You're The New Fish In Prison

Nobody ever talks about how to survive in prison in case you have to go into one up state for some timeout away from regular society. So therefore I make this topic about it. So say you've got only five years to do... How do you manage to survive in prison with all those violent people called lifers?... How do you manage to not get your butt whooped?... What would be your M.O?

[edit on 6-2-2010 by Tormentations]

Never been but know lot of people who have. Few tips.

Gotta have street smarts times 10. Depends on what you're locked up for; murder of a child/woman, rape, molestation,things of that nature will paint a bulls eye on your back and you're getting checked for that soon as you arrive. However, if a regular crime, you're gonna get checked soon as you arrive by similiar race; white black, mexican etc to see how much heart you got. From there you can either clique up or fly solo. Cliqueing up offers pros and cons as well as flying solo. join up, it's do or die but you have others watching your back long as you aint a female dog. Flying solo will spare you being under control of others however, you aren't protected and are isolated, having to rely on other solo flyers to help defend you/eachother. So bear that in mind. Otherwise, be respectful but defensive. Don't be scared to defend yours IF someone confronts you. Can't show any fear or fright. Mind your business and keep low profile but always stay ALERT. Remember, this is the streets except a LOT worse. Use your head and always be ready for worst.

If they mess with you, fight to the death.
Don't accept defeat, only accept death.

This is to avoid being abused/murdered/raped by other prisoners.

If they wanna destroy you for not reason, here are 6 good defense measures.

1) Eye Gouges (then pull them out)
2) Attack the adam's apple (break it)
3) Testicles
4) Hit with elbow strikes not your fists *far more lbs per square inch this way*
5) Uppercut their nose

6)One guy I know just bit into a guys neck and never let go till they tazed him off. He had blood pouring from his mouth lol. *Supposedly* Needless to say, no one raped him. (They were going to though).

Any combination of these things should give you a reputation as being a total utter psychopathic maniac.

I am sorry to have to post such horrific things, but I have put a lot of thought into this one. I am a small guy and HAVE to use cheap tactics and brutal attacks to survive vs all these strong guys.

I am not saying you should ever do that to anyone. Only as a line of last defense when you know you are about to get raped/murdered by the filthy prisoners.

NEVER USE IT ON GUARDS !!!!!
Treat your Guards with Respect and they Respect you!

Study Krav Maga!

Watch all 5 parts of that Video for a starter.

Study!
Mind = Strength

Mods, if my post is too explicit go ahead and censor/remove it.
Leave that Krav Maga video though at least haha.

Soap and rope.

Second line.

Just act bad like these dudes.

www.youtube.com...

Be a good actor.

Killing is not the answer. I've trained in martial arts for quite a while. I've formed my own style based on jeet kune do and tai chi. Be quick, strike critical nerve points and never block an attack, instead move into it, strike, evade your opponent's line of sight, strike and strike again. If you'd like to know more just send me a message.

Break his bones, disable him for life, but never kill.


[edit on 6-2-2010 by deadforce]

real help for people going to the pen. (prison, not jail)

1) dont talk about your crime..if someone asks, simply say "I am here because I screwed up, and thats all that needs to be said" and thats about it...

2) If you dont want to get into fights, learn checkers/chess. find those old timers that do nothing but play checkers and chess in the corner and befriend them. stick away from youth.

3) Dont give anything away without fair trade. once you give anything away, then your a sucker and your marked. They will test you with that hey bro, give me some whatevers. stick strong and tell them only for X...whatever X is, but dont make it token #...make it for their roll of toilet paper or something that they really have to consider...if they say no, then say sorry..cant do it

4) Exercise alot. not soo much lifting weights as cardio...lifting weights and people will size you up, cardio and they will simply see your wirey...wirey people are less badass points to fight, but more feared subconsciously...and it will make you feel good.

5) everything is a tradeable or usable commodity...stock up on anything and everything, multipurpose is the keyword. keep forks, pencils, anything you can...be suprised how handy crap like that comes in.

