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A Glossary of Prison Slang

NEWS: From "Buck Rogers time" (a sentence with a far-future parole date) to "the monster" (HIV)

July/August 2008 Issue


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Some prison slang:

bo-bos: prison-issued tennis shoes

bone yard: trailers used for conjugal visits

brake fluid: psychiatric meds such as liquid Thorazine

Buck Rogers time: a sentence with parole unimaginably far in the future

chalk: prison moonshine

chin check: to punch an inmate in the jaw to see if he'll fight back

clavo: (Spanish for "nail") dangerous contraband

diaper sniper: child molester

diesel therapy: a lengthy bus trip, used as a punishment

ding wing: mental health ward

erasers: chunks of processed chicken

high class: hepatitis C

iron pile: weightlifting equipment

jack book: any magazine with pictures of women

the monster: hiv

ninja turtles: guards dressed in riot gear

robocop: guard who writes up every infraction, no matter how small

six-five: warning that a guard is approaching

stainless-steel ride: lethal injection

13 1/2: 12 jurors, 1 judge, and 1/2 a chance; seen in prison tattoos

Jen Phillips is an assistant editor at Mother Jones.


 

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I recently got done spending six years in a federal prison on a marijuana charge. I did time with bank robbers and child molesters who received less than half the sentence that I received. I was convicted without any evidence of any kind whatsoever other than coerced testimony from bribed snitches. While I was guilty of the first charge, I was punished for my refusal to snitch on my friends when the Feds manufactured a second charge and convicted me for something that I did not do. If the Feds can send people to prison strictly on the word of snitches without any other evidence, then they can send ANYONE to prison. Since they hand out 20 year prison sentences like pancakes, and since snitching is the only way to substantially reduce your sentence, they will always have a large stable of snitches willing to say whatever the prosecutor wants to hear - and most prosecutors have no problem with telling them what they want to hear. Most people think that everyone in prison claims to be innocent when they are actually guilty. My experience was that most guilty inmates freely admit their guilt, while most who claim to be innocent actually are innocent. Also, most people do not know that county jails are ten times more dangerous and violent than prisons are.
Posted by:Dana WalkerJuly 25, 2008 7:33:43 AMRespond ^
You can go to jail if your girfriend gets mad at you and makes up a story or if you are caught removing your own things from her house to get away from her, or for numerous unpaid traffic violations. Then they can take away your drivers license and the keys to your car. You can be thrown in jail for trespassing on unmarked property, or talk back to a cop. If they want to put you in jail, it's just up to them.
Posted by:Neil RedlienJuly 25, 2008 11:51:16 AMRespond ^
Been there done that. I know what your saying, I have spent some time myself at the Gray Bar Hotel in Michigan and have seen it with my own eyes. The Cops running the place are more corrupt than the so-called "Criminals". It really gives you an "inside" view of how Governments are run. Why the hell do you think they tell you its illegal for you to own a firearm?? Because they know that no matter what they tell you on the news or in the alledged "FREE PRESS" you know the difference now! And that you will fight them to the death when the [deleted] hits the fan, and its coming very very soon.I dont give a damn what they say, I have witnessed their double dealing for the last time and am willing to die for what is right, and their is NOTHING right about this [deleted]ed up government.And I dont give a rats ass about their so-called laws!I have NEVER NEVER HARMED another man, woman or child, and yet I went to Prison? I harmed no-ones property either.
William Dean : Kelley© Sovereign American National
WARNING ! Use of the Name of WILLIAM DEAN KELLEY © Copyright is restricted by law and may be used only with written permission of William Dean: Kelley All Rights Reserved

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Posted by:William Dean:July 25, 2008 11:53:47 AMRespond ^
Become the secured party/creditor and copyright your name and then lien their ass when they try to use your name to unjustly enrich themselves by using YOUR copyrighted tradname! CAUTION!!!, if you dont know what you are doing, you better leave them alone!!
Posted by:William Dean:July 25, 2008 12:04:47 PMRespond ^
you're all innocent...it's everyone else who is guilty
Posted by:talkbackJuly 25, 2008 1:11:42 PMRespond ^
Hey, talk-back. You are mostly back and not talk.
Posted by:Minnie Mouse July 28, 2008 7:31:10 PMRespond ^
I've been arrested only once, for a DUI accident where no one but me was injured. What you realize as soon as you find yourself on the other end of the law, for any reason, is that the law itself is a crime. It's all a matter of whose wearing a jump suit and who's holding the keys.
Posted by:Minnie Mouse July 28, 2008 7:36:24 PMRespond ^
here in the eastern panhandle,all drug charges are handed over to the feds. the judges think nothing of giving a 19 year old 40 years for selling crack. what happened to justice??
Posted by:howard schwartzAugust 5, 2008 10:05:47 PMRespond ^

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