mcfez
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This is the Tijuana jail
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]
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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KASHEYDOG
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Mood: SO MANY TACOS, SO LITTLE TIME... Gotta Go, See ya there.... 
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Nice way to start the day there, "mcfez".... .... ....... I much prefer RUSS's sunrise pics...... .... ...
[Edited on 3-1-12 by KASHEYDOG]
Don\'t mess with the old dog...... Age and skill will always overcome youth and treachery! Brilliance only comes with age and
experience.....  ....  ....
Are you getting the most out of life OR is life getting the most out of you ?? 
Twenty years from now you\'ll be more disappointed by the things you didn\'t do then the things you did.
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Ateo
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Interesting read and photos. Thanks. A few of my wife's friends have been in there, not good stories.
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Woooosh
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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.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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Cisco
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| 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.
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Barry A.
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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
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sancho
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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
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DENNIS
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| 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?
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BajaNomad
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http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=48442
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We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
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Woooosh
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| 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.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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chuckie
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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
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willardguy
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ah the good ol days! great stuff!
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BajaBlanca
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keep the stories coming !!! what amazing tales ....
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Russ
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New prison
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17221944
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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chuckie
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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.
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Udo
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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...
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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acadist
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Man, what a bunch of riff-raff you all are!
Dave
I moved to CO and they made me buy a little rod to make it feel like a real fish
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Barry A.
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| 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.
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!!!! 
barry
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Cisco
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| 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.
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!!!!
barry |
Perhaps that is true for some Barry but certainly not my recent (1990's - 2003) experience in American jails.
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