(Clearwisdom.net) In 2000, I was imprisoned in a local lockup. I will describe the conditions in the lockup. (The pictures are computer generated drawings simulating the actual size, shape and content of the lockup cells.)
The lockup has large rooms and small ones. In addition, the rooms are either "high rooms" or "big beds." The "high rooms" are for those whose families put a lot of money into the lockup, allowing bribery to improve the conditions for some prisoners. The people in the "high rooms" are loosely guarded, and they can eat rice and vegetables. In the "big beds," the two meals each day are hard, steamed cornbread made from spoiled corn flour and vegetables mixed with potato soup.
As shown in the picture, the lockup has a metal door. There is a small door in the lower part of the door. Usually only the small door is open. When you enter and leave, you must bend at the waist to get through.
Computer generated drawing of a Lockup room
There is a basin near the door. People comb their hair, wash their faces and use the restroom here. The newcomers are first forced to squat in the basin by the "head bed." Cold water is poured on their heads, and many of them start to shiver.
The so-called "bed" is made from rough planks of wood that have not been sanded smooth. There is no bed covering, so it is very cold to sit on. There is dirt and debris between the planks. You can also find lice.
Some of the people imprisoned here like to fight. The person who is able to beat all the others becomes the "head bed" and manages the room according to his own wishes. Sometimes, the guards in the lockup decide who will be the "head bed." Oftentimes, there is more than one "head bed" in one room, and they are called "the first head bed," "the second head bed" and so on. In the daytime, three "bed heads" sit on the side of the bed, while others sit on the inside of the bed and face the window. Whoever turns around will be beaten. If you sit in the wrong spot, you will also be beaten. If you need to go to the toilet or have other needs, you have to report to them. Only if the bed heads agree, can you do it. Otherwise, you will be beaten. Every day the bed heads divide the two meals of rancid steamed cornbread and "soup." They would give you a little bit more if they liked you. If not, they did not give you anything. Sometimes the glass in the window was broken and the guards were often too lazy to fix it. Then the cold wind would come in through the window.
In the evenings sleep is also strictly arranged. Everyone lays down in order from the outside to the inside of the bed. In the wintertime, the outside of the bed is a warmer spot, so the three bed heads get to sleep there, with the first bed head lying on the outermost section. If the weather gets hot, then the bed heads would be the ones who got to sleep close to the window. The three bed heads have a lot of bedding, which was stolen from other inmates who had relatives send in bedding for them. As a result, many did not have a mattress or covers and had to sleep directly on the cold planks. Sometimes, there were a lot of people detained in the same room. A 10-square meter cell (about 110 square feet) could detain dozens of people. The three "bed heads" can sleep on their backs, while others have to sleep on their sides. Everyone has to lie close to everyone else. Because the room was moist and gloomy, some people had scabies. When we slept, those who had scabies also had to sleep on their sides tight against the next person. The close contact meant that the scabies could spread very quickly to more people in the room.
The people that had a good relationship with guards, regardless of their crime, could receive very good treatment. For instance, under the guise of asking questions, the guards would call a particular person out so he could smoke or do some odd jobs in the lockup. The lockup must be cleaned regularly, and there are often room inspections.
