How to make it in Prison

[abbielives!]

Some of this is Sexist FYI.



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|=---------------------=[ How to make it in Prison ]=--------------------=|
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|=----------------=[ by TAp - kill4deth <at> yahoo.com ]=----------------=|
|=--------=[ http://www.freewebs.com/hexdeth / AIM : swp2388 ]=---------=|
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1 - Introduction

2 - The beginning

2.1 - Intake
2.2 - Outline of the process

3 - Fresh Meat

4 - Life in prison

4.1 - What to expect and getting used to it
4.2 - Mail & collect calls
4.3 - Hygiene
4.4 - How you will live and getting used to it
4.5 - The commissary/snack cart
4.6 - Making money

5 - Interaction with other inmates

5.1 - Getting checked
5.2 - Just like momma used to make?
5.3 - Getting punked/becoming a *****

6 - Prison gangs

6.1 - Prison gangs
6.2 - Should I join a gang, and if so which one should I join ?

7 - County Jail Vs. State Prison

8 - Common Situations

9 - Staying mentally fit

10 - Why I wrote this


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--[ 1 - Introduction


Alright people, this is a guide on what to do and how to act if you find
yourself in a prison environment. Let's all face it, if you're into the
underground world of hacking or phreaking then you've a very good chance
of being arrested some day. Seeing as how I've been in this situation
before, and also having noticed the amount of files on laws and police,
I've decided to write a file that has information you could use to make
your time a lot easier if you happen to go into prison. I myself seriously
hope you would never have to use this in a real life situation but if you
do, use it to your advantage. So to the point...

In this file we will be talking about a lot of different techniques and
also about things you should and should not do... This is in no way an
exactly fool proof text. All information is based on how I, the author,
interpreted the actions of others. Also note that this file is based
souly on the American prison systems. Therefore if you are reading this
file and are not living in America, some given information will be wrong
and some steps of the process may not be in order or even exist at all.


--[ 2 - The beginning


OK due to the aspects of confusion, there will be some vocabulary that's
common to the American Prison facilities in this file. In America there are
thousands of 'slang' words that prisoners use to help hide or mask the
activities from other inmates and/or the prison officials. We'll start at
the beginning stage called the 'intake process'.


--[ 2.1 - Intake


The 'intake' part of the process is the very first part. In this process
you will most likely have your constitutional rights (if you're American)
read to you and if they fail to do this then you will most likely have all
changes dropped/cleared. After this is done, you will be formally charged
with what ever crime you are being accused of, then you will have your
fingerprints and a mug shot (picture) of you taken. You will be moved into
a room either with other 'offenders/inmates' (these are the people who have
also committed crimes and awaiting trial) or by yourself depending on how
many people are being 'processed'. In this room there will be guards there
to take pictures of any and all tattoos and scares. These will be used to
help identify you in case you escape or try to give a fake identification
in the future.

In this part of the process you will be completely naked, so if you're
scared to show your body then too bad get over it or risk being restrained
and having them undress you. Next you will take showers with (pubic) lice
shampoo. Depending on the setup of the building you will either get to
shower by yourself or with a group of inmates. After the shower you will be
given a set of pants and a shirt. Some prisons do not provide underwear or
cotton shirts you will have to buy these if they are available. Next you
will be taken to your 'holding cell' a temporary housing until they either
issue you a more permanent cell or until they get more room for you. Now
you are ready for the main part of this text file


--[ 2.2 - Outline of the process


This part is mainly about the movements that go on and what to expect while
in transition. Some of the information applies to the American judicial
system.


--[ 2.2.1 - The county jail


when you first get locked up they will most likely put you in what is
called a 'county jail'. This type of jail is only for the people who live
in your general vicinity and is the first part of the process. While you
are heard you will either buy a lawyer or be appointed one. If you are
appointed one you have a greater chance of going to prison. I would advise
that you pay for one. While heard you will see your lawyer and he will set
up the pre-trial date. At the pre-trial your lawyer will present motions on
your be-half (These will help you in your case so don't just sit around in
there. Go to the law library and do some research.) but the prosecutor will
also have the opportunity to present motions that can hurt your case. From
here the judge will decide what to accept and what is thrown out, he will
also set your real trial date.


-[ 2.2.2 - The first day in prison


Your first day in prison will be at a diagnostics unit. This is where they
do mental evaluations on all inmates to help them place you in the facility
to best fit your needs such as if you are handicapped then you will be
placed with fellow peers. If you are a person who likes to get angry and
assault people then you will got a place with idiots such as yourself.

During your stay at the diagnostics unit you will go there are tests
regarding your mental stability and be questioned about your past. You will
also be asked about prior drug use. My advise to you would be to try look
and act as normal as possible and to lie about any and all drug problems.
This will help make your time easier and keep you from doing stuff required
by the prisons to make parole such as a rehab/anger management program.

After about 2 months, depending on your actions you will be sent to a more
permanent placement which is a lot different. That is because most people
were 'faking it to make it'. This means to act one way to get what you
want. These people may have anger problems and all that but they pretended
not to so they would get a better unit. Now once they get to that unit they
can go onto being there real self's. This can be frustrating to the people
who are actually normal because now they have to put up with the people who
they didn't want to be around.

Note: You will notice that the guards on the transportation busses have
shot guns. These are not for show if you attempt to escape they will shoot
to kill.


--[ 3 - Fresh Meat


Fresh Meat - This is someone who has never been locked up, therefore you
are the main person people will 'go after' which means attempt to cause you
harm or to manipulate you. Most likely these people will be the ones who
have been locked up for several years or the people who make a habit out of
getting locked up. Yes some people spend most of their pathetic life in
prison, even when they've had many chances given to them.

Now you're either reading this for one of two reasons:
1. You've never been locked up before,
2. You've been locked up before and you want to see if this is a serious
file.

Well if you're reading this to find out whether I'm knowledgeable on this
fact, then you might find something in here that could have or will help
you in the future ;]. But if you're reading this file for the first reason
then enjoy.

Now most of the time when someone new goes to prison he will be approached
by fellow prisoners who will attempt to give him a 'heart check'. This is
were the other prisoners get you to fight them. They do this to see if you
are a good fighter or if you will simply let them assault you. Most of the
time the people trying to assault will be the same race as you and they may
ask you some questions to see if they can find out more information on you.
If they do this, you must fight them back. It doesn't matter whether you
win or lose, remember they are there to see if you have heart (courage).
For them people who fight to protect themselves or their property have
'heart' and in prison respect is all you have. No one can take it unless
you let them (and they will try).


--[ 4 - Life in prison


--[ 4.1 - What to expect and getting used to it


Now when you get to your facility please do not expect people to care if
you want to go home, when your used to eat, what you like to eat, or if
your bed is too thin and hard on your back... NO ONE GIVES A FUCK, not the
inmates, not the guards, and not the nurse.

You will most likely eat breakfast early in the morning. Here (America
Texas) it is at 3:00am then lunch is at 9:00am and dinner at 4-5pm. Do not
expect a snack in between because there will not be any, not even if you're
"Starving to death". Yes this is your first time being locked up and most
likely you will be a short timer (someone with less than 5 years, some
people refer to short timers as 'having less then 20 years'...). Yes you
will be there with people who have life without parole. Therefore you
should not complain about how much time you have or how you want to go home
because this can cause problems with the other inmates who have been in
prison for a while and most likely will not be getting out soon. Inmates
with a lot of time take this so seriously they will fight you if they hear
you complain about your situation. Remember, there will always be people
with more problems than you.


--[ 4.2 - Mail & collect calls


You will most likely have the right to send/receive letters from family and
friends. There will most likely be limits on the amount you can send out
for a certain amount of time depending on where you live. You may also be
expected to provide the pen/paper/envelopes/stamps.

There may also be payphones (good luck to all the phreakers) depending on
your location. If you are lucky enough to be in a prison with working
phones you may notice that you will have to place collect calls. However
this type of calls will not establish a connection with a cellphone unless
the receiving party has set up an account with the phone company.

Also not all land lines will accept a collect call. Depending on the phone
company the prison uses you may be able to set up a prepaid account that
your family will provide money to. If you are using this type of account
with the phone company then you will be able to call any land-line/
cellphone.

Now that you know the basics about the mail/phone set up we're going to
talk about what you should not do regarding these systems. If for some
reason you are not receiving your mail, make sure you are not giving it to
the guard who may have reason to not turn it into the mail office/postal
services. They may work for the prisons but there are some who are just as
corrupt as your fellow prisoners. If you are certain this is not happening
then there may be a problem with the postal services, sadly you will not be
able to find this out. Lastly and most likely your loved ones just simply
did not write you back. There is really only one main reason that you can
not get through on your phone calls and that would be the person you are
calling does not want to talk to you. If this is so, do not complain to
your fellow inmates they do not care like I said before. The reason I tell
you this is because there are some people who do not receive letters/calls
and it's simply rude to complain in front of these people (its also bad for
your health).

