Pushing Through: Pooping When There Are Other People in the Room - A Prison/Jail Reflection

So many have asked me about this, so I decided to write.

Jail: The Shared Space Challenge In jail, Ugh. every aspect of daily life is shared, including the most private moments. Pooping. Imagine a large room with bunk beds for 8 on one side and a dining area on the other, with a shower and toilet only partially separated by a half wall. The simple act of using the toilet becomes a delicate dance of courtesy and creativity. A kind woman explained to me exactly how to poop my first day in the general population. I don't remember her name but I'm grateful for her help.

First off, you try not to poop when other people are eating (smell and proximity). To reduce noise (because no one wants to hear that), lay down a bit of toilet paper to prevent splashing. For the sound and to prevent splash-back, because those are really gross toilets. But not too much toilet paper because you don’t want your poop to sit on top, like a raft, which actually makes the situation worse since the water helps contain the odor. Take your towel and put it over your lap to help keep the smell localized. Flush quickly (we all know the mercy flush, right?). And if you have baby powder, put a little in your hand and blow on it. It will dissipate in the air and help mask any smells.

Exactly like this.

So, if you saw someone headed to the toileting area with a towel and baby powder, you knew what was happening. Located next to the toilets was a shower. If a meal wasn’t sitting well and you were suffering from, let’s say, "jailhouse revenge,Clink stink,Death Row Rumble,Solitary squirts" you could turn on the shower. No one could hear what was happening. But when those situations occurred (and they did—picture horribly addicted women coming in and detoxing, often leading to serious stomach issues, also...jail food), there was no amount of baby powder that could help. And some people would say mean things. I didn’t. No one stinks up the place on purpose.  Gosh, I could write a whole blog post about passing gas.  Some of the women would get SO mad if someone farted. Really, it was irrational.  

After my stay in the county jail stretched from weeks into months, I found myself advising women on the practice of pooping. And trust me, I got laughed at plenty of times. Mostly with, "I’m not doing all that" attitudes. And I get it. I actually admired their ability to not be bothered.

Prison

Prison brings smaller, 9x12 rooms often shared with a roommate. This is not a big space. With bunk beds, a desk, lockers, and a toilet, there is very little room left. If I were to do a set of push-ups or sit-ups in the middle of the room, it would be a tight fit—my feet would likely have to be under the bed.

Our cell at Women’s Huron Valley prison.

The challenge of bodily functions in this space becomes a daily negotiation, especially during count times or lock-downs when leaving the room is impossible. Pooping becomes a shared, and spoken, aspect of daily life. Most of the day, you can come and go from your room. There’s a day room, a small yard (like a backyard with picnic tables), or a big yard (with basketball courts and a large track), so there are places to go. If nature calls, you can simply ask your bunkie to step out of the room. Easy.

It gets complicated when movement is restricted. And, of course, it’s almost a comical ‘Murphy’s Law’ situation when you suddenly feel a cramp at the most inconvenient time. In those cases, you just tell your bunkie you have to poop. If they’re sitting or lying on their bunk, they’ll turn to the wall. If they have headphones in, all the better. You could do the towel/baby powder thing, but it wasn’t expected like it was in jail. Once the toilet flushed, they knew it was safe to resume normal activity.

Similar to our visiting rooms

Visits: When Nature Calls at the Worst Time

Visiting time is precious, but managing bodily functions becomes a complex ordeal. No one wants to leave their loved ones to use the toilet. An officer has to escort you, taking up valuable time. Officers are also mindful of the possibility of smuggling, so they watch us closely.

bon appétit

Visits are not just about seeing loved ones (which is EVERYTHING); they also mean eating and drinking from vending machines. It’s hard to describe how delicious vending machine food is in that situation. We all gorged ourselves. And the drinks! Pop machines with every flavor imaginable. Sometimes even juice! But when you eat like that, your body goes into elimination mode. So yeah, there will be poop. And you’re in a hurry because your loved ones are waiting. But also, an officer is literally watching you. Yep. Eyes on because smuggling could be happening. I’d just say, "I’m sorry," and shrug. Usually, they’d roll their eyes and turn their heads. No fun for either of us.

Prison food doesn’t digest well…

Let me also add that the toilets in jails and prisons are built like tanks. These fixtures are typically made of stainless steel, often combining a toilet and sink into a single unit with no exposed pipes. Why? Because inmates can be incredibly destructive when frustrated, and the last thing prison staff wants is a flood caused by a busted toilet.

The flushing mechanisms are powerful—designed to handle excessive use and prevent clogging. But even these industrial-grade toilets have their limits. I personally saw women, in moments of anger, flush plastic bottles, plasticware, and sheets. A quick google search reveals that inmates have also flushed entire jumpsuits, shoes, food trays, mop heads, and even radios. Yep, people will try to send just about anything down the pipes.

Fun fact: If you push the hot water button in with a carefully wedged shampoo bottle and let it run, the metal will heat up and it will be more pleasant to sit on.

Of course, this kind of behavior leads to plumbing disasters. Clogged toilets can overflow, causing unsanitary conditions and forcing maintenance to shut off water for entire cell blocks. I personally spent hours mopping up sewage when several girls in the segregation unit decided to ALL FLUSH THEIR SHEETS AT THE SAME TIME. A river of sewage with turds lazily floating downhill.

Pushing Through: 

Dignity isn’t about avoiding uncomfortable situations—it’s about handling them with as much grace (or humor) as you can. You figure it out, you adapt, and you keep moving forward.

I welcome your questions. Please keep them coming.

Thank you for reading,

Kelli