Supply And Demand and The Economics of Prison
When it comes to the prison economics of prison, you have to live inside here to understand it. For example, inmates use “postage stamps” as…
When it comes to the prison economics of prison, you have to live inside here to understand it. For example, inmates use “postage stamps” as…
Derrick Walker talks about entering prison for the first time and what people need to know to stay safe. Drawing on his own years of…
The 30 prisoners I interviewed in the Coffield Unit in Texas have served for a variety of lengths of time; some for decades, and others…
How’s a 23-year old kid supposed to process having to spend the rest of his life in prison, in a cage? He doesn’t. How does…
This prison advice for women comes from Monique Houston, a woman who entered prison at just 20 years old and is now nineteen years into…
Antwaun Johnson believes racist prison guards are not an abstract concept — they are a daily reality for Black inmates in Virginia. He has spent…
Psycho. Fresh, Peace Maker, Lee 3, G-Town, Turtle, and C-Murda are just a few of the prison nicknames some of the prisoners on my cellblock…
Prison can be a scary place. Even scarier can be the IDEA of prison for someone who is facing it, especially if that someone has…
ON SENTENCING: Although I’ve been here 940 days, I have not had a trial yet. For two years, the D.A and the defense attorneys have…
David from Maryland There are no truly foolproof methods for navigating prison, because prison is many things—differing from era to era, person to person, and…
Dorothy Maraglino, serving a life sentence in California, shares a long list of lessons learned in prison. The people in the position to help the…
Justin Welch tells us what he wishes somebody would have told him right when before he headed to prison. It might’ve helped him avoid making…
Darius Harris writes that there are several things he’s learned in his time in prison that will help “new fish” acclimate to life inside. If…
Marcus Isreal describes what he did when he arrived in prison as a young man and how, over time, he eventually learned he had a…
Since the day Daniel Hyden crashed his car into a crowd of NYC partygoers, killing four people, he says the only relief he’s had from…
Although sexual predators in prison aren’t that common after PREA, Steven Williams describes how a predator named Seventeen was consistently harassing his young friend Dax,…
Antwaun Johnson has been in and out of prisons for decades but he’ll never forget how he felt when he first arrived: lost, confused, angry.…
MarQui Clardy shares crucial prison tips for first-time inmates, covering respect, rights, survival strategies, and how to stay true to yourself behind bars. I’ll never…
Author Chris Dankovich found his identity at the center of anarchy and order while being confined in prison for 20 years in Michigan. “Dankovich offers…
Ty Evans explains how living with bad cellmates inside a maximum-security prison can test patience, push boundaries, and even provoke violent thoughts. I stood over…
Luis Paz explains how important it is for inmates to have a prison hustle. Not only for having extra currency, but because it teaches you…
Woop! Woop! The loud noises stir me from my sleep. It’s coming from men yelling out a warning from the cells around me. Woop! Woop!…
Arnold Barnes recounts a harrowing prison transport experience that exposes the chaos, humiliation, and shock of arriving at a new facility where danger and disbelief…
April recounts how her noisy and chaotic environment turns every morning into a stressful ordeal in prison. Imagine a daycare center—the toddler room, to be…
Amid the relentless chaos of New Jersey State Prison, one inmate’s attempt to find quiet in prison is dramatically interrupted by a sudden alarm. The…
After her parole revocation, a mother confronts profound loneliness in prison, turning to writing and virtual communication in an attempt to bridge the distance between…
An in-depth look at the Arizona prison crisis and the critical challenges it faces — from staff shortages to violations of inmates’ rights, revealing a…
My experience with suicide watch in prison occurred on the very first night I was there. Arriving at the county jail after midnight, I was…
The personal and poignant story of a transgender inmate grappling with identity, respect, and survival in the confines of prison. I’m a transgender inmate. Not…
Thomas Koskovich takes a look back at the evolution of his criminal life to better understand how he ended up in prison with two life…
Guys are dying of overdoses and suicides in a Texas prison. One inmate, Jeremy Busby, tries to help. Then his best friend commits suicide. Do…
I recount the indignities of prisoners, detailing the harsh conditions and neglect endured in an Arkansas jail. My name is Scott Linn. I am a…
Charles details the chilling reality of having severe psychotic episodes in prison, offering a raw take on the mental health struggles many face behind bars.…
Guy discusses how the unavailability of Band-Aids in prison mirrors the lack of basic compassion. I never really used Band-Aids on the outside, although I…
This is why I return to prison over and over again. Straight to the point: me thinking I can game the system, beat it, get…
Deirdre McDonnell writes about what it means to feel lonely in prison and how small daily choices can help transform isolation into moments of purpose…
After I left the “cushy” San Mateo County Jail in 2006, I was headed to prison — San Quentin. Just the name of San Quentin struck…
Going to prison for life as a teenager is something most young people cannot truly understand at first. Adam Roberts, (who has since been released),…
