets, identical to the ones the military living in tents in the desert have. Identical.

Your daughter is riding the bus because the first coviction of DUI in AZ mandates a 1 year suspension of your driver's license. She hasn't learned anything, she just has no other choice!

I too have lived in AZ and I have been to the Estrella Jail. I have also had a DUI in AZ many years ago. Young and stupid. Been there, done that.

Katharine,

You obviously do not have all of the facts about your daughter's situation, or the tent city jail.

First of all, if you were REALLY a concerned mother, you would have seen to it she had an adequate defense. A public defender is a direct path to jail. Nobody wins with a public defender. This is common sense, which obviously you or your daughter have none of.

Second, your daughter is exaggerating about not having blankets, etc.

They do have bedding in the tent city jail. They also have some heat. They have blankets available more substantial than what you are describing. They have military surplus blankets, identical to the ones the military living in tents in the desert have. Identical.

Your daughter is riding the bus because the first coviction of DUI in AZ mandates a 1 year suspension of your driver's license. She hasn't learned anything, she just has no other choice!

I too have lived in AZ and I have been to the Estrella Jail. I have also had a DUI in AZ many years ago. Young and stupid. Been there, done that.

Katharine,

You obviously do not have all of the facts about your daughter's situation, or the tent city jail.

First of all, if you were REALLY a concerned mother, you would have seen to it she had an adequate defense. A public defender is a direct path to jail. Nobody wins with a public defender. This is common sense, which obviously you or your daughter have none of.

Second, your daughter is exaggerating about not having blankets, etc.

They do have bedding in the tent city jail. They also have some heat. They have blankets available more substantial than what you are describing. They have military surplus blankets, identical to the ones the military living in tents in the desert have. Identical.

Your daughter is riding the bus because the first coviction of DUI in AZ mandates a 1 year suspension of your driver's license. She hasn't learned anything, she just has no other choice!

I too have lived in AZ and I have been to the Estrella Jail. I have also had a DUI in AZ many years ago. Young and stupid. Been there, done that.

Katharine,

You obviously do not have all of the facts about your daughter's situation, or the tent city jail.

First of all, if you were REALLY a concerned mother, you would have seen to it she had an adequate defense. A public defender is a direct path to jail. Nobody wins with a public defender. This is common sense, which obviously you or your daughter have none of.

Second, your daughter is exaggerating about not having blankets, etc.

They do have bedding in the tent city jail. They also have some heat. They have blankets available more substantial than what you are describing. They have military surplus blankets, identical to the ones the military living in tents in the desert have. Identical.

Your daughter is riding the bus because the first coviction of DUI in AZ mandates a 1 year suspension of your driver's license. She hasn't learned anything, she just has no other choice!

I too have lived in AZ and I have been to the Estrella Jail. I have also had a DUI in AZ many years ago. Young and stupid. Been there, done that.

I understand that the troops are living in adverse weather conditions and I also understand they have sleeping bags and army blanets; both of which, inmates at the Tents do not have. It's your underswear and a thin/short cotten blanket. That's it. I am all for not making your time in jail easy i.e., making them work hard, get up very early, attend mandatory meetings (I'm not sure if meetings are mandatory), etc., etc., but when it's freezing, it's inhumane and impossible to sleep. The inmates have found a resource in smuggling garbage bag linings to put on the their legs to somewhat improve the situation, but...

I recently learned that some inmates, including my daugther, offer to work nights in the "day room" in order to stay warm on some nights.

I lived in Arizona for 33 years, before moving to Denver and I KNOW how cold it can get in the outskirts of the City. In fact, I've even seen snow.

As far as the length of time she's service, is 4 months with Work Furlough, 1st offense. She "blew" .089, which is just over, but above the legal limit regardless. She could not affort legal representation, so she was blessed with a Public Defender, who didn't challenge the judge. She was finally moved to the Work Furlough tents day before yesterday, so she is now able to wear her own clothes. She is wearing ALL of her clothes at the same time, so she can be warmer. Her first week in the tents was not on the Work Furlough side, where she finally is now. She will be getting out, starting next week, 12 hours a day. Things have improved. All I can say, is that she has made decision not to ever drink and drive. She has since sold her car and will rely on the bus. She still has 3-1/2 months to allow this experience to soak in and I pray it does.

