M - O

Ma: A girlfriend of a prisoner who is sticking it out.

Mafias: Dark sun-glasses.

Mag: Correctional officer. "Put that shank away.. here comes mag!" (NY)

Main Line: The general population.

Make Paper: Make parole.

Malasa: Used in segregation units by spanish inmates when an officer comes onto the run. (TX)

Man: An officer someone in a position of authority -- "The Man."

Man Walking: A signal that an officer is coming down the tier.

Mash: Homemade cell wine, also called hooch or pruno. (VA)

May tag:(1) Passive homosexual partner. (TX) (2) An imate who is forced to wash clothes for another. (NY)

Max Out: To serve one's full sentence.

Mecca Tower: Tower in the center of a prison. (FL)

Meditation: Solitary or segregated confinement. (TX)

MERD: Minimum Eligible Release Date for a specified term in security houseing.

Meth Charge: Child molestation, as in "mething around." (Iowa)

Mexican Round Up: Group harassment of Chicanos, including mass discipline for alleged gang activity. (TX)

Mickey Mouse Ticket: Disciplinary report. (WY)

Midnight Express: Escape, when one catches the "midnight express." Derived from the film of the same name, detailing an escape from a Turkish prison.

Missive: Many prisoners commonly use this word to refer to correspondence.

MTA: Medical technician.

Monkey: Correctional officer.

Monkey Mouth: Individual who speaks constantly about nothing substantial or valid.

Moe: Married homosexual in prison.

Monster: HIV. "He has the Monster." Also called "Ninja" (FL).

Mud: Coffee.

Mud Check: Confronting a convict to see if he or she will stand up for one's self.

Mule: Individual who transports contraband to a prisoner.

Muling: Using devices to move contraband from one location to another. (NC)

Mummy Dust: MJB coffee.

Mushfake: Any prisoner made item, including shanks or handmade weapons. (Ohio)

My Bad: My fault.

Navaja Shank or razor. (Sp., TX)

Nazi Low Rider: A white prison-street gang.

Nester: A member of Nuestra Familia

New Boot: A new correctional officer. (TX)

New Jack: New officeer or prisoner.

Nickel: A five-year term.

Ninja: AIDS.

NF: Nuestra Familia, a Northern Hispanic prison gang.

No Smoke: The prisoner will follow the orders of staff and not cause any problems. (MI)

Nothin' Coming: Inmate not deserving of regular issue or privileges, as in "That little girl stranglin' SOB has nothin' coming."

Nut up: Go crazy, become enraged. To plead insanity, sometimes shortened to "nutted."

Off the Chain: Go crazy. (FL)

Off the Hook: Crazy, wierd, odd. "He's off the hook", "This place is off the hook". (NY)

Old Head: Someone who has been incarcerated for many years. (VA)

Old Lady: Passive partner in a prison homosexual relationship.

Van Gogh painting   Old School: An old timer. One who has the values of a "convict" when prisoners paid more respect to each other.

Old-Timer: A convict who has served a lot of time inside. A member of the Old School. An "O.G" (old guy)

One Time: A warning call when an officer enters a tier. (LA)

On his leg: Pestering someone for special favors.

On Pipe: A homosexual or "punk" as il "He's on pipe."

On the Bottle: Subject to random or mandatory drug testing.

On the Bumper: Trying to get in the "car."

On the Cool: The meaning depends upon the intonation. Usually means something of a deceptive nature, however, spoken with intent it translates into pure truth. (TX)

On the Gate: Open the door.

On the Leg: A prisoner who is always chatting with officers.

On the Line: For sale (L.A. County Jail).

On the New: A new prisoner; a fish. Either used to justify inadvertent mistakes or to deride one who has made a mistake. (IL)

On the One: Honest. (George Washington, who was known never to lie, is on the one-dollar bill.) (TX)

On the River: A phrase used to describe time spent at Angola State Prison in Louisiana, which is surrounded by rivers on three sides. (LA)

Operation: Mass cell search. (IL)

Organization: Gang.

Out There Bad: To be in the wrong. "Man, you out there bad for doing that." (LA)

Ox: Razorblade.


P-R

P.A. (1) Program Administrator, responsible for particular units in California prisons. (2) In Texas, this may refer to physician's assistants.

Pack: (1)To carry contraband in the rectum. See also "Keester." (2) Carrying a concealed weapon. (MI)

Package: To have AIDS, or the "total package." (TX Fed.)

