Yesterday I wrote about the social hierarchy which exists in virtually every prison...
How that one's status amongst his peers will govern how he will be treated by his fellow prisoners, and oftentimes by the staff as well. Whether he will be liked or hated, accepted or rejected, respected or ignored, all hangs in the balance of his social status, and how he's viewed. Prison is a unique community with its own social structure, and its own internal rules.
Yet many people would be surprised to know that someone who's incarcerated actually lives in two prisons at the same time. The first being the facility he's sent to in order begin serving his sentence. While the second is an invisible prison that, like the first, also contains many rules which serve to govern his behavior, and how he's expected to conduct himself.
The difference between these two prisons is that the first one has rules that are approved and sanctioned by the authorities. While the invisible prison has rules which have been established by the inmates themselves. Both are independent of each other. Yet both are just as tangible.
Anyone coming to prison for the first time will quickly be introduced to a long list of rules of conduct as per the policies and demands of those who have been given legislative and legitimate oversight of a particular facility. For example, rules such as no fighting, no stealing, not using narcotics or selling any kind of illegal drugs, and no gambling permitted, would be the norm.
While the invisible prison has rules as well. But such rules are neither posted nor sanctioned by those whose job it is to oversee the facility. These are the convict enforced rules such as no snitching, no talking to those deemed to be informants, or who are known to excessively fraternize with the guards, and no mingling with the members of an opposing gang... the list of don'ts is long.
For violating one or more of the officially approved rules might mean cell confinement for a certain period of time, or the loss of privileges such as not being allowed to make phone calls, or go to the commissary, or no packages from home for a certain period of time, to name a few.
However, to violate one or more of the convict created rules, or codes as they are sometimes referred to, could mean a punishment far worse than the loss of certain privileges. To break a rule which convicts consider as fitting and acceptable, could mean getting beaten up, stabbed, or even killed. While milder disciplines could mean being sternly warned, threatened, bullied and pushed around, or ostracized and shunned.
This is the reality of doing time in prison. It's not the fairyland that often gets portrayed on television or in the movies. Rather it's a place that's fraught with tension and danger. It's referred to by inmates as the "House of Pain," and for good reason. Because in truth, it is.
D. B.
Yet many people would be surprised to know that someone who's incarcerated actually lives in two prisons at the same time. The first being the facility he's sent to in order begin serving his sentence. While the second is an invisible prison that, like the first, also contains many rules which serve to govern his behavior, and how he's expected to conduct himself.
The difference between these two prisons is that the first one has rules that are approved and sanctioned by the authorities. While the invisible prison has rules which have been established by the inmates themselves. Both are independent of each other. Yet both are just as tangible.
Anyone coming to prison for the first time will quickly be introduced to a long list of rules of conduct as per the policies and demands of those who have been given legislative and legitimate oversight of a particular facility. For example, rules such as no fighting, no stealing, not using narcotics or selling any kind of illegal drugs, and no gambling permitted, would be the norm.
While the invisible prison has rules as well. But such rules are neither posted nor sanctioned by those whose job it is to oversee the facility. These are the convict enforced rules such as no snitching, no talking to those deemed to be informants, or who are known to excessively fraternize with the guards, and no mingling with the members of an opposing gang... the list of don'ts is long.
For violating one or more of the officially approved rules might mean cell confinement for a certain period of time, or the loss of privileges such as not being allowed to make phone calls, or go to the commissary, or no packages from home for a certain period of time, to name a few.
However, to violate one or more of the convict created rules, or codes as they are sometimes referred to, could mean a punishment far worse than the loss of certain privileges. To break a rule which convicts consider as fitting and acceptable, could mean getting beaten up, stabbed, or even killed. While milder disciplines could mean being sternly warned, threatened, bullied and pushed around, or ostracized and shunned.
This is the reality of doing time in prison. It's not the fairyland that often gets portrayed on television or in the movies. Rather it's a place that's fraught with tension and danger. It's referred to by inmates as the "House of Pain," and for good reason. Because in truth, it is.
D. B.
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