Senior Government students in Mr. Baumann and Mr. Horowitz’s took a trip to the Virginia Beach City Jail on Tuesday, March 13.

The trip started at the VB Courthouse where students spoke to a judge who told them about a few of his previous cases and also had the opportunity to watch several criminal hearings. The students were then led through an underground tunnel from the courthouse to the jail; the same tunnel criminals are taken through when convicted or are brought in to stand trial.

According to senior Kelsey Lipscomb, the tunnel was cold, damp, dark, and it smelled disgusting.

Two sheriffs led the jail tour, beginning with a trip to a holding cell, the jail recreation room, and library. Girls and boys were then separated and taken to gender-specific floors where students were able to see what a day in jail might be like.

The tour concluded with a discussion between students and an inmate. He told students why he was there, what life was like, and how to avoid his situation. This particular inmate went to school in Virginia Beach and has been in and out of the system for 12 years, ultimately convicted as a drug dealer.

“I never realized how terrible life behind bars really was until I saw it first hand. It opened my eyes to how much we take for granted. It also made me appreciate everything police officers do,” Lipscomb said.