Packin': A prisoner who is carrying a weapon or drugs for sale. (VA)

Paid: A favorable outcome of a parole or classification hearing.

Paper: Proof that a prisoner is an informant or "rat." As in "We've got the paper on him."

Paperwork: (1) Prison records. (2) Complaint filed by officer against a prisoner. (IN)

Parole Dust: Fog.

Passenger: A friend, someone who is "in the car."

PC: Protective custody. Prisoners may be placed in protective custody for a number of reasons -- they may have snitched on a gang, the nature of an offense (such as child molestation) was leaked to others, or there is some weakness that would make them a victim. Also may be referred to as PS (protective segregation) (AZ).

Pearl Handle: A commercial cigarette. (AL)

Pearl: Move on or get out of the way fast.

Pecker Palace: A place for conjugal visits.

Peckerwood: A white prisoner. Originally, this was a derogatory term, but it has been adopted by some white gangs as positive reflection of gang loyalty.

Peels: An orange jumpsuit worn in some jails and prisons, from "orange peels."

Peter: A prisoners cell. (Scotland)

Pill Line: Line to receive perscribed medications.

Picket: The central area of tier wings or the hub of a dorm, where the bosses sit and supplies / forms may be available. (TX)

Pelicanizing: The process of implementing further restrictions at mainline prisons, resembling segregation units. Refers to the "super-maximum" prison at Pelican Bay.

Pencil Whipped: To be written up by an officer. (TX)

Phat: Pretty Hot And Tempting (attractive female). (FL)

PHD: Pre-Hearing detention, or ad seg. (TX)

Phone: (1) In the SHU, the toilet may be bailed out and used to talk to other prisoners. As in "Hey Joe get on the phone." (2) Someone wants to speak to the person.

Phones Off The Hook: The guard is listening

PHU: Protective Housing Unit. Unit assigned to prisoners who cannot program anywhere else in the system and meet certain criteria.

PIA: (1) P`iPon Industry Authority. (2) In Texas, this stands for Parole In Absentia, the practice that allows individuals to parole from the county jail having served their time there.

Pica: Knife (TX).

Pig: Officer.

Pile Weights, as in the iron pile.

Pillow Biter: Prisoner who is a rape victim. (NY)

Pinner: A marijuana cigarette the size of a toothpick.

Pipeline: A channel through which contraband enters a prison.

Pitcher: Sexually dominant, aggressive.

Placa: Corrrectional Officers. (Sp.)

Playing on Ass: Gambling without money -- if a prisoner loses " it's his ass."

Plexin: To be anxious or nervous. (NY)

Points: Prisoners in California are classified by security level according to the number of points awarded various factors on a scoresheet.

Pole Smoker: Homosexual.

Policing: An officer who is doing his or her job. "That officer is policing hard."

Polo Club: Checking into Protective Custody. As in, "He checked into the Polo Club because he couldn't pay his drug bill" (NY)

Po Po: Any officer. From "police." (MO)

Potty Watch: Special watch when someone is suspected of eating drugs or other contraband items, such as money. Also called, Dry Cell.

Pound: One's compound or yard, as in "How are things on the pound?"

Press Your Bunk Punk: Lay down on your bed and shut up

Priors: Previous prison terms, enhancing one's sentence or affecting the classification score

Prize of the Poor: Capital Punishment.

Pruno: Homemade alcohol, fermented juice, the classic prison drink. It is made by putting fruit juice, fruit, fruit peelings in a plastic bag with bread and/or sugar. The yeast in the bread along with the sugar helps ferment the fruit juice, fruit, or peelings. The plastic bag is usually placed down the toilet and secured so that it is not detected.

Pulling Someone's Card: Finding out about another prisoner.

Pull the Pin: Call for help, sometimes derogitory towards officers. "He's gonna pull the pin," or "He'd probably pull the pin." (NY)

Pumpkin Head: To have put something in pillow case and beaten somebody with it until their face becomes bruised or a "pumpkin head." Also, to give a "pumpkin head degree."

Punk: Homosexual, generally passive.

Punk City: Protective Custody.

Punking Out: (1) A prisoner who performs intercourse by force or free will. (2) To trade sexual favors for commisary (FL). (3) Disrespecting another, as in "You got punked-out by him" (Maine).

Purple: Illegal drugs going through the prison system.

Put Grass Under You: Walk away from a conversation.

