If you've lived in Arizona for any length of time, chances are good that you've heard quite a bit about Tent City, or at the very least, you're aware that it exists.
Tent City is actually several groupings of military-style tents outdoors in a fenced off area located in the middle of the Lower Buckeye Jail and the rest of the Sheriff's facilities. It is separated into 4 areas...a women's work-release side, a men's work-release side, and then a women's 'striped' side, and a men's 'striped' side. The 'striped' side is a whole different ballgame from the work release area. It is for people that are doing straight time; it is much more militaristic (ie. tent raids/searches, stricter rules, designated meal times, the national anthem blaring through the loudspeakers at 6 in the morning, and of course the pink socks and underwear, courtesy of Sheriff Joe Arpaio). That's about all I know of it though, so if you know you're going to being staying there, or if you're just curious about it, I'd recommend getting the Tent City Handbook.
For those that are fortunate enough to get work-release, you are allowed to wear your own clothes (I recommend wearing several layers if you're there in the winter months), and you may also bring 2 towels (which are handy for use as pillows), a watch and/or battery powered alarm clock, a soft-cover book or magazine, and $40 in cash (anything more than $40 the officers will take and keep for themselves, so do not bring more than that). I recommend bringing a few of those dollars in quarters too, in case the bill acceptor on the vending machines isn't working.
I self-surrendered at 8am on a Sunday morning in December. There were only 2 other people with me standing outside the big, blue steel doors with the Sheriff's emblem on it, waiting for the detention officers to let us in. They made us wait out there for almost an hour before the doors opened up and 2 officers brought us in to start the 'processing in' fiasco. This, as well as getting 'processed out' or 'kicked out' was the worst part of it all.
You are first brought in and searched head to toe for anything that they do not allow into the jail. Next, they move you into the first of many small holding cells. Luckily, I was only going through this process with 2 other people, but I've heard of situations where there can be as many as 20 to 30, which makes it all move a lot slower...some instances where it took people 12-16 hours to get processed in, which makes my 8-hour process seem quite easy.
After spending a full workday in concrete rooms, they put you in hand cuffs (which is always the most demoralizing part), and walk you over to the actual 'Tents'. We were given a bed sheet, 2 thin blankets, and a hand towel upon arriving at the gate. The tents actually felt glorious compared to the closed-in cells with concrete slabs that we had to lay on for most of the day!
You will get an ID badge with your picture and a bunk number on it. You DO NOT want to lose this badge...it is what the officers look for when they do bed-checks several times throughout the day and night, and you also use it when leaving for work-release. If you're only in Tent City for 24 hours, most of your time will be spent getting processed in and out, so you may only be spending 4 or 5 hours in the actual tent area.
Once you're in Tent City, I recommend finding your bed, maybe chatting a bit with the guys next to you (you'll find that most of them are in their for DUIs or failure to pay child support), and then go get some food out of the vending machines. I did not try any of the slop that they offer you for dinner, but it looked pretty inedible...so I was fine with Lunchables, water, and soda from the machines (which by the way, are also owned by the Sheriff's family).
After you 'settle in', I suggest breaking up the monotony of laying in bed reading by walking around the yard and getting a little exercise. It's not a very big space, but it's something. Aside from that, there isn't a whole lot to do...although some people get card games going (they have decks of cards in the vending machines) and pass the time that way. I wasn't in the mood to socialize too much, as all I wanted to do was get my time over with, leave, and never come back. So, my nights were usually just spent reading until I would eventually drift off to sleep. It's very hard to get a decent night's sleep in there, since it can be very cold (or very hot), the officers yell random crap in the loudspeakers all night, and the bunks are about as comfortable as sleeping on the sidewalk.
When you get released for work, you have to place your ID badge in a small silver box up near the gate right outside the DO's office about an hour and a half before your release time. My work release was from 8am to 8pm (release times are 12-hour periods of your choosing), which meant that I had to wake up at 6:30 every morning to go drop my ID in the box, and then return to bed for another hour or so until they called the "8 o'clock group" for release for the day.
AN IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE: The officers make sure you're clean shaven for work every morning before releasing you! If you're not, they will make you shave with their razors, which are single-bladed, disposable razors, and there is very little visibility in the bathroom mirrors...this equates to a horrible time for you and your face! So...I suggest shaving at home before you self-surrender, as well as every day before returning to Tent City.
Once you are released, you're essentially free to do what you want for that 12-hour period, but don't be an idiot and go drinking before you return to the Tents (if they suspect it, the officers will give you a breathalyzer and 'roll you up in stripes' if there is a hint of alcohol in your system). Make sure you come back on-time, and be prepared to be searched before they allow you back in.
A FEW OTHER RULES TO FOLLOW: Don't stand around on 'the hill' outside the DO's office; don't walk into the DO's office without them waiving you in first; don't talk back to the DOs; make sure you're in your bunk when they do lockdowns/bed-checks; and for guys, don't pee in the toilets...use the urinals.
If you're fortunate enough to have work-release, you still have the freedom to walk around outdoors, get food when you want, and lay around and read or play cards, but you are just confined to a fenced off area. It's like being grounded by your parents, but being able to get out each day to go to school and see your friends for a few hours (that's the best comparison I can make). Trust me, it's not fun, but it could always be worse!
-OneandDone
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