Another thing is that there are some people who will try to manipulate you
into giving them a phone call or try to get you to give them your pin #.
You'll know what I mean and be able to resist this if you have some
experience in social engineering. Your best bet would be to keep your pin #
for yourself and if you give someone a phone call make them give you
something of theirs. Also you can use your knowledge of SE to exploit your
fellow inmates to make your free calls, once again good luck with your
techniques :)

Note: Phone calls and mails will be monitored by the prison officials so be
careful of what you say.


--[ 4.3 - Hygiene


Right if you really need me to explain this to you then there's something
wrong, but to all the people who need it...

Depending on your location you may or may not be given hygiene (deodorant /
soap / shampoo ... you know the main shit). If this is not given to
you then you will need to find a way to get these items because you don't
want to walk around looking/smelling like a homeless bum because this seems
to upset the inmates also the average person, no one wants to smell you. I
would also recommend that you take a shower as often as you can. In some
prisons you may only shower once a week, maybe longer, this is why the
deodorant is so important because it will help make you smell better or
'seem cleaner'.


--[ 4.4 - How you will live and getting used to it


Now you're going to be in prison and you will be living there for the time
being. No one in their right minds will like living there and most of the
time the guards don't even want to be there. Noting this you will be issued
a bed (this is not a real bed, its more like a shower certain stuffed with
wall insulation). They're not very thick (most of the ones I've seen are
about three inches thick) and as you might think they are not in the least
bit comfortable. No one is going to care if your back hurts or you cant
sleep, you will just have to get used to it. You will not be issued
sleeping medication or pain relievers, due to the illegal pill trade inside
the prisons. In your cell you may or may not have a toilet. These will be
stainless steal, you may have seen some in a prison movie, and most likely
have a sink at the top. Don't worry the water does not recycle.

So if you are shy (note: you will also be present in front of female
guards, this may cause you to be more uncomfortable than you already are
unless you get amusement from shifting in front of them) then you're going
to have to get over this quickly or walk around holding your piss and
having a stomach full of shit. When you're done doing your bathroom
business make sure you cleaned the area you've used (only the sink/toilet
seat, the rest doesn't matter unless you're clumsy and pissed on the floor
or dropped something).

This is to show respect for yourself and the others around you so please be
sure to clean up after yourself. This type of cleanliness also applies to
your room/cell/living area. You should observe good cleaning habits to make
sure your room is not a mess or does not smell bad. The main reason is that
if a guard sees a room that is in a mess then they're most likely to search
the room (these are called 'shake downs') and if you are the cause of these
shake downs then your fellow peers will 'check' you.


--[ 4.5 - The commissary/snack cart


In prison there is a thing called commissary (it's like a store in prison).
With this you can buy food such as candy, chips, cokes and lots of other
things that are way better than what they give you from the cafeteria. The
problem is that you will have to buy these items with your own money. This
will have to be sent to you from the outside world, basically your family /
friends will have to do this. You can't just come across some real money
and hand it to them they wont take it. They will tell you about the process
more when you get there. You are issued an account number and the money
will be located there. You will also be able to buy your hygiene / letter
writing materials here. Make sure you buy the things you need before you
buy the things you want.

Note 1: people may try to manipulate you into buying items for them. Please
do not be easily manipulated only buy things for the people you trust and
make sure they pay you back or give you something in return for what you
gave them.

Note 2: you may also try to SE people into buying stuff for you but be
smart about this because people do not like when they find out you
manipulated them.


--[ 4.6 - Making money


Yes it is possible to make 'money'. The term money is not only used for
legal currency but also commissary / tobacco / stamp/other materials. These
are worth the same amount as they are when you buy them from the commissary
people and tobacco will be worth more if it is not sold by the commissary.
Now once you buy your materials you have either the choice to keep them or
use them to buy illegal goods that are rampant inside the prisons across
the world. There will always be someone who can be corrupted or extorted
into doing your bidding (bringing in certain items you could not get with
out an outside source, this is called contraband). Now you'll use your
legal goods to buy this contraband from the more experienced inmates, there
will be all kinds of contraband to choose from and they are not cheap. Here
is a nice list of a few things that may be available to you:

1. Most drugs, i.e. cocaine, heroine, methamphetamine, crack, also
including prescription pills obtained by the inmates who take the
medications. They do this by hiding the pills in their throat or they can
be brought in by a guard or through visitation.

2. Real currency. This will be obtained through the usual ways like the
guards, visitation, and using the mail. Either the guard didn't check the
mail right or it was hidden inside a card. People use birthday cards to
hide the money. The process is quite simple. Take a card that has a part
where you can write extra stuff on then put the money between that part and
the back part of the card. Super glue it in a neat and undetectable
fashion.

3. Tobacco. There are the normal channels but remember also that the inmate
you're buying this stuff from might have had this in their anal cavity to
hide it while being search. Lol that's why I never smoked unless I knew it
wasn't stuck up an ass before.

4. Cell phones. These will be brought in by the guards 99% of the time and
they will cost more than anything else you can buy. It has to be real
currency (guards don't want food because they can get it themselves). They
cost around 200 to 400 dollars and I've heard of people buying them for
$1,000. It will be pre-paid and you should get a zip charger (about the
size of a AA battery). Keep the phone on silent and only use it when you're
alone because if you are caught with a phone inside a prison you may be
charged with another crime and sentenced to more time. When you run out of
minutes you may have your family buy a refill card and activate it over the
Internet.

Note: Other inmates may ask to use your phone, charge them for this if you
allow it.

My advice would be to hide it from everyone and not tell anybody since they
may try to use this against you and force u into doing something against
your will. They'll threaten to tell on you or just do it to get back at you
for something.

Past events: The state of Texas has just recently cracked down on the
illegal cell phone trade inside their prisons. They are currently
installing cell phone jamming devices in all of there facilities, the
reason for this is because an inmate on death row called a government
official from his cell and threatened his family.

5. Tattoos/materials. You can also pay for getting some nice tattoos in
prison, they are of high quality and cheaper than in the free world (not
sure why though). You can just about get any type of tattoo you want as
long as you're willing to pay for it. You can also sell the tattoo guns /
ink if you know how to make it. The prices will be up to you and the basic
rules of the prison environment.

6. Artwork. If you know how to draw you can draw up some samples and show
them off and you will get some people who will want you to draw for them.
Whether this is a card for their family or a tattoo design they plan on
getting, the prices are up to you. The better the quality the higher the
price you can request.

7. Weapons/shanks. These are home made knives that people will use to
assault/kill others with. There are also tempered Styrofoam and news paper
bats/poles and spears made out of news paper. These really have no set cost
just thought I'd give them a mention.

8. Other inmates. Yes there maybe inmates for sell. These you can buy to do
your bidding or just simply to have someone under your control you can
basically do anything you want but my advise is to treat them nice and make
them think you're their friend or else they'll turn against you. Also be
prepared to protect this person. If they see you're not helping them they
are not going to help you. This may bring you more problems than what you
want. The prices will be set by the person you're buying from. If you are
caught buying/selling people you will be severely punished.

Note 1: These are all illegal products and most are punishable by law. You
can receive extra time if you are caught buying/selling these items.

Note 2: You should really commit to using your SE skills with these
activities to help you get more for less, just make sure not to get caught
cheating people.


--[ 5 - Interaction with other inmates


--[ 5.1 - Getting checked


Being 'checked' by someone is not a good thing at all. This means another
inmate is telling you that you've fucked up or letting you know that you're
doing something wrong. A good example of being checked would be:

You use the restroom and you forget to clean up after yourself. Another
inmate that has been waiting for you to Finnish comes in and sees this. Now
he can't use the restroom until your mess is cleaned up but he's not going
to clean it himself. What he will do is go and find you and tell you to 'go
and clean your fucking mess up'. Now if you do clean it after the other
inmate told you this in front of every one then you will be thought of as
someone who can be pushed around and if you don't clean it you will have to
fight this inmate.

This is looked at as a bad thing because the other inmates may see this as
you letting someone tell you what to do and then they'll try to do the
same. This type of people who let the other inmates tell them what to
do have the lowest rank in prison (right above snitches and sex offenders).
I hope that none of you are sex offenders but if you are then you will get
what you deserve when you get caught and this file will not help you in
any way. So you should simply avoid this type of confrontation.


--[ 5.2 - Just like momma used to make?


In this section we'll be talking about the food you will be eating while
you're locked up. This 'food' as they like to call it is not very good and
you most likely won't be getting a lot of it (if you're the average man
you're going to get to sleep hungry most nights). You'll start your day off
early in the morning (3:00am were I was at, this will mostly be true for
you also because there will be a lot of people in the prison and they'll
have to start early to get every thing done on time). Then there will be
lunch at about 9:00am to 11:00am and finally you'll have your last meal
somewhere around 5:00pm.

Now that you have the basic meal schedule it's time to tell you what you're
most likely going to be eating. The main thing I've seen would be the soy
bean patties (tofu I guess). This is not real meat nor will it taste as
such. The reasons they give you are:

1. It's cheap,
2. It's low in fat. They have to keep you healthy even though they'll
feed you the minimum amount of calories that a human needs to stay
alive),
3. It's high in protein.