Put on Front Street: Openly defy, as a prisoner will "put [a guard] on front street."

Put Off: Parole date set back.

Put Your Pen to the Wind: By prisoners, to tell an officer to go ahead and write a disciplinary report. By officers, to tell prisoners to go ahead and file a grievance. (TX)

Quiet Cell: A security cell with a double door, insulated from noise. Usually used for punishment purposes and isolation cells. Similar to "box-car" cells at ADX Florence.

R-Suffix: A designation for sexual offenders that limits (restricts) placement decisions. For obvious reasons, this suffix is to remain confidential.

Rabbit: a prisoner who is likely to try and escape, someone who "has rabbit in him." (TX / FL)

Rack: Bunk.

Rack In: Get in the cell.

Radio: (1) An old term asking for quiet (Shut up and listen to the radio). (2) A warning that an officer is walking towards one, and to turn off the radio or stop what one is doing.

Range Runners: Prisoners who are assigned to work details in housing units, where they may clean floors, take out the garbage, or provide particular items.

Rag: A bandanna.

Rank: High ranking officers, such as lieutenants or captains. As in "I want to talk to some rank."

Range: Tier, as in "yell down the range."

Rat: An informant. See "Snitch."

R.B.: "Rich bitch." Someone who has usually a lot of items, often top of the line in expense

Real Friend: Someone who sends packages or money.

Reals: Name brand cigarettes. (VA)

Red Tag: Confine to a cell.

Red Light Special: A death warrant on a member of the opposing gang.

Red Lock: A color code used by prisons to indicate that a lock must be shut at all times when unattended. Also designates segregation.

Rest Your Neck: Be quiet, as in "Lay down and rest your neck." Also, "Bite your pillow."

Retired: A lifer.

Rev: A religious prisoner.

Ride: (1) To pay commisary or sexual favors to prevent being assaulted by other inmates. (2) To go along with someone. (TX)

Ride Out: Transfer to a new prison. "They're riding out tomorrow."

Rider Shield: Getting in good with the correctional officers in order to not get attacked; brown nosing; sticking to the guards like glue. See also "riding leg."

Riding Leg: Becoming friendly to staff to get a favor. "He sure is riding that Lt's leg hard to get a bunk change." A prisoner who becomes friendly with officers may be known as a "leg rider" (ElReno, OK) or is "on the leg."

Rip: Hand-rolled cigarette. (FL)

Ripper: Rapist. (CT)

Road Dogs Walking the TrackRoad dogs: Prisoners who walk the track on the exercise yard together, as in the illustration. A person who has remained a best friend through thick and thin whether on the inside or on the outside.

Road Kill: Cigarette butts picked up on side side of road when out on a road clean up crew. They are taken back to the cell and rerolled in a toilet paper wrapper

Rolling: Officers coming on to the tier.

Roll Out: To move to other housing. Originally from rolling one's belongings into the mattress for a move. Also, "roll up."

Roll Over: To give up information or to snitch on another prisoner in order to avoid a harsher punishment.

Roll Right: Cigarette, not named brand.

Rolled Up: To be arrested or given a disciplinary write up.

Row: Tiers. (TX)

Ruca(o): Old Lady or Old Man ... as in, "She/he is my ..." (Sp.)

Rughead: African-American prisoner.

Rumdum" A prisoner who is considered to be weak. (Iowa)

Runner: A person that is supporting prisoner with packages &/or money orders.

Running Someon's Tags: Finding information about another prisoner.

Run Through Planned escape.

Rustle: Riot or disturbance.

Rustler: Predator, wolf.

S - U

Safe: Women prisoners may hide contraband in the "safe" (vagina).

Sallyport: The secured area where officers and other individuals pass into the institution or enter particular areas of the prison.

Sancho: The person who takes up a relationship with a prisoner's wife while he is serving a prison term.

Schooled: Taught in the ways of prison life.

Scooper: Eating with a spoon.

Scrapa: Northern Mexican term for Southern Mexicans. (Sp.)

Screw: Officer. (archaic)

Sealed Indictment: a disciplinary violation written by an officer without bothering to notify the inmate that it is being written. (TX)

Seg: Segregation (isolated or disciplinary unit), as in "ad seg".

Sending Out: In order to make a point about prison conditions, a weak inmate may be beaten, or sent out of the unit.