6) Dont be down or sad all the time. Screw it...your in there, you got your time and then you will be back out...no need to continue grumping about life, make the best of it...sad people make few friends as everyone else is in the same damn boat as you. but in saying that, dont be Mr. happy go lucky either.

7) stick with your race. Even if your the most non-racist person ever, if your in prison, you gotta stick to the color most represented by your skin, else there is all kinds of issues with everyone. Doesn't mean get tats and scream racial stuff...just go in with the attitude that you know where to stand and wont be risking an ass beating from everyone for no reason...everyone should respect that decision.

8) Learn the zen of checkers...I know this was already stated, but its worth a double post...those older guys in the corner playing checkers...they are almost outside of the pecking order...across a checker board you can hang with who you want, not worry about aggressive nonsense, etc...might be a bit boring, but you keep your teeth...seriously...hang with the old guys.

9) The cops there arent your friends, but they arent your enemy either. smile and laugh at them, but dont buddy buddy with them. Exaggerate to a semi-sarcastic (yet subtle) tone proper manners...but dont be a fool and carry it to piss them off. you dont want to piss off the cops there...Some will feel for you and others, and some like to beat ass on little punks for fun..(show them proper respect)...oh, and dont get caught looking for long at the police women. They may be hot, but its not worth the smackdown if your caught staring...well, unless she is just silly hot.

10) Dont count the days left to go, count the days you did already...that will keep you more sane. Keeping your sanity is critical...take up as many activities as possible to fill in the weeks...go to church services, even if your a athiest, it at least gives your mind something else to ponder. take up courses, try to become a trustee, etc...just do something with the time, it will make the time go much faster than nothing at all, and you may qualify for work release or something earlier if you show drive, determination, and all that stuff. (just dont screw it up should that happen.)


Source of info - couple friends and a nephew, and a few months in the county pokey talking to people thats been. Jail is very different than prison btw...some rules are the same, but most are very different.

Great topic, I've wondered about this from time to time. The advice to only accept death rings with me. Otherwise win the others over, listen to them, make friends... Biting like that seems like a good way to get people to realize you wont just be rolled over. It's a huge mind game, the way people choose who they want to dominate. Unfortunately somebody loses. But if you are put in prison for your beliefs or something where you have done noone harm, then you have every right to defend yourself. Let the real criminals hurt eachother. At best though, you would hope nobody get's hurt/raped. I truly don't fear prison just the rape part, the human element, my God if people only realized who are true enemies are, they wouldn't do these things to eachother.

Yeah you guys are right.

Always avoid fights. You will gain nothing from fighting someone, and in reality you risk losing things (teeth etc).

So I support the "learn checkers/chess" comments 100%.

Fighting sucks. Do Anything Possible to avoid it.

But if you have to...

I gather from the replies to this thread that this is US Prison related.

I can only speak of the UK in this matter. UK Prisons are totally different in how they are governed and how Prisoners act with each other and of the Prison Officers.

Gangs (race related) are few and far between as far as I know in the UK Prison system.

There is a form of 'heirarchy' Prisoner wise, where the sex offenders (nonces) are the bottom of the pile alongside Peodophiles.

Great Thread

I saw a documentary that said something like sixty percent of prisoners are raped. WOW.

First of all, if I knew I was going to prison I would smuggle in as much "contraband" as I possibly can, ... the mark up in prison is insane, ... like ten times the street value, ... last time I was in County, cigarettes were going for like 5 dollars.

remember, if you can't defend yourself you can always pay someone else to do it.

Be wary of people who offer goods or favor's, they may want repayment. Other inmates may manipulate situations to make it appear that your goods are in jeopardy and would be safer with them.

If you can't cut it in mainline, you can go to the special needs yard I think they call it, .... protective custody, ... or child molesters, rapists, ... or people who would generaly fall prey to other inmates. Theres also isolation if you can handle that.