Although you don't mention how long your daughter has been in the can, it's obviously more than the one day that is mandatory for a first time with .08 BAC (first offense in AZ is 10 days, with 9 suspended if you do counseling)

So please let us know, is this a subsequent offense or was it an AZ Extreme DUI (BAC .20, 45 days mandatory jail)

I think maybe this information should be shared with us.

I'll be waiting to hear.

Thanks

Although you don't mention how long your daughter has been in the can, it's obviously more than the one day that is mandatory for a first time with .08 BAC (first offense in AZ is 10 days, with 9 suspended if you do counseling)

So please let us know, is this a subsequent offense or was it an AZ Extreme DUI (BAC .20, 45 days mandatory jail)

I think maybe this information should be shared with us.

I'll be waiting to hear.

Thanks

Although you don't mention how long your daughter has been in the can, it's obviously more than the one day that is mandatory for a first time with .08 BAC (first offense in AZ is 10 days, with 9 suspended if you do counseling)

So please let us know, is this a subsequent offense or was it an AZ Extreme DUI (BAC .20, 45 days mandatory jail)

I think maybe this information should be shared with us.

I'll be waiting to hear.

Thanks

Although you don't mention how long your daughter has been in the can, it's obviously more than the one day that is mandatory for a first time with .08 BAC (first offense in AZ is 10 days, with 9 suspended if you do counseling)

So please let us know, is this a subsequent offense or was it an AZ Extreme DUI (BAC .20, 45 days mandatory jail)

I think maybe this information should be shared with us.

I'll be waiting to hear.

Thanks

Living in tents for extended periods of time in adverse weather conditions is good enough for our military troops who have committed no crimes and are serving our country for far less money than what most civilians make in related specialties.

With this said, if this kind of living arrangement is good enough for our troops, why is it not good enough for our criminals?

Why should criminals be treated better than our troops?

Please explain.

You are absolutely right about the weather. I lived in AZ for 33 years and have seen snow. In fact, I learned that it snowed this week down there! The outskirts are most definitely colder. My mom lives in Cave Creek and she said it was 28 degrees and I've heard from numerous people that they've had to scrap the ice off of their windshields.

May of these inmates are truly good people, who've made a terrible mistake and who are NOT saying they do not deserve to incarcerated; my daughter is one of those. She's completely accountable and has even sold her car. Thank the Lord no one was killed.

The blankets the inmates receive are ones that are used in the kennel first, washed, the distributed to the inmates. They are NOT army blankets, in the least. They're very thin, Cotton and short blankets. The comparison to our troops in Iraq are not the same. Our troops, thankfully, have army blankets and sleeping blankets. It has already been proven that inmates have died from exposure or lack of medical attention...do your research, Patrick. It's all there. There have been law suits; the County won some and lost some. Regardless, it's ALL bad. It's the In fact, I've spoken with another mother this week, who's daughter has a chronic illness and needs her meds, but as of our conversation she hasn't been given them and she'd been in there for 3 days.

As far as Patrick's comment about how I know the gal has Pneumonia is that she was diagnosed with it and had gotten progressively worse. They are ignored.

My daughter has a great job at an architectural firm downtown and was hoping to start her Work Furlough this week...so far nothing.

Sheriff Joe's time is up. His over-inflated ego of being the "toughest Sheriff" is corrupt and inhumane. Are you aware that his family runs the commissary at the Tents?

In any regard, it's so easy to pass judgment on individuals, because they're in there. Believe me when I tell you, there are some really good, upstanding citizens, like you and me, who are being treated worse than animals. I believe in hard work and forcing them to classes and meetings are what is needed. Not to be treated inhumanely.

Watch out, this could happen to any one of us who chooses to celebrate at wedding, or wherever, and get pulled over on the way home. There is a lot of arrogance in the world where many will not get over themselves to turn over their keys. I'm sure many of you have seen this and these people, at the core, are good people. It's a shame.

