Document text
CLEAR Temp: 58 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Tuesday, September 10, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend September 8, 2002 Potty-mouth jail inmates use clogs to get their messages across Their oversized ‘cell phones’ create a smelly problem for deputies By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Inmates at the Jackson County Jail are giving the advertising catch-phrase "reach out and touch someone" a whole new meaning in their efforts to communicate with other prisoners. And their attempts may be creating more of a mess than the sheriff’s department can handle. Jail officials say male and female inmates aren’t allowed to communicate in any way while they’re segregated in jail. But where there’s a will, there’s a way — as long as the inmates have strong stomachs and access to the jail’s antiquated plumbing system. According to jail staff, prisoners frequently clog up toilets in their cells. Clogs in the toilet bowl force the water within the prison pipes to drain off and fill with air. With the lines open, inmates crouch on their hands and knees, stick their faces in the toilet bowl and shout messages to prisoners serving time in the cells directly above or below them. Thick walls in the jail cells keep correctional deputies from hearing, and most often a prisoner is posted as a lookout. Once the coast is clear, inmates are free to shout declarations of love and even sing to each other. Inmates call the practice "cell-phoning," but jail staff have their own terms for the practice — "toilet talk" or "commode-o-phone." "They’ve got nothing but time, and they’ll do anything to get what they want," said jail commander Lt. Jim Warren. "No matter how disgusting." Jail officials believe the practice is contributing to a flooding problem within the building. Inmates often shove clothing and bedding down the toilets, causing pipes to back up and spill sewage onto the first floor of the building, which houses the sheriff’s department’s administration offices. In the last year, there have been three major floods, and innumerable minor ones. The last minor flood was last week, damaging ceiling tiles and carpeting. With each flood, carpeted areas must be professionally cleaned. It’s unclear how much the county has spent this year or last, and attempts to contact officials within the maintenance department were unsuccessful. Minor floods, which often take place within the jail cells, are easy to clean up, Warren said. The concrete floors and surfaces are washed with bleach. In order to cut costs and make it easier to properly sanitize the area after each incident, the county has budgeted $13,000 to replace all carpeting in the building with tile. Warren said that work is slated to take place sometime this winter. The practice also presents a risk to staff and inmates. "There’s the risk of infection. Some of these (inmates) aren’t healthy people," Warren said. "We’re looking for ways to overcome this." Over the last two years, county officials have installed valves that halt or delay the flooding. They’ve also installed what’s referred to as the "muffin monster" under Eighth Street, a machine with blades that slashes up flushed items in the sewer pipes. Inmates who are caught using the "cell phones" risk punishment, which ranges from loss of privileges to solitary confinement. Warren said inmates also can be charged with a crime, and the county will sue them to recover costs. But Warren said nabbing the offenders is tough, and the county cannot afford to replace its plumbing system with one tailored to stop destructive prisoners. And no system is fool-proof against inmates, he added. "It’s aggravating dealing with these things. It’s an ongoing problem," Warren admitted. "It’s something they can do to cause problems. It doesn’t take them long to figure out new ways." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S