Serving a Second: Serving a term for second degree murder. (MA)

Set Off: To be denied parole for a period of time. (TX)

Shakedown: A search of a cell, work area, or person. The most common complaint by prisoners is that property is lost, destroyed, or left scattered after a search

Shank: Handmade prison weapon -- generally a stabbing instrument. Also called a shiv or a piece.

Shark: A guard who always makes a point of watching when men are in the showers. Also called a "Peter Gazer." (AZ)

Sheen: Marijuana. (Like an oil film on water, marijuana may also distort one's reality.) (NY)

Shine: (1) Homemade prison alcohol. See Pruno. (IL) (2) To show off in front of other prisoners. (FL)

Shit: HIV / AIDS. As in "She's got the shit, be careful about letting her use your rig!"

Shokram: To slice someones throat, throwing a homemade weapon

Shooting: Having sex with a punk, as in "shooting at someone." (TX)

Shooting a Move: Breaking a rule.

Short: (1) To be near the end of a sentence. (2) The short end of a cigarette. (FL)

Short Eyes:(1) Child molester. (archaic) (2) Pornography, held close to one's face. (NY)

Short Hair: A new correctional officer. (AK)

Shot: Friend. Disciplinary charge.

Shot Caller: A person on the yards who directs action/discipline. Someone in authority in a gang, a high ranking gang member.

Shot out (to the curb): Useless, worn out.

Shower Hawk: A prisoner who preys upon others in the showers.

SHU Unit at Pelican BaySHU: Security Housing Unit. Segregation, the Hole. Prisoners may be placed in the SHU for limited disciplinary terms or on an indeterminate basis for posing a general threat to prison security (such as alleged gang affiliation). The most notorious SHU unit in California is at the "super-maximum" Pelican Bay (pictured here), and is characterized by isolation, sensory deprivation, limited access to programs, and the use of force. Madrid v. Gomez, 889 F.Supp. 1146 (N.D. Cal. 1996). Pronounced "shoe."

Siberia: Isolation unit (LA County Jail).

Signed In: Put oneself in protective custody.

Sister: A younger prisoner who trades sexual favors for protection.

Sissy: A feminine prisoner in a homosexual relationship. (KY)

Six: Keep watch, as in "Hey, Joe, keep six for me."

Skating: Being in an area of the prison you are not allowed, especially another housing unit. Being "out of place".

Skeet: A hit of heroin.

Skid Bid: Short sentence.

Skinner: (1) Sex offender (ME). (2) New inmate or officer. (OK).

Slam: Use of force by an officer, bringing a prisoner to the floor and restraining him/her. The prisoner may be thrown to the ground, face first, while in handcuffs. (TX)

Slam down: To place in segregation or to lock up an institution or unit. May be shortened as a verb, "slammed."

Slammer: Jail or prison (archaic).

Sleep: To knock someone one. "I sleeped him."

Smoke on the Horizon: Increasing tensions and grievances that may explode into violence.

Snitch: An informant. Rat. One who has given up names or activities. In theory, the use of confidential information against a prisoner has certain procedural safeguards. In practice, "prison officials rely upon shadowy information . . . in a context prone to manipulative deception." In re Jackson(1987) 43 Cal.3d 501, quoting special master in Toussaint v. McCarthy.

Son: A prison "bitch." or punk. (NY)

Speeding Ticket: A rules violation notice for inappropriate behavior in the visiting room, such as kissing or touching.

Spider Monkey: Somone doing hard time, climbing the walls.

Split Your Wig: A quick punch to the head. (TX)

Spread: A feast of prisoner invented or created culinary specialities.

Sport Coat: A person whom a girlfriend is dating while a prisoner is locked up." Don't worry about her man, she just put on a sport coat for awhile." (MD)

Spread Your Shots: Borrow elsewhere. "It's okay for now, but why don't you spread your shots?" Also referred to as "Spread your hustle."

Spud Juice: Homemade alcohol, sometimes made with potatos. See also, pruno. (MI)

Spun Out: Crazy, stupid, idiotic.

Square: Cigarette.

SSU: Special Services Unit, the security (or "goon") squad.

Stand Your Gate: Order for prisoner to be in position in front of the cell.

Stand Point: To keep lookout for another prisoner.

Stash: To hide something.

Square: A cigarette. Also, a quantity of loose tobacco. (TX)

State Issue: Food, prison clothing, and other items given or mandated by the state.

Steel: A shank or homemade prison knife. (VA)

Straight: "That's straight, " or "I'm happy with that."

State Issue: Things provided by the state, usually clothes.

