Lockup

Maricopa County: Extended Stay - High Stakes

In one of Maricopa's primary men's facilities, the Fourth Avenue Jail, when inmates are not in their small, two-person cells, they can work out in an indoor rec room, or in the common area between their cells. But every afternoon, many of the inmates shift focus from their bodies to their bank accounts. Since inmates are not allowed access to cash, they have another way to pay gambling debts. The losers must purchase snacks or other items from the jail canteen for the winners. They pay for canteen through debit accounts that friends or relatives on the outside deposit money into. But a losing hand can bring serious consequences.