In prison TV’s are one of the most easiest problems that can get you into trouble. There are inmates that have a designated spot in front of the TV. Usually they have been there for a long period of time. If you are new at the prison and want to get a spot to watch TV. Wait for someone to go home or get transfer and ask them to get there spot. You just can not put your chair in someone else spot. You can sit in there chair if they are not sitting there yet. When they come back and ask for their chair or spot back to sit down. You should get up, no question ask or make any remarks because its there spot.
This one new inmates name Frank, he likes to watch TV and he got a habit of always putting his chair in someone else spot. When that person comes back to ask for his spot back he would always make stupid remarks. He would say stuff like ” first come first serve” meaning that he was there first. Frank and the other inmate would always argue back and forth. Everyone explain to him how the sitting arrangements work but he wouldn’t listen. One day he happen to argue with the wrong guy and got beat up and knock out as soon as he open his mouth to argue. That one inmate was not up to any arguing he just ask for his spot back. Frank learn his lesson that day the hard way after getting beat up in front of everybody.
The other problem is changing the TV channel when everyone is still watching TV. Do not attempt to change the channel unless you want to start some serious problems. Let someone else change the channel. When you have one TV and nearly 20-50 inmates watching it. There will always be a conflict of what another inmate wants to watch. Let the other inmates argue and do all the channel changing. Do not speak up or voice your opinion, if someone ask for your opinion. Tell them it doesn’t matter what channel they change it to.
Recently in the Spanish TV room an incident broke out over 2 inmates arguing over changing the channel. Raul has been here over the past 13 years. He and the other inmates watch Spanish soap operas every night. Pablo has only been here for 2 weeks and one night he wants to watch his show. Everyone watches soap operas every night. He just made up his mind that he was going to watch his show no matter what anyone had to say. After arguing with Raul and the other inmate he reach over and change the channel. That’s total disrespect to everyone their watching TV. Some might not say anything because they don’t want any trouble but there will always be someone that will speak up and say or do something like Raul.
Raul stopped arguing with Pablo and waited till he turn his back then Raul snatch the flatscreen TV off the wall and smash Pablo up side his head. After Pablo got his head smash in and knock out laying on the floor. Raul came back with a shank and was going to stab Pablo for changing the channel. Luckily the (CO) correctional officer heard all the commotion and movements of inmate loitering around and knew something was wrong. He walk over to where Pablo was laying unconscious on the floor and push his body alarm on his radio to summon help and assistant before Raul got a chance to stab Pablo while he was unconscious on the floor.
Pablo has just arrived at this prison for 2 weeks and is now sitting in the (hole) segregation for probably 3-5 months before getting transfer to another prison. He was hard headed and didn’t care what anyone had to say or explain to him. Everyone tried to explain to him how the TV programs are operated but he refuse to listen. Hopefully he will learn his lesson and not go through the same problem again at the next prison.
In prison there are TV’s in rooms or common area . All the TV’s in the rooms or common area are all split up between 3 races Whites, Blacks, and Hispanic. Every race has there own TV to watch among themselves. So if any problems occur it would be inside your own race for you to deal with. Otherwise the problems would become racial if all the races watch TV together and a fight or argument breaks out. You are not allow in another race TV room, but can watch from the outside at the door. In the common area the TV is on the wall so everyone can watch but can not change the channel unless its your race TV.
Except for Asian, Native American, or other races we are allow to watch TV in every races TV room but can not change the channel. There is usually a TV on sports, News, and Movies usually all day on one of the TV’S. My advice is just watch whatever everyone else is watching. If you want something else to do for past time and stay away from problems. There are hobby shop, arts, leather, painting, and etc. The recreation yard provides card games and sports activities. The library has a large selection of books that can be check out. Reading is one of the most common past time that keeps many inmates out of trouble. Make sure to chose what’s the best thing you like to do for your time to go by.