I would advise against gangs, ... as their going to inevitably make you put in work .... which might get you extra time, or stabbed if you don't do it, remember, misery likes company.

reply to post by muzzleflash


Unless your life is in danger do NOT bite someone. Prisoners by and large have a higher rate of blood transmissable diseases and you may very well be giving yourself a death sentence. Your other tips are fine, eye gouging, breaking the adams apple etc but no, do not bite unless you are sure your life is in danger.

Oh and as for rape, while i have never been tp prison i know people that have and they have shared many stories. One guy told me some prisoners had ganged up on someone and when he refused to give them oral sex, (he threatened to bite off their privates) they bashed out his teeth so that he couldn't bite and all raped him.

The rest of the time they'll just gang up on someone and hold him down, then take it in turns. If they want to rape you then they'll do it, i don't care if you're Bruce Lee, you won't take on 6 men in a small space and win.

A friend of mine (done for possession of drugs) requested isolation. Apparently in the UK you can't just request this and get it, you get stuck in isolation if you are either in danger or you are a danger to prisoners or guards. So he spoke to a guard, quite politely explaining that he was desperate to get into isolation and if they didn't give it to him then he'd start assaulting guards/prisoners until he got it. He acted desperate, twitchy, like he was about to crack, (something i imagine was easy to do).

He got solitary and managed to survive it without any ill effects. But remember that study after study says that solitary confinement is very damaging to most people, often leading to psychosis and long term damage. Mixing exercise and meditation was something he was was key.

[edit on 6-2-2010 by ImaginaryReality1984]

im guessing it matters how long and for what you did to be in there in the first place, survial in prison is a good topic though,....

Hell if your tiny, skinny, pacifist, weak, and scare easily, the best survival might just be to be someone's B1tc4, for protection of course...

however if your wild and crazy, and did something insane to be there, then siding with like mided individuals might be the best option,... if your doing 25-life then what really is survival? especially if your 45 when you go in.

some people can hypnotize with silence, the fear of the unknown unknown.
best practices come with socail darwin-ism, and the ability to adapt and overcome, hell you just might get a job in the kitchen and be everybody's friend while doin a nickel....?

Trouble runs in groups try to stay away from them but this move will not last long sooner or later they will ask you if you pitch or catch or if your white or black or Hispanic and they are sub groups with in thees groups (well they all tend to bunch together) and if you cant talk your way out then one of to things will happen you will side with one or the other our you will fight if it comes to fighting your way out pick the biggest meanest one in your line of sight and fight till you cant fight no more you will get your tail kick maybe worse but you will prove one thing ether your a BAD MOTOR SCOOTER or your crazy as all get out the best thing to do is just do your time and not theirs try to pass unnoticed and yes Iv bean there

reply to post by hillbilly4rent


The lack of punctuation really made it seem like you were giving last minute advice to someone who was minutes away from heading to prison. Starred it, I will always remember that advice and try to let them know I'm a BAD MOTOR SCOOTER when all else fails.

Any insight and/or personal experiences from women regarding women's prisons?

Work, live or know someone... etc.

Just curious about the differences, I would presume there are many.

reply to post by Novise


Thees days and time it may be last minute advice to someone who knows? I never thought I would have went but I did. I"m Not proud that I went but I am proud of the reason I went for. sorry about the punctuation I love run on sentences.

reply to post by hillbilly4rent


I love run on sentences too. I don't try to do it too much because I might get tired of it, but every now and then I will do it. It's a thrill. It's like running out of breath, and what you are saying is more important than breathing. I know people who have been in prison, none of them (EDIT) that I know are truly bad people.

[edit on 6-2-2010 by Novise]

Why wait to do any of these drastic things inside a prison?

I would not let anybody put me in prison. I would start with the first person who decided I would go into prison, and then I would not stop until death. Nobody will put me in prison. I am a good person and do not deserve to ever be put in prison. But if somebody wanted to.... good luck. It could be the judge, the bailiff, a lawyer, anybody. They would all suffer until my last breath. They could taze me, but as soon as I had any freedom of movement I would start on the next available person. Nobody will put me in prison.