Stay Down:(1) Engage in a fight to prove one's manhood. (TX). (2) To stay by one's side and support a prisoner / loved one in various ways.

Stiched up: A problem that has been taken care of, generally through a fight.

Stick: (1) To stab with a knife. (2) Used by prisoners to designate someone as their pal or homeboy. The term is used by the correctional officers when referring to each other or other staff members as in the person who will stick by them in case trouble breaks out. Also called "stick man." (VA)

Stinger: Appliance used to heat water, which may be created by attaching live electrical wires to a metal plate.

Stir: A general term for prison dating from the mid-19th century. "Stir crazy," originated around 1925 to describe a prisoner who had become mentally disordered due to imprisonment. A "stir hustler" mastered the art of imprisonment. "Stir belly" described indigestion caused by tension or fear.

Stole: To be hit without warning. As in, "Man, he stole you." (TX)

Stop: A particular facility or site in the context of classification or transfer. A "good stop" is a preferred prison. (MA)

Story Up: Prove wht one is saying or admit that it is a lie. (Ont, Canada)

Strawberry: A woman who gives sex for drugs. (MO)

Street: The outside world, as in "on the street."

Striker: A device similar to a stinger used to light cigarettes. It generally consist of a bent paper clip pushed thru the erasure end of a pencil and another small piece of wire. When both are pushed into an outlet, the prisoner taps the wire on the carbon on the writing end of the pencil causing a carbon arch with hot sparks. (UT)

Stuck Out: Not getting something that was wanted. "You missed chow...you're stuck-out!" (TX)

Stuffing: Carryng drugs inside the rectum. (NY)

Stuntin' To lie, or to pretend to have knowledge of something.

Sucker Stroking: To get teary eyes missing one's girlfriend. As in "He's really sucker stroking over her."

Suit Casing: Carrying drugs/contraband in rectum. (NC)

Suitcasing: To conceal contraband in one's rectum. (NC)

Sureno:South side, South Sider. A hispanic prison gang member from the southern side of California.

Swag: Sandwich made by kitchen workers to pay off a debt.

Sweetie-Gold: Individually wrapped cookie-cakes saved from meals and used for gambling

Switch: A sandwich. (BC, Can.)

Swoll: Or "swole." (1) Unhappy,mad, angry. "He's swoll because he just caught a case." (TX) (2) Big, muscular.

T-Jones: a prisoner's mother; Parents. Used primarily by African-Americans. "I got a letter from my T-Jones."

Tack: Tattoo.

Tack Head: Someone's woman

Tack Up: Confrontational order, as in sticking someone against a wall.

Tally Ho: Rubber cement found in prison shoes, used as an inhalant.

Tally Water: An intoxicant that is inhaled.

Teardrop: Ten year sentence.

Ticket: A transfer order; disciplinary report.

Tip: Prison gang.

Tailor made: a packaged cigarette, as distinguished from roll your own tobacco.

Talking out the side of his neck: Disbelief in what a prisoner is saying. From past practices when prisoners were not allowed to speak to each other and learned to talk to the person next to them while standing and looking straight ahead.

Tank Boss: Prisoner in charge of an area shared by others. May receive certain favors for keeping others in line. (TX)

Taking it to the Square: To call out for a fight. (TX)

Tat: tattoo.

Teller: A snitch or informant. (VT)

The Go Slow: Disciplinary unit, as "They gave him seven days in the go-slow."

Three Knee Deep: Stabbed with a shank, not deep enough to kill, as a warning.

Three Snap Case: An individual likely to go berzerk at any given moment.

Throwed Off: Anti-social conduct; questionable sanity. (TX)

Throw Up a Block: When a prisoner (or group of prisoners) block the view of officers to hide the actions of others. (NY)

Tib: Cell. (IL)

Tipped up: Member of the Aryan Brotherhood or other prison gang.

Tit: Drugs, heroin.

Toosh Hog: A hard ass. Someone who is tough and is respected by other convicts. (VA)

Tossing Salad: Stronger, older, inmate forcing a weaker, newer prisoner to lick his anus.

To the Door: How long one has to serve. As in, "I got five to the door." (FL)

Traffic Ticket: Minor disciplinary offense.

Trailer: A conjugal visit, as in a "trailer visit." (NY)

Train: Transportation from a county jail to prison (TX).

Transpack: To pack one's belongings for a transfer.

