Have you been charged with a crime in Broward County, Florida? If you're facing possible time in Broward County Jail you should be prepared for is just how long the presentencing and sentencing process takes in Broward County.

The reason the process moves so slow is because of how packed the court system is in Broward. Many inmates report that once you give up your right to a speedy trial you can be waiting several months just to get in front of the judge (after countless continuances). One inmate even theorizes that a lot of people end up taking plea deals in Broward because they are sick of waiting on continuances from the DA.

In general, if you are charged with a crime and can afford a private attorney you should do this. Consider the math for a second - let's say a private attorney can resolve your case on average one month faster than the public defender. Even if you are earning a modest wage (let's say $10/hour), this comes out to $1600. Depending on your case you may be able to get an attorney for this alone, but then factor in the price that you will pay for having a felony on your record (or having to go through the felony expungement process later). Hiring a private attorney is pretty much always a good idea if you have been charged with a crime, but especially in Broward County.

Broward County is a melting pot of races. In jail this can create some problems - there are a lot of gang problems in Broward County and ex-inmates report that this makes life especially different for somebody who hasn't lived in a jail setting before.

If you are going to Broward (or know somebody it is), it is important to remember that you should keep to yourself. It is unlikely that you will have many problems with other inmates if you aren't interacting with them. You have to realize that when you are incarcerated you don't need to get along with everybody around you, you just have to learn how to stay out of their way.

Since gangs are rampant in Broward you should be especially careful not to start anything with a member of a gang. Gangs band together and will "protect" each other (even when "protection" is unprovoked by the other party).

Trustees are inmates who have shown a pattern of good behavior and not created many problems with other inmates or guards. Becoming a trustee can be difficult because you have to walk a fine line between earning other inmate's respect and not causing problems with the guards (two things that are often at odds with one another).

If you can manage to become a trustee in Broward County, though, you are eligible for more time off for good behavior. Regular inmates can earn up to 5 days off per month for good behavior while trustees can earn up to 10 days off. "Good behavior," by the way, is kind of a misnomer - more appropriately it should be called "not bad behavior." By default you receive time off for good behavior, you have to break serious rules to have it taken away (such as fighting or smuggling drugs).

Jail food is pretty much always bad. One of the most effective diets that an American can do is incarceration. People generally lose weight in jail not because the food is healthy (it isn't), but because it tastes so bad that people aren't generally tempted to overeat. The only chance of weight gain is usually with commissary, but prices are jacked up so much that unless you have a rich uncle constantly putting money on your books it doesn't usually happen.

One thing mentioned by an ex-inmate, though, is that if you request a kosher meal you can get better food. The county has to respect your religious preferences, so if you explain that you are Jewish and need the kosher meals you get special food. It won't contain the bologna that is so popular (and disgusting) behind bars. In fact, this inmate says that eating his kosher meals was like "eating on the outs," or "eating on the outside." So if you're doing time in Broward County, go ahead and request the kosher meal!

By the way, your kosher meal request may be most appropriately routed through a grievance form. It may take a week or so to get the meal right, but once you do you'll probably be glad that you switched. If you ever do see a regular meal that you like you can probably trade commissary for the food anyway - this should be pretty rare.