If you are not given soy bean then you will be given either 'pork' or
turkey meat (this will mostly be the 'sausage' at breakfast or the patties
for the hamburgers). The breads will almost all the time be wheat (you may
like wheat bread but it gets really old after a while). Basically
everything will be low fat. I'll recommend that even if you don't like it
just eat it (mixing the food all together will help mask the taste).

Basically there may be things that you can't eat without throwing up. You
will get used to it the more you eat it but there will always be 'roaches'
(someone who looks for scraps/extra food that others did not eat...like a
cockroach). These people will see that you did not eat all your food and
ask you if they might have it. Depending on who they are and if you trust
them or not, it is up to you whether you give it to them or not. I would
suggest you not to if you don't know them or if you think they're trying
to manipulate you. Giving people stuff they want will not help you gain
acceptance. They will continue to manipulate you if you allow it.


--[ 5.3 - Getting punked/becoming a *****


Getting 'punked' is when you allow other inmates to treat you any way they
want. This includes:

1. Letting them assault you
2. Letting them take your food/personal belongings
3. Letting them verbally abuse you
4. and sexual abuse

Becoming a '*****' means that you belong to another inmate. You'll be
treated like a punk and/or be raped though they may protect you in return
(they can't let other inmate fuck with their property now can they?). Don't
let this happen, if you think this may happen to you then stop reading the
file, you'll be a disgrace to all the hackers and phreakers of the world.

Note 1: an inmate may offer you protection from the other inmates. What
they will not tell you is that you will be their *****, and will do what
they say or accept the beating you will get. Also if one day you no longer
want the protection of the inmate then he and his friends will target you.
You will still get beaten, so don't accept any 'protection'.

Note 2: You may notice that I degrade a few types of people in this file
such as sex offenders and '*****es'. When I use this word I mean the people
who can defend themselves but simply will not. There are people who will
not fight for themselves but if someone tells them to fight another person
then they will. This is pathetic and inexcusable, do not be like this.


--[ 6 - Prison gangs


--[ 6.1 - Overview


I will now try to explain the basic concepts of the main types of prison
gangs. Please remember this will not always be true for all gangs or for
prisons in other countries besides the USA. Some information may not be
accurate therefore I will not use any names.

When you go in prison you may notice that groups of people with the same
types of tattoos happen to congregate in groups (most of the time in the
same areas). You may also notice that they will show favoritism to the
group they associate with, this is most likely because they are in a
'gang'. A gang is a group of 3 or more people that are involved in
organized crime and believe in the same values/beliefs and share the same
goals. For this reason these prisons have established what most call a
'gang task force'. People assigned to the task force are responsible for
finding out the illegal activities of these inmates....

Most of the gangs are based on race (White/European,
Mexican/Latino/Hispanic, Black/African). Their common goals are to:

1. Protect each other. Have your fellow members backs don't let any one
walk over them or punk them. Most likely though there won't be any
punks in a gang (and if there are they will be ejected from the gang
or disaplin).

2. Establish and keep the respect of their people. Once again don't
allow people to push you around, if this is allowed then it will be
bad for their business/dealings.

3. Make money. This has been explained to you already but what was not
explained earlier was that most of the people you will buy your
contraband from (drugs mainly) will be from one of these gangs. Gangs
often got war over business related dealings. Most people assume it's
inspired by racial issues but about 90% of the time its over the drug
trade/territory.


--[ 6.2 - Should I join a gang, and if so which one should I join ?


My advise to you would be that you should not join a gang if you want to
get out and go home on time. When you join a gang you are expected to put
the gang and its members first. It doesn't matter if you think its the
right thing to do. If they ask you to do something then you must do it or
accept the punishment they will give you. If another member is with you and
instigating problems with other people and he gets attacked, it will be
your job to help him. This means you could end up getting hurt or getting
more time on your sentence (think about this for a minute you have 4 days
until you're allowed to go home and then something happens where you have
to help your gang... You end up getting more time and can't go home. How
would your family feel, how would you feel ?).

Now if you are persistent about joining one, here are the main rules about
this:

1. You should join a gang based on the same race/ethnic group as you
are.
2. Make sure you understand and are willing to follow any and all rules
given to you.
3. Do not try to manipulate your fellow members or cheat the gang out of
any money.
4. Only do approved business with other gangs/people.
5. Do not talk about your gang affiliation with any one (family/guards).
6. Make sure you are willing to be in the gang for the rest of your
life, your affiliation does not stop when you are released (if
released), you will be responsible for contacting your local ranking
members of the gang when you get out.
7. Most importantly do not join a gang if you have anyone you love or
care for. The simple reason for me saying this is that you may not
get out if you join a gang... You must follow any and all orders
including if they want you to kill someone (people have been ordered
to kill their own family members).

Note: Failure to do these things may cost you your life. You will also have
more rules to follow than expected when you join. These rule aren't known
to people outside the gang therefore I've only listed the most common.


--[ 7 - County Jail Vs. State Prison


What? there is a difference you say? Yes, there a few of them in fact.
Let's go over them.

-------------------

County cons

1. You most likely won't move out of your cell.
2. Time is harder and feels like it goes by a lot slower.
3. Depending on how big it is, there's not as much food.
4. It might be a lot more dirty and could smell like shit and piss.
5. You will be in there with mentally ill people.
6. Commissary costs more.

County pros

1. You may get to see females and depending on the jail write them
(they'll be locked up too).
2. You may get to have your own shower.
3. You may not have to get up if you don't want to.
4. You may not have a lights out time.
5. Not every thing is gang related like prison and you can basically
chill with who ever you want (as far as race goes rivalries still
hold up).

-------------------

Prisons cons

1. A lot of new rules you must learn and you might be expected to learn
without any help.
2. The daily schedule will be a lot different than in county.
3. Gang wars.
4. Lock downs (no movement at all until told otherwise this can go on
for months).
5. Work (you will have to work and you may not get paid for it... You
could work in the fields too and that sucks).
6. Can't wright other people who are also locked up (this means the girl
you wrote in county wont be getting your letter).
7. Mass butt naked searches.
8. Take showers in front of every one.

Prisons pros

1. Time goes by a lot faster in county jail
2. Easy to make money.
3. Tattooing is more available.
4. Cheaper commissary.
5. Easier access to tobacco/drugs.
6. A lot more respect than what there is in jail.


-------------------


--[ 8 - Common situations


Here we will talk about a few common (negative) situations presented to the
newer people of the prison world. In this section I'm going to tell you the
best ways to get out of them and I'll try to explain them in a way you can
understand. Not all situations are listed in this section because no one
can list them all but you can use what is here to help you 'free style' the
situation if one arises. Like I've said before you can use social
engineering skills to help you get what you want or get out of almost
anything that you can get yourself into. So lets get to it...

1. It's your first day on the unit (prison), people will be looking to see
if they can make you there punk/***** (remember that we've talked about
this before). The most common way they will try this is using intimidation.
Most of the time a group of inmates will approach you and ask you seemingly
harmless questions but they're not. These questions can be used against
you in some type of way (these people are not trying to be friendly, it may
seem this way but it's not). Few subjects you should not release any
information about would be:

- Your family/personal life. Do not give your address or anything such as
this out. The reason for this is to make it harder for them to know the
people you may know.

- Never lie about things you're not sure of. Just simply state that it's
your business and keep it as such. Also do not lie to try and gain
acceptance because it will not work. Keep your stories to yourself and
only tell them to trusted people.

2. You walk into the 'dayroom' (the place where everyone gathers to play
games/watch tv/converse) and you see the people who entered your cell
earlier playing a game of cards. You see that they are having a good amount
of fun and you need something to help take your mind off of your situation
or you just simply want to go over and make a few new friends. Well I'd
recommend that you stay to yourself for a while longer and let the other
inmates invite you to the game if they choose to do so. Still be cautious
if they do as they might try to manipulate you for some reason.

Note: I'd also recommend that you do not just go up to people asking them
questions or telling them your adventures from the free world. Being a
friendly person is not looked at as a good thing while in prison.

The reason you should not just walk up to people and talk to them is
because some of them are mentally ill and may attack you if you attempt
this. They will also try to make you think they are your friend and use you
for their amusement or personal gain. You should also never give out
personal information to people you don't know because they may use that to
help find victims when they are released.

Note: If you want to make friends then my advice is to not lie to people
show them you're trustworthy. If you're not a drug dealer then don't say
you are. If you've never shot a gun don't say you have. And also don't
overload them with technical talk, and don't get all excited to be talking
to someone. They are not that cool plus it's annoying.

3. Someone disrespects you, either verbally or physically (pushing you or
bumping into you). When this happens your safest bet would be to fight and
not let this go on for very long because you will be seen as a *****. Now
if you are challenged to a fight then you should accept it and fight as
good as you can. It won't really matter if you win or lose. If the inmates
see you will fight then they will respect you.

Note: If a guard tells you to stop or hit the floor then you should do so
to avoid being pepper sprayed or tazed. Some prisons are allowed to use
deadly force.

4. Your friends or some other people ask you to join a gang. This is up to
you. For help refer back to the gang section of the article.

