Glossary of Prison Terms

A

AB: Aryan Brotherhood.

Ad-Seg: Administrative segregation. When a prisoner is placed on Ad-seg, he or she is being investigated. He may have been involved with a fight or caught with contraband and sent to The Hole until the investigation is complete.

All Day: A life sentence, as in “I’m doing all day.”

All Day and a Night: Life without parole.

A Wake up: The day of an inmate’s release.

B

Back door parole: To die in prison.

Bean Slot: In solitary/segregation cells, a place in the cell door where food trays are delivered or where an inmate places his or her hands for cuffing before the guards open the door.

Beating the gums: Inmate who talks a lot.

Beef: A criminal charge, as in “I caught an armed robbery charge,” or a problem with another inmate.

BGF: Black Guerilla Family (prison gang).

Blood: Primarily African American gang (wears the color red with pride).

Bo-Bos: Tennis shoes issued by the prison system.

Bone Yard: Area where conjugal visits take place.

Book: Twenty postage stamps of the current first-class value.

Books: Administratively controlled account ledger that lists each prisoner’s account balance.

Brake fluid: Psychiatric meds.

Buck Fifty: To get sliced across the face with a knife or razor blade.

Buck Roger’s Time: A parole or release date so far away that it’s difficult to imagine.

Bug: A prison staff member considered untrustworthy or unreliable.

Bug juice: Intoxicants or depressant drugs.

Bullet: One year’s time.

Bum Beef: A false accusation/charge or wrongful conviction.

Bum Rap: An unfair sentence.

Bunkie: A bunk mate.

Burrito Man: An inmate who has a hustle of making burritos for other inmates.

Buster: An inmate who is a fake or untrustworthy.

Bust Some Z’s: A short sleep period such as a nap.

C

Cadillac: An inmate’s bunk.

Cadillac Job: An easy or enjoyable inmate work assignment.

Care Package: Food or clothing sent from a friend or family member.

Cat Head: Hard rolls or biscuits served in the cafeteria.

Catch a ride: A request to a friend to get you high.

Cell Gangster: An inmate who puts on a tough front or runs his or her mouth when locked in his or her cell but is a coward when interacting with other prisoners in the open.

Cellie (Celly): The person with whom an inmate shares a cell.

Channel Check: Changing the television channel in the prison dorm.

Check: When one inmate scolds another who does not make a rebuttal. If this continues, the person scolded is “in check.”

Check-in: Someone who has submitted to pressure, intimidation, debts, etc. and no longer feels secure in population and “checks in” to a Protective Custody (PC) unit.

Chi-mo: Child-molester, “chester,” “baby-raper,” “short-eyes,” (as, “he has short-eyes,” meaning he goes after young kids). The worst of all criminals in the eyes of convicts.

Chin Check: To punch another inmate in the jaw to see if he’ll fight back.

Christmas Tree: A shank that is easy to push in but difficult to pull out.

Contraband: Any item in an inmate’s possession that the penal institution does not allow.

Convict: A longtime inmate, who plays by the “code” of prisoners, is tough, knows the ropes, and does not mislead or lie to other prisoners.

Cowboy: A new correctional officer. Cowboy spelled backwards is “yobwoc” or a “young, obnoxious, boy we often con.”

Crips: Primarily an African American gang (wears the color blue with pride).

Crow: Lookout for other inmates committing crimes/rule infractions in a penal facility.

Cups on the Bar: Expression used by runners/orderlies in county jails that instructs inmates to put their coffee cups on the cell bar. Coffee will be poured in the cup when the runner/orderly passes by the cell. Inmates will not receive coffee if their cup is not sitting on the bar.

D

Dance on the blacktop: To get stabbed.

Dap: A greeting between inmates by hitting the top of one inmate’s fist with the bottom of another inmate’s fist.

DC Boys: A Washington, DC, African American prison gang.

De-Seg: Disciplinary Segregation. When an inmate is on De-seg, he or she is in the “hole” for an infraction.

Diesel Therapy: A lengthy bus trip or transfer to a faraway facility, or even an incorrect destination, used as punishment or to get rid of troublesome inmates (most often federal inmates).

Dime: A ten-year sentence.

Ding Wing: A prison’s psychiatric unit.

Dipping in the Kool-Aid: Jumping in another person’s conversation. Being nosey.