Tree Jumper: (1) Rapist. (2) Someone convicted of a sex crime which involves a minor. Also, "tree chopper." (CA)

Trees Marijuana. (NY)

Trick: Someone from the outside who is used as a source of money or other favors.

T.S.: Texas Syndicate. A prison gang, apparently no longer active in California, but still a factor in Texas.

Tuck: To sneak contraband anally.

'Tude: Bad attitude.

Tune Up: A severe beating by an officer.

Turning the KeyTurnkey: A guard who is there just to open doors, who cares about nothing other than doing his or her shift.

Turn Out: To rape or make into a "punk."

Twist Your Cap: To shoot or kill.

Unit: A particular part of the prison, as in "What unit are you in?"

Up The Road: Being transported from jail to prison.


V-Z

Viking: (1)To live the good life, to enjoy a particular bounty of goods while in prison. (2) A slob who doesn't keep his cell clean.

The Walk: The walkway in a prison which leads from one place to another. Most walks contain yellow lines on both sides. Inmates are required to walk on one side of the lines.

Walkalone: A prisoner who cannot exercise on a yard with other prisoners. San Quentin's death row has a yard for "walkalones" to exercise together.

Walking Down Paper: Serving the balance of an original sentence on parole.

War Daddy: A prisoner who protects another inmate from criminal or mischevious acts inside a prison. a protected inmate must also "pay" this protection.(FL)

Warden's Court: Internal hearing for disciplinary charges. (Can.)

Warehouse: An institution with overcrowded conditions and little or no program. Housing may be in a dorm or a gym converted to living space.

Wariche: Coffee (Spanish).

Water Bug: A small, homemade electrical device used for heating water. (FL) Also called a "stinger."

Waterhead: A derogatory term referring to an inept inmate. Someone who does not fit in and is not respected.

Wave Cap: Cloth worn on the head of a prisoner. (MI)

Weedy-Weedy: To snitch or provide information on someone.

Weezo: Snitch, informant. (TX)

Went Up In That Fire: Has AIDS.

White Ain't Right: Apart from the racial meaning, anyone wearing the mandated white prison garb in Texas will never be believed in a disciplinary hearing or dispute with an officer. (TX)

White Money: Currency within an instituiton.

White Shirts: High ranking officers. (VA)

Wick: A tightly roled up piece of tiolet paper. When lit, it burns very slow, almost like a cigarette. May be used to light cigarettes where that is still possible.

Wire: A message, or info that comes over the phone, as in "I got a wire today about..."

Wobble Head: Prisoners with mental health problems or on medication.

Wolf: Predator.

Wolf Ticket: A prisoner or staffer who shoots of his mouth in an aggressive manner challenging others, without intending to back it up. As in "He's selling wolf tickets"

Wood: White prisoner, usually a derogatory term. From "Peckerwood."

World: Home, the outside world, as "When I get back to the world . . ."

Working the Corners: Building a relationship in prison to provide news, information, or protection. Being "plugged" into the prison undercurrents.

Worktime Credits: Half -time (one day for two) earned after California prisoners are assigned to a job.

Wreck: When a prisoner gets into trouble, as in "Did you hear about Jones? He got into a wreck last night on East yard."

Write Up: Disciplinary report.

Writ-Writer: A jailhouse lawyer, or someone who writes a lot of law suits or prison grievance appeals.

Yanked His Coat (or Jacket): Finding out and confronting another prisoner with something he or she may be hiding. Also, "Jam."

Yard: The exercise area. In segregation, the yard may be nothing more than a concrete "dog run" with no equipment. Other units may have a basketball court, recreation equipment, or grassy areas.

Yellow Brick Road: Yellow lines indicaing path that prisoners from stay within.

Yo Yo: A person who is not sexually active with other prisoners.

X-Cat:Lifer, in need of mental health evaluation.

Zoo Zoos: Canteen goods, such as candy or cookies. Also called "wham whams."

Prison Maxims:

Do your own time: The fundamental prison maxim. Don't bother other prisoners or pry too deeply into their affairs.

Drink plenty of water and walk slow. . .: "The water will keep your system flushed and you're going nowhere fast." Time moves slowly, but there are consequences to every action.

Its mind over matter . . . They don't mind and you don't matter: An official action that lacks any logic. Officers do not care and a prisoner does not matter.

There are no secrets in the penitentiary: In prisons, rumor and gossip circulate fast.

You're in prison now: The reality of the situation.

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