Prisons are dangerous places and a breeding ground of lies, deceit and violence. While many believe that they can rely on the prison staff for information and guidance, other then when it comes to writing up an inmate for disciplinary issues, those incarcerated soon learn that prison staff would rather not be bothered. Staff only do the minimum when it comes to helping inmates deal with problems and issues. They basically leave the inmates on their own to figure out how things work.
By knowing what to expect, what the best jobs are, how to obtain medical care, you’ll have the peace of mind of not making a costly mistake that can have lingering effects on your entire prison stay such as loss of good-time, visits, telephone use or commissary privileges.
How To Survive a Prison Rules :
PRISON SURVIVAL RULE 1.
NEVER CHANGE THE TV CHANNEL WITHOUT ASKING THE OTHER INMATES
When I was in the Medium High FCI in Phoenix, Arizona, I had dinner with a fellow inmate one night and he was dead the next morning, all because he changed the channel on a television in a common area being used by several inmates, and someone took offense over that and stabbed him to death! An Investigation was initiated.The entire inmate population was interrogated, as well as commissary shopping being canceled, and the prison was locked down for the entire month with visits canceled to prevent the spread of violence.
PRISON SURVIVAL RULE 2.
NEVER CUT IN THE PHONE LINE OR ANY LINE FOR ANY REASON
In another instance, an inmate cut in line in front of other inmates at a bank of telephones designated for inmate calls. A waiting inmate took offense to this and grabbed the telephone receiver from the offending inmate’s hands and smashed him in the face with it.Several of the inmate’s knocked several teeth out and his face was left bloody and bruised. It is considered bad manners and disrespectful to the inmate population to cut in any line, especially phone lines, dining hall line and commissary lines.
PRISON SURVIVAL RULE 3.
NEVER REACH ACROSS ANOTHER INMATE’S FOOD TRAY
Dining Halls can hold hundreds of inmates at a time and are frequently where riots and disturbances jump off. I was sitting in an inmate dining hall at a four man table for lunch at the FCI in Safford, Arizona. I watched in amazement as a newly arrived inmate sitting next to me reached across the table. His mistake was reaching over another inmate’s food tray to grab a salt shaker. The inmate who the tray belonged to, picked up a napkin dispenser. He then smashed the offending inmate over the head with it knocking him out. Never reach across a food tray for any reason!PRISON SURVIVAL RULE 4.
NEVER SIT ON ANOTHER INMATE’S BUNK WITHOUT PERMISSION
An inmate’s bunk is considered to be his house. It’s very important that you should never sit down on another inmate’s bunk. Also avoid picking up or using another inmate’s property without their express permission.With personal space and property in prisons being of a limited nature, it’s considered extremely disrespectful and rude to take liberties with things belonging to others and could lead to you being labeled a thief and being blackballed as an outcast by the entire inmate population.
A stigma placed on an inmate can follow them in the event they are transferred to a new Federal Prison facility.
PRISON SURVIVAL RULE 5.
NEVER RAT OUT ANOTHER INMATE FOR ANY REASON
Just about everyone who’s in custody share a common denominator in that the reason they are locked up. Other then committing a crime… it’s because someone finked on them! Well on the inside, there’s nothing worse then being labeled a snitch.The quickest way to lose the respect of your fellow inmates is to rat them out to the cops. Other then people locked up for Kiddie Porn, snitches are among the most hated people on the inside. So if you got a 5K.1 for cooperation at sentencing, it’s not a good idea to go broadcasting that to others.