5. You see something happening that you don't like, then your best response
would be no response. If you get into someone else's business then it will
only cause problems on yourself and you do not need any problems that can
be avoided. If you choose to take action then that will be on you, I have
warned you of doing so.

Note: This could result in retaliation from other inmates as well.

6. You're about to get out and you no longer want to be in the gang you
joined when you first got locked up. Well there's a problem with this
because one you were told it was for life and two they will most likely put
a contract on you (hire someone to kill you). To avoid being killed inside
the prison walls you can use a technique. In prison they have a program
called 'PC' (protective custody) this is for people with mental/physical
illnesses and for the weaker prisoners. You will use this to your
advantage, here is a good way to put yourself on PC:

Contact a ranking guard and let him know your situation. You will want to
do this with a guard you trust so that he will not tell everyone of what
you are planning to do. Sooner or later you will be taken to a one man cell
and you will be asked questions by the gang task force. You will be asked
to give any and all information about the gang and if you don't help them
then they will not help you.

Note 1: In my opinion if you use this part of the file you do not deserve
to call yourself a man.

Note 2: These are the most common situations you may go through in prison
but these are not definite. You may need to customize these techniques or
apply them to different situations...


-[ 9 - Staying mentally Fit


In this part of the text we will be talking about the various techniques to
help you stay mentally fit. Basically what I'm talking about is how not to
go crazy. Some people have the tendencies to over obsess about the outside
world, or to think too much about their friends and family. This will cause
you to stress yourself out and become depressed. This leads to suicide in
some people and this is what we want to avoid. So here are a few techniques
or suggestions that I'll give you to help keep you on top of things.

1. Some people put all their faith in getting letters and phone calls from
their family/friends. This is not really a good thing. When you get a
letter I would recommend reading it once and then replying to the letter as
soon as possible. Doing this will help you keep your mind off the free
world. If you continually keep negative things on your mind/think about
negative things then your attitude will almost always be negative. This is
what we want to avoid inside the prison walls. The more negative you are or
negativity that your around will likely cause you to do negative things.
This will most likely cause you to stay inside prison longer then you have
to.

2. Visitation is most likely going to be the hardest part to get out of
your mind. The reason for this is because you actually get to be with the
people you love. Now depending on where you are at, you may have be
separated by a wall with glass and will talk to them on a pay-phone type
set-up.

Note: Beware that most prisons record these types of conversations. You may
not get a prompt letting you know this but regardless be careful on what
you say. A few tips on how to have a good visit from the family/friends:

- Stay on a positive topic. You don't need to fight or argue with someone
who takes the time to come and see you, and later on you'll most likely
feel bad for doing this. This is what we don't want.

- Do not attempt to get your visitor to smuggle contraband. This can cause
problems between you and the visitor, or you may end up getting them put in
prison if they do wish to bring the contraband.

- Take one visitation at a time. In other words do not go back to your cell
and ponder upon the visit. Doing so will cause you more stress and problems
than you should have to deal with.

3. You will be allowed to have pictures of your loved ones. This can be a
good thing. Everyone wants to have pictures, but you should not keep them
out because this causes you to pay more attention to the pictures instead
of the things you really should be doing. You're just making your time
harder then it should be by thinking about things that make you depressed.

Note: Also keeping your personal stuff out can end up getting it stolen by
the other inmates. Stealing is frowned upon but is every common inside
prisons.

4. When the guards tell you 'lights out' or bed time then this is what you
should do. Do not stay up at night and ponder upon your misfortunes or your
family. The reason is this causes you to lose sleep and will make your
daily schedule very hard to work with. You may be expected to work while
you're locked up and if you're not fully functional then you will cause the
others to get angry and lash out against you.

5. Try to have as much fun as you can. This is hard but you have to try.
Once you get comfortable and in transition to this new way of life then it
will become easier. The main thing you should do to have fun is play games
such as cards, dominoes. They may have a few board games also (I liked to
play a good game of chess myself). Also when you're at the rec. yard (a
place outside where you are allowed to Rome inside a certain area) play
some sports like basket ball or football. There will be sports and people
willing to play, this can also help you meet new people who can help
distract you from your daily problems.

6. Like I mentioned earlier you can workout to keep you in shape and keep
your mind off your problems. Find you a good workout routine and stick with
it. Working out is proved to higher your self-esteem and help with
depression. You don't always have to wait until you go outside to workout,
you can do this inside your cell whenever you find yourself thinking about
negative things.

7. Establishing a relationship with a guard (depending on the sex the
reader is) can also help you pass the time. If you have someone that is
willing to help you in your time of need then this will bring your stress
level to a lower term if not take it away completely.

Note: Establishing a relationship with a guard is not easy. They look at
you like a criminal so your goal is to either manipulate them into
believing that you're not or just simply show them the real you {nice,
kindly person lol}. Like I've said this is a hard task but this in itself
can keep your mind off the bullshit. Think of new ways to get through the
guards personal defenses (you're hackers you should be good at this), and
when you finally overcome them then you have all kinds of fun things to do
depending on what your intentions are (contraband staff, or true
relationship. Yes you may be able to fuck them).


-[ 10 - Why I Wrote This


I wrote this article based on the assumption that many people would
basically enjoy it, but also that it may help some people if they happen
to go to prison. I was sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault with a
deadly weapon. It was my first time ever being locked up but I was one of
the ones who took it as a challenge. While inside I've seen other first
timers being treated in a way that no person should ever be treated.

I made it inside the prison walls and now I am sharing with you ways for
you to make it also, use this to your advantage this is for entertainment
but also education.


-TAp


PS: If you have any questions you would like for me to answer then please
feel free to contact me.

Source: http://www.phrack.org/issues.html?issue=67&id=5#article

[Leftsolidarity]

Very good read. Thank you.

[Os Cangaceiros]

It is interesting. Making generalized statements about prison is difficult, though, because different prisons have different cultures and rules of conduct. And some of the stuff doesn't strike me as particularly accurate...even if you fight in prison, that doesn't necessarily mean that others will leave you alone. They may just beat the hell out of you, and continue to beat the hell out of you.

I'm not an expert on prison by any stretch of the imagination, although I have known people who've done significant stretches inside, and have read a couple of books on the subject ("You Are Going To Prison" by Jim Hogshire and the suprisingly good "Lockdown America" by Christian Parenti). I've seen some of those lame, exploitative prison shows on TV, too.

I've drawn a few conclusions in regards to prison. One is that you should never, ever accept anything from anyone in prison, and conversely you should never give anything to anyone in prison. You might have to fight. This is difficult for a lot of people, myself included, because most people aren't violent and super-paranoid, and indeed this behavior in prison is a learned one by many inmates; most people come out of prison just as, if not more, messed up as when they entered. This is the irony of the "correctional" system.

Another thing is that you should never snitch. This really is an ethic that transcends prison and should be a mantra for the entire radical left, but it's especially important when you get snatched up by the legal system. The bottom line is that, before any action that may land you in hot water, you should ask yourself "Am I willing to go to prison for this?" It's not something to take lightly. If you're not willing to go to jail, then you shouldn't undertake the action...there's no excuse for letting others take the fall for you. But besides that, snitching will not improve your chances of having a tolerable standard of living in jail.

Jail/prison is a distinct possibility for people on the radical left, though, and this should be recognized. History shows that you don't even have to commit to violence in order to be snatched up...all that needs to happen is for the left to have real revolutionary agency and the gloves come off. And prison's a terrible place. There was a radio program that interviewed people who'd spent most of their prison term in "the hole" (solitary), and that alone should be classified as torture IMO. All day long in a tiny, gray concrete cell, with no light and no contact with the outside world. Minutes turn into hours, hours turn into days, days turn into years, and years must feel like eternity. A lot of people go crazy in that environment...in the words of Mike Tyson: "Insanity was my only sanity".

[Catmatic Leftist]

Ugh. I would DIE in prison, LOL. If not dead, I would be at the rock bottom of the hierarchy.

[Nehru]

If prison environment is only going to bring out all these negative traits, then we must wonder whether humanity has any hope.

Anyhow, is it possible to be nonviolent and survive in prison? What I mean is, if you're small and weak, you're going to get thrashed even if you apply all the violence in the world. Is it then better to do nothing, hoping others will lose interest in thrashing you?

[Sasha]

^ make sure that when you end up in prison you are considered an political prisoner, segregation sucks big time but given the choice (when imprisoned in the US) between being in the general population or in isolation i for one would choose isolation.
so even when you come in on a non-political charge and going to do serious time start agitating against the system. they will slam your ass in isolation which will be horrible but rather isolated and be able to read and write than not isolated and raped.
note, this is me an non US person making an judgement on US prisons gathered on what i have read and seen. in the netherlands unless your an islamic jihadists there is no difference in treatment or segregation between political and non-political prisoners and in places like turkey but also spain you sure as hell want to think twice before profiling yourself as an political prisoner.

[tracher999]

nice its verry usefull:cool:

[06hurdwp]

Can anyone post a similar story to this but adapted for British prisons?

[Terminator X]

This seems to confirm what I've always heard - if you're going to go to prison, make damn sure it's a serious enough offense to get you thrown into solitary. Under no circumstances would I ever make it in the general population.

