Burris students get a taste of life in jail

Alex Nancarrow

On April 14, 2011 Bradley Canada’s Government class went on its annual field trip to the Delaware County Court and Jail. On this trip they were able to watch some court cases and then take a tour of the jail.

     The students were able to observe a series of hearings in the court on Thursday morning. Some of the cases involved defendants setting dates for their trials, plea bargains and even someone being sentenced. After the hearings were over the judge and prosecutor answered some of the questions the students had. When the students were done in the court room they went upstairs to visit the jail.

When going into the jail the students went through a security measures just like anyone else. No one was allowed to have jackets or purses so no one could bring anything in to the inmates. 

     We first visited the segregation cells which are very small cells where inmates are kept twenty three hours a day. These are for the more dangerous people in the jail. Next the students looked at the different cell blocks. When going down the hall with all of the blocks the security measures would get more and more relaxed, because not all of the inmates are as dangerous as the others. 

     Some inmates even walked around among the students. Burris senior Paige Chambers said “I liked how the female inmates gave us suggestions on life and how to stay out of jail.” These inmates were allowed to work and wear the color blue, while the other inmates who don’t work wear orange. The students also got to look at the previous gymnasium which has turned into a makeshift meeting room and cell block because of prison overcrowding. The students then got a chance to go to the top and look around the basketball courts on the top of the jail. 

     After touring another cell block the students were able to get a look at the different sorts of contraband confiscated from the inmates. Some of this contraband included shanks (makeshift knives), other kinds of weapons, pipes, chess sets, origami, fishing poles, golf clubs, and other items.