Jury bias in the American court system continues to undermine fair trials, leading to wrongful convictions rooted in racism, hearsay, and systemic injustice. I’d like…
Spending a long time in prison, you learn to read the way that people walk and move. It becomes both a survival instinct, as well…
Hands cuffed behind my back, I’m lost in thought. A lot has happened in the past few hours. It’s my first day of prison. “This…
My brother’s motorcycle accident ripped his body apart. The news report called it Man vs. SUV. Driving 125 mph, being chased by the police without…
The air in the mess hall is saturated with fear and tension. A couple hundred convicted murderers, rapist, drug kingpins, and gang bangers have assembled,…
I am an army of one, fighting to keep my head above the putrid slimy waters engulfing the prison. I came to prison ten years…
The feeling of being directed to bend over at the waist, spread your ass cheeks, and expose your anus is too awful for words. I…
Earlier this year (i.e. 2023) Texas finally got around to fully incorporating the prison tablets into its prisons. I have been reading about e-tablets being…
Interpersonal relationships are always important. But, in a prison setting, it is a lot more so. After all, we live in a small community where…
There are those who believe that, with the indictment of Donald Trump, the American criminal justice system will be put on trial. My only comment…
Rule number one of prison: the tougher you look, the easier your ability to choose the person you want to be while inside. Be labeled…
A friend asked me about forgiveness. I decided I would explain how I became a better man by putting my life in God’s hands. Learning…
Cat. Yes, cats. In this place they are the pet of choice. Most would pay as much as $100 for a freshly-weened kitten. Around the…
Our prison slang list is straight from our incarcerated friends. One of the best lists out there. Period. What's a prison pocket?
Dear readers, On September 16, 1995, I shot and killed a man. For that crime I’m deeply and profoundly sorry. No matter how much I’d…
I have only had a few overwhelming experiences in my life. Looking back, I can count them all on one hand. The first time, I…
My original appellate attorney did not raise my judge's use of acquitted conduct at sentencing as a due-process violation. But in 2006 I hired James…
YOU can survive prison. You have it within yourself to make it through some years in the joint. It won’t be easy, it won’t be…
Apparently I am the last of a dying breed. I believe that drugs taint the blood, muddy intelligent judgment and make you not so alert.…
All the experiences throughout this crazy life render me prone to forget that what I find normal can be shocking to others. There is a…
His guidance increased my wisdom and maneuverability exponentially, especially seeing that this was my very first year in prison. I expected to have to fight,…
Escaping from prison. Almost everyone thinks about it. You’re looking at razor ribbon- covered fences or tall brick walls, and you want to be on…
Heather D'Aoust has written 30 tips for Surviving Prison. Here is Tip #6: Surviving Coed Gangs in Juvie Prison. I got arrested at 14, facing…
Tex McClain had nothing but his word. Old and sick, having outlived anyone in society who might help him, he had to live by…
I don't think I will ever be able to understand what could make me do all the shit I did when I was younger. I'm…
Never walk away from a fight. Never back down. Lock eyes, stand firm, and don't bow to anyone but God or a badge. You may…
Maxipads. The world of Kotex. Their use is obvious, right? NOT! It turns out they are incredibly versatile tools. Prison hacks are how we survive…
I wish I had known what it was like to wear chains while walking to court appearances; the fact that if you don't wear several…
There are lots of reasons around 90% of prison inmates have tattoos, but survival is one of them. And as a former (and very popular)…
Most people join gangs just to be accepted or needed. Or they want the feeling that they’re someone important. Or they want to be a…
Nicholas Laumann from Wisconsin writes about how an unlikely mentor saved him behind bars. I thought I was destined for prison long before I ever…
Deyon Neal writes about going to prison at nineteen years old and the moment the reality of a thirty-year sentence begins to sink in during…
Today marks four years without him — son, oldest brother, grandson, USMC honor graduate, lifelong friend, 25 year-old with a laugh you can’t resist…
When I saw Snake stop near Smokey’s table, right behind Smokey’s wife, and rear his arm back, I said to myself, “He wouldn’t do that.”…
In Virginia, there are 6 levels of security, Level One being the lowest – with the most privileges — and “Level S” is the highest…
33 lessons I learned in a women’s prison: The people in the position to help the most have the power to hurt the most. People…
Ask anyone who has been in prison to describe how to survive it and you’ll probably get a different answer from every one of them.…
Here I was, months into a jail sentence that was going to be the beginning of my prison sentence. I had no idea how…
Kenton Warnock from New Mexico writes about how he learned an important life lesson in prison. He describes how he was influenced by a documentary…
I’d like to take a moment to shine a little light on an English sub-dialect, “Prison Talk.” This form of English is one-part slang, one-part…
Yesterday I was moved to a cell with an observation camera in it. There was a good reason for the move, although the staff was…
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