GREAT read, thanks for posting.

[Decolonize The Left]

The basic truth about any prison scenario is pretty simple:
- Know how to fight and be prepared to do so.
- Know how to be alone and be prepared to do so.

Given that every prison is different and all inmates are different and diverse, if you can get these two things down then you're life will be easier.

- August

[Octavian]

The worst part is that almost all the people in prison are batshit stupid and if you tried to rally them or reason with them you would only confuse them.

[Dr Mindbender]

Can anyone post a similar story to this but adapted for British prisons?

Here is an equivalent guide for British isles people.

http://libcom.org/organise/prison-survival-guide

A guide to surviving prison or preparing yourself to go to prison, with tips on staying safe, prison etiquette, how to deal with guards and other prisoners, how to get involved in organising and struggle, and more.



Introduction
Imprisonment as a form of punishment can be traced back to Greek times, but until relatively recently long-term incarceration was extremely rare, only flourishing in modern times after transportation to 'the colonies' became unviable (in no small part due to the American Revolution).
Traditionally, those that offended against society were punished publicly, generally in the most brutal way, from the stocks to the gibbet. Public executions, often with attendant torture and/or mutilation, were the norm in this country until the 17th century. Even when they were abolished it was not out of any sense of decency or humanity, but according to the Oxford History of the Prison, because they had "become the occasion of rowdiness and disgust - both because the crowd had begun to identify with the victim, not the executioner, and because the spectacle had become revolting, offending a new sensibility about pain and bodily integrity. Thus, it became desirable to mete out punishment away from the public gaze."
Today, prison is still very much a closed world, and while within the past two decades TV cameras have occasionally been able to show a very limited view of life behind bars, they rarely capture anything more than that which the authorities wish them to see. The true misery of imprisonment is deliberately kept secret from the general public, while the right-wing press and unscrupulous politicians conspire to present a picture of cushy 'holiday camps' and 'health farms'. The prison authorities do everything within their power (legal and illegal) to prevent investigative journalists having contact with prisoners and vice-versa, while Michael Howard and Jack Straw imposed a ban preventing visiting journalists reporting anything at all. Though the ban has subsequently been deemed unlawful, the vast majority of journalists are so lazy, cowardly, and/or clueless that it might as well still be in place.
With the British prison population currently growing at a rate of four hundred a week, and New Labour's draconian policies criminalising dissent, as a political activist it is more likely that you will see the inside of a prison cell than at any time in recent history. For those committed to the overthrow of the state, imprisonment has to be seen as an occupational hazard, and as such it's better to consider it beforehand, rather than when it's too late.
During my life I've spent time in over 20 British prisons (plus at least a dozen more I've visited or 'stopped over' at) including local prisons, remand centres, long-term Category B prisons, all Britain's maximum security dispersal prisons, a couple of Category A units and 16 segregation units. I've been around a bit, but I've never been anywhere near a low security or 'open' prison, and though I correspond with a number of women prisoners, I've obviously never been held in a women's prison. So while I think I'm pretty well qualified to talk about the prison experience, there are limits to what I know, and inevitably this piece reflects that.
Preparing for prison
If you know you're going to be imprisoned, at least that gives you a head start. Maybe you can even talk to someone who's been in your local nick, and who knows the rules and can give you an idea what to expect. The 'unknown' is the scariest thing of all, isn't it? Prison is the worst thing our society has.
The most common fear, certainly among men, seems to be that if they get locked up they'll 'have to go in the showers with Mr. Big.' Forget that - predatory homosexuality is as rare in British prisons as malt whisky, in fact in some prisons it's a great deal rarer. There's probably more chance of you being raped or sexually assaulted 'outside' than in here. I have never actually come across a single occurrence.
Then there's the fear of non-sexual violence - are you going to be locked up with a load of thugs and psychopaths who'll cut your throat as soon as look at you? Again, this is largely exaggerated, but violence does exist in prison. However, it's a relatively simple matter to minimise the likelihood of being attacked. In my experience there's far less random violence in prison than in wider society. I was in an adult long-term prison at 19, and the only time I've ever been attacked it was by the screws.
The prison lexicon
While some words of prison slang are hundreds of years old, others are being introduced all the time. Here are just a few examples:
Adidas sex-case: prison issue plimsolls.
Apple or Apple core: Score - 20, hence 20 years or £20.
Bang up: time locked in cell.
Bed-leg: a homemade cosh. The word comes from the small section of steel pipe used to separate prison bunks, which would be put in a sock to make a weapon.
Burglars: security or 'DST' ('Dedicated Search Team').
Chip-net: safety net strung between landings.
Cucumbers (or 'Numbers' or 'Protection'): 'Nonces' or 'Bacons' (sex offenders) and other 'Protection-heads' (debtors, grasses, cell thieves etc.) are usually segregated for their own safety under Prison Rule 45 (formerly 43). They should not be confused with prisoners held in the block (the segregation unit) under Prison Rule 45 GOAD (Good Order and Discipline).
Diesel: prison tea.
The enchanted: prisoners on the 'Enhanced Privilege Level'.
Ghosting: to be transferred to another prison, suddenly and without notice.
Jam-roll: parole.
Jimmy or Jimmy Boyle: foil used by smackheads to smoke heroin.
Kangas (or 'Scoobys'): screws.
L-Plates: a life sentence.
Little fellers: cigarette butts.
Midnight: Midnight mass - grass.
Pad: a cell.
Patches: a prison uniform with prominent yellow panels worn by prisoners captured after an escape or following an attempted escape.
Peter: an older name for a cell, also for a safe.
Pie and liquor: the vicar.
Salmon or Salmon and trout - Snout: tobacco.
Shit and a shave (or shit and a shower): a short sentence.
Spin: a search (as in 'pad-spin').
Stiff: a smuggled note.
Stretch: a sentence or a year (a '10 stretch' is a 10 year sentence).
Tram lines: a distinctive scar caused by a prison-made weapon which uses two razor blades melted into a toothbrush. Wet-up (or Jug-up): to scald someone, usually with a mixture of boiling water and sugar.
Staying safe comes down to basics. Stay alert and learn some manners - prison is a close environment containing too many people, so manners are extra important. Be polite to people, treat them with mutual respect, don't be nosy or impinge on their limited personal space, never borrow things without asking, don't boast or bullshit, never grass anyone up, and even more importantly, avoid drugs (heroin) and stay away from junkies. When I was at Full Sutton in 1996, there was an average of one stabbing a week, but almost all of them were related to smack.
While adult prisons, particularly long-term ones, tend to be a fairly mature environment, 'Young Offenders Institutions' (for those under 21) can be different, and violence less easy to avoid. The general advice still applies though - be assertive not aggressive, but don't let people take liberties with you, and if necessary be prepared to fight. Some self defence training may give you an edge, but be warned that prison fights are always dirty - you can expect to be bitten, scalded, stabbed, coshed, and/or attacked by multiple assailants. Attacks are likely to take place in the showers or when the victim is still in bed.
In reality, it's not other prisoners you should be worried about, they will become your friends and comrades. In the harsh prison environment bonds will be forged that can last a lifetime. Your problems will come from the system, and from the screws, particularly if you're a person of integrity. From the very first moment you enter prison your principles, your sense of selfhood, and your very humanity will be under attack. If you are to survive unbroken, you must resist all attempts to turn you into a numbered, subjugated, compliant piece of jail-fodder, a 'Stepford Prisoner' who has had their spine and brain removed. You are, after all, not just an individual, but a member of a movement, and those that come after you will be judged by how you behave.
Unfortunately, for those of you entering prison today, the level of political consciousness among British prisoners is at the lowest point for many years. Divide and rule scams like the loathsome 'Incentives and Earned Privileges' scheme have undermined solidarity, and in-cell TVs and heroin have helped a culture of selfishness to develop. You will hear people come out with things like, "I can't afford to get involved" or "I've done my bit" or "I just want to get out." Ignore these wankers, they're just trying to justify their own cowardice. Everybody wants to get out of these rotten places, but how do you want to get out - on your feet or on your knees? Resistance and solidarity will always exist within prisons, and if you have anything about you at all, your place is with that resistance, not with the grovellers and forelock-tuggers who shit on their fellow cons in the foolish belief that they can make a comfortable life for themselves in here.
Prison Receptions, the entry point into any jail (unless you go straight to the punishment block - the segregation unit), have changed a lot since the days when you were very likely to be met with a beating, but they are still inevitably an unpleasant experience. It is here that your prison file will be opened, that you will be given a number, where strangers will begin to address you by your surname only, where others will decide what clothes you can wear and what possessions you can have, and where you will receive your first strip-search. It is in Reception that the battle begins.
