LIFE IN PRISONThe system of incarceration in the United States is a "balancing act"......The state must weigh the rights of the

convicted with the best interest of society

Prisonization is the process where newly incarcerated individuals come to accept

their place within the prison system. For some this process takes a short time and

others never fully adjust, but with the prisonization process comes and entire lifestyle

with its own code of conduct, subculture and language. What is the prison code of

conduct?

No matter where incarceration takes place, there are 5 key

elements to a prison code. Don't interfere with another

inmates interests. . Do your time and don't add to it. Don't

exploit other inmates. Don't whine about where your at. Don't

trust the correctional officers and staff.

Gresham Sykes a Criminal Justice Professor has identified

what he calls the "five pains" of imprisonment which have led

to the creation of the prison subculture we have today in the

United States. The "pains' are.....

1. The deprivation of personal liberty inmates are "civilly

dead".

2. The deprivation of desired goods and services.

3. The deprivation of opposite sex relationships.

1. The deprivation of autonomy you take directions from

others people for basic life activities.

2. The deprivation of security violence remains a big

concern in today's prisons.

One of the things that has developed in the prisons of today is what's known as prison argot or prison

slang. Here are some common terms used: Ad Seg : Administrative segregation. When a prisoner is

placed on Ad seg he is being investigated and will go to the hole until the investigation is complete.

Beef : Criminal charges .Can also be used to mean problem. Bum Beef : A false accusation. Also, a

wrongful conviction.

Big yard : Main recreation yard.

Bit : Prison sentence, usually relatively short.

Blocks : Cellhouses.

The Chain : The bus transports that bring prisoners to prison. One is shackled and chained when

transported.

De Seg : Disciplinary Segregation. When a person is on De seg he is in the "hole" for an infraction.

Fish : A new arrival, a first timer, not wise to prison life.

Hacks/Hogs/Pigs/Snouts/Screws/Cops/Bulls : The guards, called "Correctional Officers" by them selves and

inmates.

Hold your mud : Not tell, even under pressure of punishment.

The Hole : An isolation ﴾"segregation" ﴿ cell, used as punishment for the most paltry of offenses as well as serious

offenses.

House : Cell.

Iron Pile: Weight, weightlifting equipment.

Jolt : A long sentence.

Lifer : Anyone with a life sentence.

Lock down : When prisoners are confined to their cells.

Mule : A person who smuggles drugs or other contraband into the institution.

Rat/Snitch/Stool

Pigeon :informant or to inform.

Prison Inmate Characteristics

90% of prisoners in the U.S. are in state prisons; 10% are in federal prisons.

Prison Inmate CharacteristicsThe largest proportion of state prisoners are:

• Male• Minority• Have not completed high school• Under age 35• Have never married

Prison Inmate CharacteristicsThe prison population is characterized as follows:

• About 50% are serving sentences for violent offenses

• About 20% for property offenses

• About 20% for drug offenses

• The remainder for public order offenses

Organization and Administration by Government• Each state has a department of corrections or

a similar administrative body to coordinate the various adult prisons in the state.

• Most adult prisons employ a quasi-military model of administration and management.

Some of the more common facility types are:

• Classification and other special facilities

• Men’s prisons

• Women’s prisons

• Jails and lockups

Types of Facilities

Classification and Other Special Facilities

Most prisoners are initially sent to a classification facility.

Classification facilityA facility to which newly sentenced offenders are taken so that their security risks and needs can be assessed and they can be assigned to a permanent institution.

Classification and Other Special Facilities

The decision of where to place an offender rests on a variety of factors:

• The offender’s security risk

• Program services the offender needs, such as counseling

• Any problems such as alcohol dependency

• The nature of the offense continued…

Classification and Other Special Facilities

• The offender’s prior record, propensity toward violence and escape, and vulnerability to victimization by other inmates

• Programs offered at the state’s institutions, and the related crowding levels

Men’s PrisonsMen’s prisons, the most common general type of prison, are often distinguished by security level.

security levelA designation applied to a facility to describe the measures taken, both inside and outside, to preserve security and custody.

Men’s PrisonsThe simplest security level categorization is:

• maximum

• medium

• minimum

Men’s Prisons

Maximum-security facilities are characterized by very tight internal and external security.

Men’s PrisonsCommon security measures include:• A high wall or razor-wire fencing• Armed-guard towers• Electronic detectors• External armed patrol• A wide, open buffer zone between the outer wall or

fence and the community

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Men’s Prisons

• Restrictions on inmate movement• The capability of closing off areas to contain riots

or disruptions

Men’s PrisonsA recent development is the “ultramaximum” or “supermaximum-security” prison to house notorious offenders and problem inmates from other institutions.

These institutions utilize:• Total isolation of inmates• Constant lockdowns

Men’s PrisonsMedium-security institutions place fewer restrictions on inmate movement inside the facility.

Characteristics often include:

• Dormitory or barracks-type living quarters

• No external security wall

• Barbed wire rather than razor wire

• Fences and towers that look less forbidding

Men’s Prisons

Minimum-security prisons are smaller and more open.

Men’s PrisonsThey often house inmates who:• Have established records of good behavior• Are nearing release

Characteristics often include:• Dormitory or barracks living quarters• No fences• Some inmates may be permitted to leave during the

day to work or study• Some inmates may be granted furloughs

Men’s Prisons

Individual inmates are classified by custody level.

Although custody levels are sometimes designated by the same terms as security levels, they are independent of each other.

Women’s PrisonsWomen make up about 7% of the prison population, but the incarceration rate for women has grown faster than the incarceration rate for men.

• A greater proportion of women than men are serving sentences for property offenses.

• Women are more likely to have dependent children and to be serving their first prison term.

Women’s Prisons• Prisons exclusively for women tend to be

smaller and house fewer inmates than institutions exclusively for men.

• Dorm and cottage plans are much more common than cell-block plans for women’s prisons.

Jails and Lockups

Suspects usually stay in a lockup for only 24 to 48 hours.

• A suspect may later be transferred from the lockup to the jail.

Jails and LockupsIn practice, a jail serves a catchall function in criminal justice and corrections. A jail may hold:

• Convicted offenders serving short sentences• Convicted offenders awaiting transfer to prison• Offenders who have violated their probation or

parole• Defendants who are awaiting trial

Prison ServicesMany of the human services and programs found in the free society are duplicated within prisons:

• Food services• Building maintenance and repair (often performed

by inmates)• Medical and dental services• Mail and phone services

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Prison Services

• Visitations• Commissaries where prisoners can purchase food,

tobacco, radios, and reading materials• Recreational facilities• Legal resources• Religious services

Prison ServicesAll institutions have special-needs populations, in particular:

• Elderly inmates who require more medical attention

• Inmates with mental disorders

• Inmates with HIV and AIDS

Prison Services

It has long been assumed that rehabilitation can be facilitated by improving inmates’ academic skills and providing them with job skills.

• Much prison education amounts to remedial schooling designed to prepare inmates to obtain their GEDs.

Prison Services

Some prison vocational programs operate as part of job assignments, others are separate.

Either way, the goal is to provide inmates with job skills that will improve their marketability upon release.

Prison ServicesCounseling and therapy offered in prisons varies widely. • Sometimes individual counseling (one-on-

one with a counselor) and group counseling are both offered.