I know already that my daughter has learned a valuable lesson, regardless of the lack of humanity on Sheriff's Joe part.

Food for thought...when point the finger at someone, don't forget to observe the other 3 pointing back at you.

Robert,

Just because the NWS says it was 40 "officially" in Phoenix, does not mean it was not colder in the outlying areas as is ALWAYS the case. If you really spent any time here, you'd know that.

Case in point. I live in East Mesa (way out in the east part of the Metro Valley), and the past 3 morning I have gone outside to ice on my car. Can't get ice if it doesn't get below freezing.

Tent City is on the outer fringes of the west valley and I'm certain it got down to at least 32 the past few mornings.

I agree that the laws on criminals should be tough. However, I strongly DISAGREE with the way Bozo Joe treats inmates (including the ones that are not guilty of any crimes). Inmates should not be placed in possible life threatening conditions, no matter what their crimes.

At one point about 6 years ago, Bozo Joe put web cams up in the booking area of the jail. That way folks on the internet could see who was being booked into jail. Only problem was, just because someone was being booked in, did not mean they were a criminal (innocent until proven guilty, remember?). The ACLU finally made him take them down as they violated an individuals rights.

Bozo Joe can make them wear their pink underwear and eat stale bologna sandwiches all he wants. Just treat them like human beings instead of rabid dogs.

By the way, did you know that Bozo Joe had all his deputies handcuffs painted pink? He did that so that "we would not lose any cuffs to other law enforcement agencies". What a crock! It cost more to paint them than the money saved by not losing them to other agencies!

Hopefully the citizens of Maricopa County will finally rise up and get this goon out of office. In the 5 years I've been an Arizona resident, I've not ONCE seen Bozo Joe in a Sheriff's uniform. When I lived in Orlando, Sheriff Kevin Barry actually came out to an HOA meeting in our neighborhood as there were citizen concerns about recent break-ins. And he was in uniform. Now that was a real sheriff. Bozo Joe is nothing more than a crooked politician with a perverse need for media exposure.

Well first if you are going to write a report at least tell the truth.

"This morning it was 28 degrees in Phoenix"

Okay according to the National Weather Service the low was no where near 28 degrees.
2/6/2008 - 40 degrees
2/7/2008 - 41 degrees

Is 40 degrees still cold, yep. But even if it did get to 28 degrees, they are in tents protected from the elements and I am sure they have blankets that can be used to keep them warm enough.

As for the person with pneumonia. If she "hasn't been seen by ANYONE" how do you know she has pneumonia?

Hopefully, she will remember this experience in the future. Then the next time she decides to drink she will think twice about getting behind the wheel and possibly killing someone next time.

Get real she got behind the wheel and was drunk
No sympathy here
She could have KILLED someone did you ever think about that?
If you cannot do the time then do not do the crime
Stacey

Don't worry come July, there will be more than enough heat to make up for the lack of it now!

Your daughter will be begging for the good ol' days of an Arizona winter.

Remember now: Don't Drink and Drive in Arizona!

I lived in AZ, and I go there quite a bit. The DUI laws are pretty well publicized by the state as the toughest in the country, guess your daughter found that out the hard way.

Maybe she'll call a cab next time.

Don't worry come July, there will be more than enough heat to make up for the lack of it now!

Your daughter will be begging for the good ol' days of an Arizona winter.

Remember now: Don't Drink and Drive in Arizona!

I lived in AZ, and I go there quite a bit. The DUI laws are pretty well publicized by the state as the toughest in the country, guess your daughter found that out the hard way.

Maybe she'll call a cab next time.

Don't worry come July, there will be more than enough heat to make up for the lack of it now!

Your daughter will be begging for the good ol' days of an Arizona winter.

Remember now: Don't Drink and Drive in Arizona!

I lived in AZ, and I go there quite a bit. The DUI laws are pretty well publicized by the state as the toughest in the country, guess your daughter found that out the hard way.

Maybe she'll call a cab next time.