The first Prison Reception I was ever in was at Canterbury in 1980. There were certainly worse places back then, but there were still some vicious screws working there. In every nick in the country they used to read you a little speech at Reception, part of which went, "You will call all prison officers 'Sir'." So it didn't take long for my first confrontation to come, I would not, and will not, be forced to call anyone 'Sir'. Nor was I prepared to substitute 'boss' or 'guv'nor' as was acceptable in some prisons. Like a lot of principles it's ostensibly a small thing, it would be so easy to compromise, especially when almost everyone else does, but what are we without principles? Once you start abandoning them for the sake of convenience, who's to say where it will end? I remember a few years ago when I was forced onto a blanket protest at Durham. Having failed to intimidate and bully me into putting on the prison clothes, the screws tried persuasion - "You're alone down here in the punishment block, away from your mates, nobody will even know you've put them on." But I'd have known, and the screws would have known, and that was enough.
Today there's no longer an obligation to call your captors 'Sir', and many nicks no longer require you to wear prison clothes, but your integrity will still be tested, and you will have to struggle to retain it. Relinquish it, and I imagine prison will have far more of a lasting effect on you than if you spend the whole of your sentence in the block.
Screws often behave like playground bullies and when you come into a new nick, they'll try it on to see how much they can get away with. A classic example is to try to get you to 'squat' or bend over during a strip-search - tell them to fuck off. Every prison has its own rules about what you can and can't have, and they change constantly, but if you know you're getting sent down you can still try to be prepared. Often, little can be sent in after you're imprisoned, so have anything you need and might be able to have with you. Most prisons allow you to wear your own training shoes these days, so get yourself a good sturdy pair. Prisoners generally wear sports clothes, which are easily cared for, avoid black and dark blue colours which aren't always allowed, and go for cotton fabrics that will survive the prison laundry. A radio or small stereo will be useful, as will one or two books, and some basic stationery. A watch is more or less essential, ideally get one that doesn't require batteries, is tough and waterproof (so you can wear it in the shower), but not unduly expensive or ostentatious. While highly desirable, food and drink and toiletries won't be allowed. If you smoke (and it's a big advantage not to), you may be permitted to keep a small amount of tobacco. Make sure you have cash with you, so that you can buy phonecards and other items you need from the prison shop.
There was a time when every cell contained a copy of the prison rules, and prisoners were required to read them. Now the prison authorities generally do their best to keep them secret, because they are so regularly broken. You will find it useful to consult the Prison Rules and Standing Orders, which outline your few rights and entitlements, and they should be available in the prison library. The Prison Service also publishes its own information booklets, but the contents are very selective. If you have difficulty getting hold of a copy of the rules, or think you are not getting what you're entitled to, as regards diet or exercise for example, either contact your solicitor or the Prisoners Advice Service at the address given elsewhere in this section. Prisoners' letters are generally censored, and so have to be handed in or posted with the envelopes unsealed. However, you may write to a solicitor or the Prisoners Advice Service in confidence under Prison Rule 39. Contrary to what you may be told, you do not have to allow a member of staff to seal the envelope for you, and if you do not have stamps you can ask for a 'Special Letter', which should be sent at public expense. Simply seal the envelope, write your name and 'Rule 39' on the back, and hand it in or post it in the box provided.
There is a good deal of variation in prison architecture, from the ancient cathedrals of human misery to the stark modern control-units. The accommodation parts of prisons are known as 'wings' or 'houseblocks', and they generally have cells on 'landings' or 'spurs' on more than one level, known as 'the ones', 'the twos' etc. Most modern prison cells are approximately 7ft x 11ft, but some are a good deal smaller, and in some prisons each cell may contain 2, or even 3 prisoners. Personally, I am not prepared to share a space that small with another person, and if necessary will opt for a single cell in the block. Prisoners are having to spend more time locked in their cells than for many years, but you should not be 'banged up' for more than 23 hours at a time.
Prison really is a bizarre institution to come into, and it'll take you a while to get used to it. Humans are an adaptable species though, and within a few weeks you'll probably find you're cracking on like an old lag. If you're on remand though, this can be a time when you fuck up, and it's something I always warn people about. Time is different in jail and particularly when you're first locked up, a couple of days can seem like a month. It's a harsh environment, and you'll be spending a lot of time with the same people. Many of these will turn out to be good friends, but always try to bear in mind that in reality, you've known them for days or weeks, not years, and that not everyone in jail tells the truth about themselves. In particular, be wary about discussing the details of your case with those you hardly know - too many people wind up in court with former cell-mates giving evidence against them. Also be careful about giving out your home address or personal details until you know your new friends a lot better.
There's a thousand scams and tricks in jail - cons are extremely inventive people and are always one step ahead of the screws. As you pick up your jail-craft, you'll learn everything from how to pass a cigarette from one end of the wing to the other, how to make prison 'hooch' without yeast, how to make weapons out of next to nothing, how to defeat electronic door systems, how to make a cup of tea without a kettle, and all sorts of other survival skills. When you first get locked up, you'll doubt that you could last more than week in this environment, but in all likelihood you will, and will even share in the gallows humour endemic to this otherwise joyless existence.
The human spirit can flourish and triumph in the face of the darkest adversity, but I'm not going to tell you that prisons are anything other than utterly rotten places, particularly for those of us who have to endure year after year of long-term imprisonment. Prison kills you physically and psychologically - it's a living death, like being buried alive. I once read about a Native American woman who suddenly woke up from a coma as if from sleep. She wanted to know where her husband and her children were, but she'd been unconscious so long her husband had remarried and her children grown up. It's a tragic story, but at least she didn't have the slow torture of having to watch, helpless, as her life slipped away from her, together with everything she cared about. That's how it is for most long-term prisoners, and many lose their families, homes, jobs, savings, and possessions even before their cases come to trial. Hang onto your integrity, because when the system's finished with you and spits you back out on the street, it may be all you have left.
But hey, nobody said it was going to be easy - if it was easy they wouldn't call it 'struggle' would they? As political activists we're the lucky ones in here, given a rare opportunity to get inside the machine and act like a virus. As an activist, you're not locked up to take a holiday - there's a real struggle to be fought in here, so keep militant and get involved...
By Mark Barnsley, Whitemoor Prison, England
More notes on surviving prison
Britain has the largest prison population per capita in Europe and if the government has its way it'll carry on growing! More and more people are likely to do time for crimes they did or didn't commit, partly because the state is always creating more + more laws that we can break, especially laws criminalising political protest. The fear of prison is one of the state's ultimate deterrents to stifle dissent and protect the ruling classes from the wrath and poverty of the masses. This deterrent only works as effectively as we are fearful of it, and this is an attempt to dispel some of the fears and myths that surround prison.
Experiences of prison can vary greatly from person to person and from prison to prison. Obviously there's a big difference between a short stay and a long stretch, not so much on the experience while there but mentally it can be harder to remain unaffected, and will take longer to re-adjust to the outside world as it will have changed more, and old skills will have to be remembered. Being in prison on remand can be mentally and emotionally taxing, because of the uncertainty regarding length of sentence, and the stress of an approaching court case, etc. Women's prisons are also quite different, not only are you likely to be further from friends and family because of the scarcity of women’s' prisons but my women are in for gender/poverty related in a way that men aren't, basically because most coppers/judges are male chauvinists. Category ‘A’ prisoners (high security) also have less privileges than Category ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ respectively. It should be remembered worldwide, British prisons have a reputation for being soft compared to elsewhere especially outside of Europe.
If you know in advance that you're going to be going inside it's helpful to talk to others with experience of prison. It's good to tie up any loose ends regarding family, housing, money, support before you go in. Also get a few good reading books together!
This section is aimed mostly at those who do time for political 'crimes' or crimes(?) of conscience although it can apply to anyone. Some political activists see going to prison as a natural extension of direct action. Political prisoners have the advantage of being part of a wider movement, which can offer practical support and boost moral. Having a good understanding of why you are there can give a degree of inner strength, calm and confidence and so from this perspective prison can be an empowering experience, and can also be somewhat amusing at times as well!
Most folk on knowing they're about to go down have a flood of varied emotions and/or passing attacks of anxiety and fear. It can feel like the whole weight of the world is falling upon your head.

with the threat of prison hanging over my head I try and find out as much as I possibly can about the prison I am likely to be sent to... I worry about what the other prisoners are like; will I fit in? How much stuff I can take with me? Will I be on my own or sharing? When I arrive different questions become a problem: where do I go to eat, to shower, where is everything, this place is big. After you come out of prison, take a holiday, or rest, to give yourself time to adjust to being out again and having space to move about. Give yourself time and tell others how you are feeling.
"Prisons and prison experiences vary enormously.. the first time I went to a British prison was one of the most hellish weeks of my life: I was beaten up by the guards, denied a vegan diet, taken before the governor three times (and threatened with everything from the punishment block to the psychiatric wing) and put in a cell with someone in for murder and someone in for manslaughter. In contrast, much of my five months in another prison was a leisurely rest - badminton, jogging, table tennis, evening classes, my own cell, passable vegan food, friendly enough screws

I had sort of expected I was going to prison and actually felt quite prepared and calm. As the prison van pulled up at the gates I felt a strange sort of excitement mixed with a bit of nervousness and uncertainty. I found it fairly easy to settle in after the initial 'crikey! I'm in prison' type feelings. Getting used to the regime can be a bit hard - so many rules. When your life is totally in the hands of authoritarians you just have to adapt and get used to it, and know that they can’t confine your thoughts or hold your true freedom. It's important to use the time well with things to focus your mind. There lots of potential for self development and learning from people of different backgrounds. I really benefited from doing lots of meditation and tai chi, which helped me keep calm, especially when dealing with some of the screws who would try and draw me into confrontation because of my beliefs
However the reality is a lot easier than the fears, and when you start meeting the other cons you realise most of them are just ordinary enough people brought here by unfortunate circumstances, rather than the social monsters the government and media would have you believe. Obviously there are some nutters but they aren’t that common, and let’s face it there are plenty of nutters on the outside as well! Very few people are looking for a fight because that can mean time in solitary and less parole, so if you're not looking for trouble you're unlikely to find it. If you try and act hard, someone's going to challenge you, so just be yourself and be calmly confident, and, keep a good sense of humour!
Political prisoners tend to get a fair bit of respect in prison, if not a few strange looks for having somewhat alien beliefs. Most trouble in prison is over drugs and addictions (including tobacco) and bullying to get them when personal supplies run low (the prison shop's only open once/twice a week and everyone's skint anyway)... Time to give up? Sometimes, especially if it's obviously your first time inside, you may find yourself challenged in some way by other prisoners, as a kind of test of strength which as long as you stand your ground in a calm but confident manner, will generally pass off without incident. Backing down to any threats or bullying leaves you wide open for abuse and bullying later if you become seen as an easy victim, so stand your ground. It's pretty similar to school playground philosophy really.
An open mind and a bit of common respect can go a long way in prison meeting half-way the many different lives, experiences and expectations that you'll meet there. It can be a time of 1earning and an insight into the inner workings of Babylon, both in the oppressive and overly bureaucratic organisation of prison and in the inmates themselves, most of whom are in for some kind of poverty (class) related crime. Prison can be a lonely place, it is designed to isolate. Communication and solidarity is essential, both with other inmates and with the outside world as well. Political prisoners usually get a lot of support correspondence from the wider movement, this gives a big boost to morale and in some cases can be a lifeline (make sure they know you're there - see contacts below) It also makes a prisoner feel less anonymous, less of a number in a system to be pushed about.
Adapting to prison regime can be strange (if not interesting)... it's a culture unto itself- so many new rules and regulations, new behaviour norms, respective routines, social hierarchies, different language. You can expect some overcrowding, frustrating and irritating levels of noise and distraction and little personal space or privacy. It may be difficult to sleep properly, radios blaring, bars, loud arguments etc. Food will be starchy and dull. You will learn to wait...for a phone call, a shower, a meal, the answer to a question even the time of day. Time can become distorted, days will slip by but each hour could seem like an eternity. Focusing your mind on something like a campaign, reading, studying, drawing, yoga etc. can be a great help in dealing with the monotony and stresses of prison life.
Different diets can be catered for upon request although you are only guaranteed a vegan diet if you're a member of the Vegan society before getting sent down. Some progress has been made recently on getting GMO-free diets, although such decisions (as are most decisions regarding personal welfare) are at the arbitrary discretion of the individual prison Governor. Visits and the sending of books, money stereos, what you can and can't send in/out varies greatly from prison to prison so check with the Prison Visitor Centre concerned. The screws are generally alright, if not a bit uptight, with a predisposition towards having authoritarian fantasies. Their prime concern is to preserve order through obedience and submission. However you don't have to indulge them in this fantasy and as long as you don't take the piss they generally leave you alone. Let them be responsible for keeping order while you stay responsible for keeping your conscience.
A sense of humour goes a long way in dealing with the daily routine of being inside, and a smile can disarm all but the meanest screws and cons. Sometimes it's hard not to laugh at those in authority when they take themselves far too seriously especially if their authority and power in not having the desired effect on you. Just because your body is behind bars doesn't mean you've got turn in your conscience or convictions with all your other belongings at the gate. Whether in prison or not, the freedom we enjoy is the freedom we claim for ourselves, and while the body can be incarcerated the spirit is as free as it wishes. Being in prison can be an incredibly empowering experience by bringing this message home.
When you come out, give yourself time to adjust. If you've been in for a while, take it easy, it can take a while to psychologically adjust to looking after yourself again - cooking, cleaning, socialising. Tell friends how you're feeling and above all keep smiling, ‘cos there’s nothing you can't laugh at...

[Os Cangaceiros]

The worst part is that almost all the people in prison are batshit stupid and if you tried to rally them or reason with them you would only confuse them.

This is not true. As my former drug counselor said (a man who'd spent years in prison, as both an inmate and a counselor in the correctional system) "some of the smartest people you'll ever meet are in prison." Just because they're in prison or are from a lower-class backround doesn't mean that they're "stupid". Ignorance and stupidity are two very different things.

[Decolonize The Left]

This is not true. As my former drug counselor said (a man who'd spent years in prison, as both an inmate and a counselor in the correctional system) "some of the smartest people you'll ever meet are in prison." Just because they're in prison or are from a lower-class backround doesn't mean that they're "stupid". Ignorance and stupidity are two very different things.

Indeed. Aside from being prepared to fight and be alone, your best bet is to assume nothing (including assuming you know anything about the prison population where you're headed).

- August

[Dr Mindbender]

This is not true. As my former drug counselor said (a man who'd spent years in prison, as both an inmate and a counselor in the correctional system) "some of the smartest people you'll ever meet are in prison." Just because they're in prison or are from a lower-class backround doesn't mean that they're "stupid". Ignorance and stupidity are two very different things.

i'd be willing to bet that the better part of those convicts who are batshit crazy or whatever, are that way BECAUSE of their experience in prison rather than in spite of it.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Yes. Prison does exacerbate mental illness, especially because prisoners w/ significant mental problems do not get the help they need in prison. The "de-institutionalization movement" of America's mental hospitals & asylums was accompanied by a lot of homelessness and incarceration of the mentally ill. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% of prisoners in the USA exhibit signs of recent mental illness, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/09/22/mental-illness-human-rights-and-us-prisons); the percentage in women's prisons is supposedly even higher. Par for the course in this "justice system".

I don't know what the situation is like in Europe vis-a-vis prison and the mentally ill, but someone I talked to from France says that it's similar in that country.

[Terror Bot]

Very useful information here, thank you

[#FF0000]

The worst part is that almost all the people in prison are batshit stupid and if you tried to rally them or reason with them you would only confuse them.

yeah man especially if it was a prison in some backwards ass place like georgia lol

Oh wait.

[Leftsolidarity]

yeah man especially if it was a prison in some backwards ass place like georgia lol

Oh wait.

lmao

[Ocean Seal]

Regarding the sale of persons. How exactly can this be done? Can they just sell anyone who comes into prison and how can one protect oneself from rape?

[Queercommie Girl]

What about the effects of religions in prisons?

[Os Cangaceiros]

Regarding the sale of persons. How exactly can this be done? Can they just sell anyone who comes into prison and how can one protect oneself from rape?

When you become a punk in jail, the person or people who protect you basically own you. That means that you can become a commodity of sorts, and get traded around for various things...usually the currency in jail is cigarettes or drugs or something of that nature. Although I've heard that a lot of prisons are starting to ban smoking. Anyway, that's basically the gist of it. The hard choice that I think a lot of people face in jail is this: I can either 1) get protection from someone and just do what I have to do to survive (especially if you have a short sentence) or 2) I can hold it down and cause problems for anyone who tries to mess with me, and the authorities as well. Maybe join up with a gang. And maybe get some time added to your sentence in the process. Kind of a grim choice, but there you have it.

As for rape, the author of "You Are Going To Prison" talks about it in some detail. Basically the odds aren't with you on this subject. A staggering number of people in both male and (mostly from guards) female prisons get sexually assaulted. But the good news is that you don't necessarily need to be some kind of jacked up scary looking dude to avoid rape. If you have something that inmates in the prison find valuable (not necessarily sex) then you can get other people to protect you. Like, for example, if you're a really good writer and can help with legal documents, or if you have some kind of niche skill like cutting hair, or you find a way to get involved in the prison contraband hustle, or are just funny/insightful/knowledgeable or whatever. A lot of inmates grow to hate the ignorance that pervades and is encouraged by the authorities.

But, like I said before: don't accept anything from other prisoners thinking that they're your friends (they're not), and don't willfully give anything to anyone in prison, because eventually they'll view you as easy prey.

[Vanguard1917]

The most common fear, certainly among men, seems to be that if they get locked up they'll 'have to go in the showers with Mr. Big.' Forget that - predatory homosexuality is as rare in British prisons as malt whisky, in fact in some prisons it's a great deal rarer ... I have never actually come across a single occurrence.

This has been confirmed by the few people i have spoken to who have been inside here in Britain. If it is indeed so widespread in US prisons, and as rare as it is in UK prisons, what explains the dissimilarity?

[W1N5T0N]

I guess prison aint the place to be for lefts like us.

[Decolonize The Left]

I guess prison aint the place to be for lefts like us.

Generally speaking, prison isn't the place for anyone.

It's a structure designed and maintained to dehumanize and mentally/emotionally/psychologically break down any and everyone who is subjected by force to its existence. So no it isn't a place for us - nor is it a place for anyone. It is a place where people are sent to die.

