Realities of Prison Life: The male inmate’s world v. The Staff World

Prison Subculture Values and behavioral patterns characteristic of inmates. Amazingly consistent across the country.                                                           

The Prisoners Code Don’t interfere with the interests of other inmates. Never rat on a con. Don’t lose your head. Play it cool and do your time.

The Prisoner’s Code Don’t exploit inmates. Don’t steal. Don’t break your word. Don’t whine. Be a man. Don’t be a sucker. Don’t trust the guards or staff.

The Language of Confinement Rat: An inmate who squeals. Gorilla: The inmate that uses force to take what he wants from others. Merchant: One who sells when he should give. Fish: The newly arrived inmate.

The Language of Confinement Wolf: The male inmate who assumes the aggressive male role during gay relations. Punk: The male inmate who is forced into a submissive role in sexual relations. Lemon Squeezer: The inmate who has an unattractive “girlfriend” Screw: Guard

Language of Confinement Stud Broad (Daddy): The female inmate who assumes the role of a male in lesbian relations. Femme (Mommy): The female inmate who plays the female role in lesbian relations. Cherry: The female inmate who has not been introduced to gay activities.

Homosexuality in Prison Most sexual aggressors don’t consider themselves gay. Sexual release is not the primary motive. Participate in order to avoid being victims. Many have been raped themselves.

Prison Lifestyles and Inmate Types The Mean Dude: Quick to fight and fight wild. Give and take no quarter. Other inmates leave alone. Frequent write-ups and solitary.

Prisoner Type: The Hedonist Build their lives around limited pleasures which are smuggled into prison or gained through sex. Live for the now.

The Opportunist Takes advantage of the positive experiences prison offers. Schooling, trades, counseling, etc. Liked by staff, mistrusted by prisoners.

The Retreatist Retreat from reality. Go neurotic or psychotic. Heavily into drugs, alcohol, suicide attempts. Depression and mental illness put them into protective custody.

The Legalist Jail house lawyer. Fights confinement, but with legal writs, not fists.

The Radical See themselves as political prisoners. Society is the oppressor that forced them into criminality.

The Colonist Some inmates think of prison as “home.” Hold positions of respect in prison. Tend to try to return to prison if released.

The Religious Some prisoners profess a strong religious faith. Born again Christians Muslims Wiccans Ask prisons to allocate space and diets for their spiritual needs.

The Realist Confinement happens when you do crime. Prison is a “cost of doing business.” Avoid trouble (ghost) and continue with crime once released.

Types of Correctional Officers The dictator: Go by the book using prison rules to enforce their own brand of discipline. Bullies. The Friend: Offer to fraternize with inmates. “One of the guys” mentality. The Merchant: Participates in inmate economy.

Types of Correctional Officers The Indifferent: Close to retirement. Low pay, the view that prisoners are “worthless”. The Climber: Young officer with eye on promotion.Tend to turn blind eye toward inmates and problems – more concerned with improving institutional procedures and their careers.

Types of Correctional Officers The Reformer: “Do gooder” among officers. Prison should offer opportunities for change. Offer “arm-chair” counseling. Viewed as naïve but harmless. Most likely to be accepted by prisoners.

RIOTS! An insensitive administration and neglected prisoner demands. Lifestyles like on street. Dehumanizing conditions. Establishing “balance”