BajaNomad - This is the Tijuana jail

This is the Tijuana jail

mcfez - 3-1-2012 at 09:26 AM

I am certainly glad not to have visited the old Tijuana jail back in my days of going to downtown TJ...when I was on shore leave from the Navy boot camp off Rosecrans. What a hell hole this joint looks like. This is the first time that I have ever seen photos of the TJ jail.

http://framework.latimes.com/2010/10/04/tijuana-jail-la-ocho...

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

Tijuana jail ‘La Ocho’ to close

Posted By: Bryan Chan
Posted On: 8:55 p.m. | October 4, 2010

A cacophony of shouts and clanging metal. The overpowering stench of vomit and urine. This is the Tijuana jail, nicknamed “La Ocho” because it is on Eighth Street. The lockup, known for decades to hard-partying hordes of Americans and locals, is closing, and Times reporter Richard Marosi and photograper Don Bartletti were given a tour of the dank halls. See Bartletti’s photos in the photo gallery above and read Marosi’s story “Notorious Tijuana jail to be just a dark memory.”

[Edited on 3-1-2012 by mcfez]

KASHEYDOG - 3-1-2012 at 09:32 AM

Nice way to start the day there, "mcfez"............... I much prefer RUSS's sunrise pics.............

[Edited on 3-1-12 by KASHEYDOG]

Ateo - 3-1-2012 at 10:17 AM

Interesting read and photos. Thanks. A few of my wife's friends have been in there, not good stories.

Woooosh - 3-1-2012 at 10:21 AM

Not only is La Ocho closed, the building itself was demolished and the lot cleared a few months ago. It is gone. There was some talk about it being historic enough for preservation- but the ugly memories were something people did not want to remember.

Cisco - 3-1-2012 at 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
I am certainly glad not to have visited the old Tijuana jail back in my days of going to downtown TJ...when I was on shore leave from the Navy boot camp off Rosecrans. What a hell hole this joint looks like. This is the first time that I have ever seen photos of the TJ jail.

http://framework.latimes.com/2010/10/04/tijuana-jail-la-ocho...

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

Tijuana jail ‘La Ocho’ to close

Posted By: Bryan Chan
Posted On: 8:55 p.m. | October 4, 2010

A cacophony of shouts and clanging metal. The overpowering stench of vomit and urine. This is the Tijuana jail, nicknamed “La Ocho” because it is on Eighth Street. The lockup, known for decades to hard-partying hordes of Americans and locals, is closing, and Times reporter Richard Marosi and photograper Don Bartletti were given a tour of the dank halls. See Bartletti’s photos in the photo gallery above and read Marosi’s story “Notorious Tijuana jail to be just a dark memory.”

[Edited on 3-1-2012 by mcfez]

Thanks for the memories Deno. Golly, I just tear up seeing the old place.

Actually I preferred the Mexican jails to U.S. lock-ups. Worst jail I have ever been in was Fairfax Virginia. Conditions were better in U.S. jails but you are dehumanized. Mexican jails recognize your humanity.

It is (was) noisy, 24/7 but the big thing that I found distracting was when the guy's on the third level would throw their avena out into the patio and, if you were on the first floor you would be covered with splatted oatmeal. At feeding time I got behind the other five or six guy's in our three-man cell just to miss the debris field.

Yea, it was a great and venerable old carcel, it will be missed.

Barry A. - 3-1-2012 at 01:04 PM

I was in there for 4 days back in 1959 at 20--------they thought I was a bank robber (I wasn't). It was not that bad for just 4 days, but would have been pretty rough for longer, but we all were more afraid of being sent to Mexicali, so we REALLY behaved ourselves. Most inmates took care of each other, and we made do------the guards were ok, too. It WAS kinda cold in winter, tho.

I never expected "jail" to be much different, so I guess I was not that shocked. I was glad to leave, tho. I did have a lot of head injuries from the arrest and I was covered with blood, and those injuries were never treated and I was not allowed to shower, which I thought was kinda brutal----------I sure never wanted to do a repeat, and never did. I learned a lesson--------don't put yourself in a position to EVER be put in jail again if you can help it. Taught my kids the same.

Barry

sancho - 3-1-2012 at 02:53 PM

As for 'Hordes of partying Americans' I don't think
they have to worry about that anymore. I've walked
Revo Ave. a couple times in the past yr., I didn't see
1 of those party 2 story Bars that used to be full on
weekends, not 1 was open. Except for Zona Norte,
I doubt that there is much bar rowdyism. Remember
reading of a TJ prison, La Mesa Prison , which had an
unmatched reputation it was torn down 5? yrs. back

DENNIS - 3-1-2012 at 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sancho
Remember reading of a TJ prison, La Mesa Prison , which had an
unmatched reputation it was torn down 5? yrs. back

Is TJ replaceing these jails with anything at all, or are they just sentencing their riff-raff to a trip north?

BajaNomad - 3-1-2012 at 06:59 PM

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=48442

Woooosh - 3-1-2012 at 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by sancho
Remember reading of a TJ prison, La Mesa Prison , which had an
unmatched reputation it was torn down 5? yrs. back

Is TJ replaceing these jails with anything at all, or are they just sentencing their riff-raff to a trip north?

yes. The new jail is at Otay Mesa.

chuckie - 3-1-2012 at 07:29 PM

Oh Boy! does that bring back memories! I spent 4 days in Ocho in 1956. trying to be a good guy, after leaving the "EL baron" out by the old bullring, I poured out a bottle of beer. I had decided I had enough and was headed back to the Border. TJ cop saw the liquid running down the street and figured I had peed...BUSTED! Friday Nght...Monday USMC liason got me out...No shoes no money....aye yi yi..No mas carcel....Semper Fi

willardguy - 3-1-2012 at 07:37 PM

ah the good ol days! great stuff!

BajaBlanca - 3-1-2012 at 08:16 PM

keep the stories coming !!! what amazing tales ....

Russ - 3-2-2012 at 06:10 AM

New prison
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17221944

chuckie - 3-2-2012 at 06:41 AM

I havnt done it for a while, but a few years back, visited the prison just South of Santa Rosalia. They have a "craft" program, for want of a better word. We went in and met with inmates who had paintings, pottery etc . for sale. While we were there, we asked for and got, a tour. Very enlightening. Its a prison.

Udo - 3-2-2012 at 05:43 PM

About 40 years ago, this was my home for a total of six days...three trips of about 1-1/2 days each.

Not a pleasant experience...

acadist - 3-3-2012 at 06:08 AM

Man, what a bunch of riff-raff you all are!

Barry A. - 3-3-2012 at 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by acadist
Man, what a bunch of riff-raff you all are!

It's all part of the "learning experience of life", you know. :lol:

In those days (as opposed to 'these days') "Jail" was something to be avoided at all cost due to the bad situation in there-------today it is a refuge for many, and we (you and me) are paying for it. Go figure!!!! :mad:

barry

Cisco - 3-3-2012 at 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.

Quote:

Originally posted by acadist
Man, what a bunch of riff-raff you all are!

It's all part of the "learning experience of life", you know. :lol:

barry

Perhaps that is true for some Barry but certainly not my recent (1990's - 2003) experience in American jails.