- August

[Queercommie Girl]

Do you people think rank-and-file prison officers can be won over to the revolutionary side? Does it depend on which country one is in?

[CommieTroll]

This was a great read and we would all do well to read through it 5 or 6 times, maybe even memorize it. You never know when this could be useful. If someone could post a guide for UK/Irish/European prisions that would be great, I'd imagine South American jails would be the worst

[W1N5T0N]

what about heavy criminals? neo-nazi's? killers? i doubt they give a shit about living with fellow humans peacefully. speaking of which, how ARE criminals dealt with in an anarchist society?

[Ele'ill]

what about heavy criminals? neo-nazi's? killers? i doubt they give a shit about living with fellow humans peacefully. speaking of which, how ARE criminals dealt with in an anarchist society?

I would do a search to see if there are previous threads on the topic and then if there aren't, create a thread in the learning section. We could use a good prison alternative thread.

[Decolonize The Left]

what about heavy criminals? neo-nazi's? killers? i doubt they give a shit about living with fellow humans peacefully. speaking of which, how ARE criminals dealt with in an anarchist society?

Look man, I'm not going to go through the 'how will criminals be treated in a leftist society' discussion again, you can very easily search through the Learning Forum and find ample history there.

But in short, we were speaking about prison as it exists currently. The question of law and order in a leftist society is secondary to a simple critique of current incarceration structures and tactics.

- August

[pastradamus]

As far a prison goes, been there, done that. You use your own instincts. No book can tell you how to "survive" prison. If I was to dispense any advice it would be not to trust anyone and not to act like a tough guy all the time- as many here have said to do so.

[Rakhmetov]

Some of this is Sexist FYI.

You omitted that part where the prison authorities give you a very generous body cavity search.

[Os Cangaceiros]

In 1984 the photographer Tom Cahill smashed a plate-glass door in a fit of fury at the San Francisco Chronicle. He had just unsuccessfully attempted to get the paper’s reporters to write about rape in America’s jails and prisons. Cahill was a desperate man at the time, tormented by flashbacks and nightmares, his personal and professional life in ruins.

Cahill’s story began in 1968, when he was arrested in Texas during a peaceful antiwar protest. An Air Force vet who opposed the Vietnam War, he did not prove popular among jail staff in the heavily military town of San Antonio. Before placing him in an overcrowded communal cell, he says, the guards spread word that he was a child molester. Cahill remembers with a shudder how one of the staff members shouted “fresh meat” before leaving. After 24 hours of beatings and gang rape, his life was shattered.

More than four decades later, sexual violence behind bars is still widespread in the United States. But thanks to Cahill and other courageous survivors, the ongoing crisis is no longer shrouded in silence.

The U.S. Department of Justice recently released its first-ever estimate of the number of inmates who are sexually abused in America each year. According to the department’s data, which are based on nationwide surveys of prison and jail inmates as well as young people in juvenile detention centers, at least 216,600 inmates were victimized in 2008 alone. Contrary to popular belief, most of the perpetrators were not other prisoners but staff members—corrections officials whose job it is to keep inmates safe. On average, each victim was abused between three and five times over the course of the year. The vast majority were too fearful of reprisals to seek help or file a formal complaint.

etc.

http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/20/rape-factories

[RichardAWilson]

Shank somebody: You can forget getting out on good behavior, but you won't be screwed with while you're in the pen. (No, this isn't from personal experience: It's just what I'd do if it was).

[Decolonize The Left]

Shank somebody: You can forget getting out on good behavior, but you won't be screwed with while you're in the pen. (No, this isn't from personal experience: It's just what I'd do if it was).

Please don't post crap like this here. You are advocating physically assaulting someone in prison and furthermore, you're doing it 'just because it's what you'd do' (assuming you'd know what to do in prison), not because you have any experience making a shank, or stabbing someone, or being in prison.

It's stupid and unnecessary.

- August

[UnknownPerson]

Although I don't consciously plan to break the law, this might prove itself useful. Thanks.

[TAp88]

nice to see you guys liked my article, didnt really think it would be on a leftish website but i can see why it would be, as far as being "sexist" to the person that posted it here, thats youre opinion, i cant help that you think its sexist, and to the people who are worried about rape and being punked or what have you, it only happens if you let it happen, like i said and will say it again, most of the people that are into these types of things are looking for easy prey, if you show these idiots that your willing to fight to keep your dignity and respect they will sooner or later leave you alone, now that one guy did point out that they might try and attack you with more than one person...fight anyway, if you dont want to fight go to isolation, but im telling you now after a few years of that youll be out of your mind so if you choose this route make sure your mental psyche is as strong as you think it is. as far as political prisoners go wtf? theres no need to establish youre self as such, because once you do your going to the feds NOT state prison [i hear the feds are better btw]

iv noticed people asking about how leftish people would be treated in prison, it depends on your attitude, if your one of the common leftish people that are arogant, speak out their asses and so forth, you wont be doing to good, might as well go straight to protective custody, but if your cool calm and collected and dont put your nose into others doings, youll be fine. the are neo nazis/skin heads and white power gangs that wont tolerate it, but also niether will the mexican and black gangs, so watch youre mouth... and remember, youre there to do your time, NOT to let it do you, or to do anyone elses:thumbup1:

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

I have a feeling that I wouldn't do very well in prison. On top of being a transwoman in a society where the prison system still sees MtF's as men, I am extremely feisty and tend to get into fights that I can't take on alone.

[Robocommie]

Do you people think rank-and-file prison officers can be won over to the revolutionary side? Does it depend on which country one is in?

Prison officers? I don't think so. I knew a prison guard once (to become a cop in a lot of places you first have to do time as a guard at county) and he pretty quickly become enlisted into a "us vs. them" mentality. I had a supervisor in a job I worked once who had previously worked as a prison guard, and she had absolutely zero sympathy for the inmates and was basically both reactionary and ignorant as shit.

[Pioneers_Violin]

Thank you for the article.

ANYONE who has found RevLeft should read it and probably memorize it.

Especially and particularly if you're in America which has the highest imprisonment rate in the world.

If prison life as depicted above appalls you to the point of saying "I would never make it", etc... - please, please, pretty please quit all illegal activities right now. Even speeding.

You may also want to consider being extremely careful what you say about nearly anything either in person, on the phone or online.
Consider carefully what websites you visit as well because it can all be monitored so as to single out potential "troublemakers" for further scrutiny.

This "Land of the Free" will toss you into a prison in a heartbeat for the most trivial of reasons.

Thanks again for the useful guide. I fear that many of us will eventually have need of it.

[eyedrop]

Prison officers? I don't think so. I knew a prison guard once (to become a cop in a lot of places you first have to do time as a guard at county) and he pretty quickly become enlisted into a "us vs. them" mentality. I had a supervisor in a job I worked once who had previously worked as a prison guard, and she had absolutely zero sympathy for the inmates and was basically both reactionary and ignorant as shit.
The only ex prisonguard I know is a 40ish year old lesbian who studied some womans struggleish subject beforehand and later worked in a social security type job. I haven't detected any "us vs them" mentality either.

I don't know if it's just anecdotal evidences weaknesses or just the big differences in prisons.

[redSHARP]

do detention facilities offer employment/workshops? the stereotypical stamp a license plate comes to mind.

[Os Cangaceiros]

The only ex prisonguard I know is a 40ish year old lesbian who studied some womans struggleish subject beforehand and later worked in a social security type job. I haven't detected any "us vs them" mentality either.

Prison officers in many US prisons get shit and piss thrown at them.

On the other side, many US prisoners are beaten and/or sexually assaulted by prison officers.

It's pretty easy to see how an "us vs. them" mentality can arise in such an environment.

[Seresan]

I think I might actually like sitting in a cell reading books for months on end... That's the type of jail that I'd probably be sent to anyways.

[noble brown]

Ill speak from personal experiense;
There was alot that I wanted to respond to for various reasons but it would be more concise to just tell you what I learned in my various years and prisons.

Number one: act rights. Social skills believe it or not. You learn real quick how to treat ppl and the value of mutual respect. Prison culture is built on respect. This seems to be a universal to prison culture. However u establish it (and u will have to establish it cause nobody gives a fukk who u were) u must establish it. If u fail to do this to at least a mediocre level u will be unnecessarily miserable. I say unnecessarily because its not hard to do. Depending on the prison you may not have to fight but even if u do as long as u give it your all no one is likely to mess with u unprovoked. This means that I don't care how big and bad u are if u provoke someone u will get touched one way or another. They say that prison is full of predators but I've only ever ran into a handful of bona fire predators. The rest of population is just trying to live as best as they can. That's why the social norms are taken so seriously. The social norms in the prison culture are mostly pretty practical. Ppl with slimy ways are weeded out quickly and once you earn a negative rep it will follow you everywhere. General pop is where u want to be. ISO is NOT a place for any human. As far as rape let me tell u something. The truth is that there are plenty of homosexuals who will be happy to oblige with out all the kicking and screaming. If it is a rape then its about revenge or something similar and you can generally avoid those situations fairly easy.