I sign the release that says they don’t have to exchange me for a prisoner if I become a hostage in a riot. Um, okay.

The guard tells me the inmates are grouped according to their race or security level. Segregating inmates is illegal except in emergencies, and for the past year—ever since last February’s race riot—the Mexican Americans (or “South Siders”) have been housed together in one section and the blacks, whites (”woods”) and Latin Americans (”paisas”) housed together in another.

When fights break out, the guard in the command station calls in a request for the emergency response team. If it’s serious, the lieutenant will authorize the use of special weapons, and the deputies will fire pepper balls, rubber bullets, sting grenades and gas.

“The door comes down,” says Deputy Knott, pointing to the outside of each dorm, to cages of iron bars. “Then they’re trapped in there baking in all that gas,” he says.

Read more of “Pushing Off” here.