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BISBEE — Only two small changes to the routine let the Cochise County Jail inmates know it’s Christmas: a special lunch and a gift consisting of snack foods.
Otherwise, it’s just another day.
Inmates are allowed out of their cell at 6:30 a.m. and have to clean their cell, in addition to cleaning the common area with the other inmates.
During the day, the 228 inmates can watch television or play cards, among other activities they would be able to do any other day of the year. They have to be back in their cells at 10:30 p.m.
  
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“It’s a bummer for an inmate to be incarcerated during the holidays,” said Jail Commander Rodney Leon.
Leon said the special meal, which is served at lunch, and the snack foods gift — which is paid for with the money generated through the inmates’ purchases at the commissary — is meant to help lift spirits during the holiday season, during which time suicide attempts and depression can increase in the jail.
“Spirits can go down,” Leon said. “We try to do what we can to keep spirits up.”
So far this year, Leon said there haven’t been any problems with suicides or depression.
On Christmas Eve, Leon and other jail staff handed out the snack food goodie bags to inmates, who thanked them and wished them a Merry Christmas.
Many inmates say the meal and gift help.
“They make it sort of enjoyable,” said Marcella Reyes, who’s been in jail for two-and-a-half months as a result of not paying fines.
For many, though, it’s still tough to be in jail during the holidays.
“It’s been hard being away from my son,” said Tanya Ethridge, who’s been in the jail for three months for assault with a deadly weapon. Ethridge, who is six months pregnant, will be heading to prison. “It’s another lesson learned in life.”
Ethridge said the holiday meal is nice because “it was real meat” and, though being in jail is the last place she wants to be, she said she’s actually thankful for it.
“It’s keeping me clean,” she said. “By sending me to prison, it’s given me a better start in life.”
As different women spoke about the difficulty of being in jail during the holidays, many of them cried.
Leon said he allows visitation on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for Valla Lee, who’s in jail for a probation violation, she hoped her family would stay home.
“I want my family to just stay home and do Christmas at home,” she said. “I don’t want to ruin their Christmas.”
Rikki Rodriguez, who’s in jail for the first time, said it’s difficult to be away from her three children.
“I was told just to try and keep my mind off of it,” she said, adding that it’s difficult to do so. “To not sit in my room by myself.”
The women said they have become each other’s family while they’re in there, and Rodriguez credits that for helping her get through the holidays.
“I love everybody in here,” she said. “And if not for them, I’d probably be falling apart right now.”
Manx Russell, who’s in jail for a probation violation, got emotional as he talked about being away from his family during the holidays.
“It’s hard,” he said, his eyes welling up. “It sucks.
“I thought I’d be home with my wife.”
Jeff Guthrie, who’s also in jail for a probation violation, described it as “the worst time of my life.”
“I just had a baby,” he said. “I miss my family and I hope they have a good time out there.”
He’ll be in jail for two-and-a-half years.
Arturo Esparza, who’s been in jail for three weeks waiting to get extradited to Colorado, said to get through the holidays he just has to “take it as another day.”
Peter Van Sickle said he has family in Sierra Vista who he hasn’t been able to get ahold of, and described the holidays as “very hard.”
“It’s kind of horrible,” he said.
Trying to get through it, Van Sickle said he “walks in circles,” is “getting reacquainted with the Lord,” playing cards and watching very little television.
Brent Mulvaney is spending seven years in jail after being charged with first degree burglary. While he said the gift and meal “makes things a little bit better,” he said it’s still hard.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been away from my family,” he said. “It’s hard on them as well.”
Herald/Review reporter Katie Evans can be reached at 515-4611 or by e-mail at katie.evans@svherald.com.
what point wrote on Jan 9, 2009 10:27 AM: