Lockdown: County Jail
Catherine Shin Associate
Producer, Lockdown
As the bars and clubs empty out late Friday night, more arrestees crowd into the basement of downtown Portland's maximum-security jail. Soon, the booking department is bustling at the Multnomah County Detention Center in Oregon. Most walk in drunk, high, or both. Many are upset. Some are angry and more than ready to express those sentiments. They may simply yell and scream or take it a step further by violently lashing out at anyone within their reach.
Watching the officers manage this chaotic confusion, I realized just how dangerous their job can be. Multnomah County's booking department is one of the busiest in the country. It takes in about 3500 inmates each month, more than 100 a day. Weekend nights see the most activity.
The most striking threat I immediately noticed here is the volatility. Police bring these suspects right off the street, and along with them comes a lot of uncertainty. Since most arrestees are still hopped up on some kind of substance or coming down from it, their emotions are intense and unpredictable. Some bring an inclination for violence. Methamphetamine is popular in this area and particularly problematic for law enforcement. The drug elevates aggression levels and psychotic behavior, often generating fierce outbursts.
Of course, inmates may try to sneak in weapons and other contraband, missed in the initial search. Sometimes, the items found are harmless and rather random. Our crew witnessed one man's attempt to smuggle in a bird's nest, along with the egg it originally housed. However, the searches usually uncover much more serious, threatening items: drugs, knives, razor blade, syringes, and guns, hidden in the cleverest of places.
I was also astonished by what is known as the open booking concept. After the initial pat down, arrestees are processed into the system. This procedure typically takes 4 to 6 hours, and during most of the time, they sit in an open room together, regardless of their crime. Someone brought in for drunk driving or drug possession may find himself right next to someone suspected of rape or murder. The group just watches TV, completely unrestrained. Without any barriers separating them from each other nor from the officers, this seems like a bad situation just waiting to happen. Yet it works. It's basically an honor system, and the rules are simple. Be respectful. Men do not talk to women. Remain seated. Stay quiet. The television helps out here, especially for this last rule.
The real key, though, is control. The staff maintains that control by setting the tone the instant arrestees walk through that door. Officers do not wait for something to go bad; they immediately eliminate any potential problems with a no-nonsense, unbelievably quick approach. Those who can't cooperate will end up in an isolation cell, similar to a very cold and uncomfortable time-out room. Initially, they will often scream, curse, kick, and pound the door but eventually choose to calm down and rejoin the group.
When talking to the officers about how they cope with such volatility, I repeatedly heard this common philosophy. Walk into work everyday with one key goal in mind: Go out the same way you came in, in one piece. It's a thought that most of us never consider in our time at the office or the factory. For those at the Multnomah County Detention Center, it's just another part of the job.
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10 Comments
I want to thank you for doing this documentaries of inmates in County /Prison ,I would Love too see more of this shows, they give lots f information and are very helpful.
I think I recognize that dude in 7D6...that guy next to him appears to be a shady character.
I absolutely loved this program. Keep up the great, thought-provoking work.
In this 03/23/08 episode (Multnomah County), at the beginning, during the first 2-3 scenes, when the female prisoner, who was arrested for assaulting her boyfriend and 'someone else,' is at the table being searched, the male officer to her right (our left) very clearly, and with intent, gropes her breasts. As he does this, he clearly has a 'smirkish' smile on his face, as does the female officer standing directly behind the prisoner.
Issue 1: Why is a male officer inappropriately touching a female prisoner when a female officer is present, and available to perform the search?
Issue 2: Why the smiles?
I can only hope the prisoner sees the video.
i want to marry miranda harris the one that wanted to be a lawyer she has beautiful eyes. oh miranda where are you..i hope that the ones that want to do good get help. i know how hard it is to get off the drugs and alcohol i have done it 17 yrs ago..with alot of people its a internal problem fix that and it helps 100%..best of luck to miranda and the ones that really want to stop....
P.S. i still hate most cops, if they didnt think there stuff didnt stink and was kind people thats cool but alot our a__ holes...hey just my opp....
You only think you "hate cops" until you need one! Go on a ride-along with either a police officer or a 911 dispatcher and you will have a real apprecation for all law enforcement officers.
It is a disgrace how someone like Myranda Harris gets treated. As she said herself, she is a drugsaddict and not a criminal. But like this drugsaddicts become criminals.
She should stand up and get her stuff going again. A criminal record does not mean a thing at all when a system hands it out that easy. Where she lifes people ( friends, family, the system ) willonly help her to get into more trouble - this woman already seems convinced she did this to herself. But reality is that people all over the world look for shelter in drugs abuse. It is the people around them that do it to them. You can't use drugs when noone delivers them. When drugsabusers do not get criminilized than in many cases ( with or without the drugs ) they get their life going again. Besides - a lof of drugs that get you into jail are not even close to being as harmfull as alcohol so her main "crime" was using the "wrong" drugs.
This kind of justice in reality is injustice. It is a filter in the ratrace. And that is all it is. It is not justice at all - since drugsabuse only is criminal when it turns you into an agresive and dangerous person. If it doesn't than people only hurt themselves. That's not enough to end the dreams of PEOPLE like Myranda Harris.
She will walk again. No daubts. But a lot of people wont. Crippled by the system. Kicked out when they needed help more than ever before.
keep them coming!!!!! this show is great.... makes me want to see more
I want know you Miranda Harris and you child too , i have hope you will be a new woman freedrugs come to mexico and married with me and start us a new life , i am a property of a four hotels and a one resort and spa , i like very much the good life
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