Double Up: To charge double the principal for a late payment on a drug debt.

Down: The amount of time an inmate has been incarcerated.

Drive By: When an inmate or C/O walks by a bed or cell while passing gas.

Driveway: Front of either a cell or a bunk.

Dry Snitching: To inform on another inmate indirectly by talking loudly about their actions, behaving suspiciously in front of correctional officers, or supplying general information to officers without naming names.

Duck: A correctional officer who reveals information about other officers or prison staff to inmates.

Dungeon: Solitary confinement or De-seg cell where an inmate is kept incarcerated as a disciplinary action for a violation of the institution’s rules.

E

Ear Hustling: Trying to listen in on another person’s conversation.

Erasers: Processed chicken chunks commonly used in prison food.

F

Farmero: Spanish slang for a Nuestra Familia member

Fire on the Line: A warning by other inmates indicating that a correctional officer is in the area.

Fish: New inmate.

Fish Kit: New inmate’s blanket, bedroll, sheets, etc.

Fish Tank: Intake Center for a prison.

Flick: Picture from a magazine or a photograph.

Four piece or four-piece suit: A full set of restraints, composed of handcuffs, leg restraints and waist chain, and security boxes to cover the restraints’ keyholes.

Free World: What inmates call the rest of the world outside of prison.

Fronting: Putting up a front about having lots of money, being tough, or having lots of women.

G

Gassing: Throwing feces at a guard or prison employee.

Get at: To reach out or contact another inmate.

Ghetto Penthouse: The top tier of a cell block.

Good Time: Time or merit when a prisoner receives a reduction in sentence for following the prison rules. Federal inmates do not receive good time.

GP: General population in a prison. This is where the majority of the inmates are kept rather than solitary confinement.

Grandma’s (Grandma’s House): A prison gang’s headquarters or meeting place, or the cell of the gang leader.

Greener: Inmate who does not know about prison scams or stealing. Usually new to the prison system.

Green Light: To mark an entire gang for death. The green light can also be applied to a single individual.

Gump: A homosexual.

H

Hack: A correctional officer.

Hats And Bats: Prison goon or riot squad. Generally called in to extract inmates from cells or stop a prison riot.

Heat Wave: The attention brought to a group of inmates by the action of one or a few, as in “Joe and John got caught with contraband, and now the whole tier is going through a heat wave.”

High Class: Inmate who has Hepatitis C.

Hold your mud: To resist snitching at all costs.

Hole: An isolation (“segregation”) cell, used as punishment for the most paltry of offenses as well as serious offenses.

Holla At Ya’: I will talk to you later.

Hooch: Prison alcohol made by inmates. Contains sugar, yeast, and generally orange juice and fruit from the cafeteria, which has been cooking in a container or plastic bags for several days.

Hung up the gloves: To defect from a prison gang or organization by entering protective custody.

I

In the car: To scheme with another inmate on a deal.

Institutionalized: Long-term inmate who has accepted prison as a way of life.

Iron Pile: Weight, weightlifting equipment, a.k.a. “the scrap yard.”

J

Jack Book: A magazine containing pictures of women.

Jacket: Prisoner’s information file; also a prisoner’s rap sheet or reputation.

Jack Mack: Canned mackerel or other fish available from the prison commissary. Can be used as currency with other inmates or placed in a sock and used as a weapon.

Jackrabbit Parole: To escape from a facility.

Jigger: Lookout for other prisoners who are breaking prison rules or committing crimes.

Jockers: Aggressive inmates who use other inmates as their “prey.”

Joint: Any prison or jail.

Joto: Spanish for homosexual or faggot.

Juice Card: An inmate’s influence with guards or prisoners to accomplish goals.

Jungle: The prison recreation yard.

K

Kite: A letter sent to a person on the outside or another inmate.

L

La Eme: Spanish for the letter “M.” La Eme is the alternate name for the Mexican Mafia.

Legal Beagle: Inmate who works in the prison library. This inmate can be a law clerk or paralegal.

Lifer: An inmate who will never be released.

Lockdown: When all inmates are locked in their cells due to an assault or escape.

Locker Knocker: An inmate who is marked as a thief.

Lock in a sock: When locks and other contraband are placed in a sock and used as a weapon.

M

Mail Call: Delivery of mail to prisoners.

Mail Out: A common practice in prison where drugs are given on credit or one owes money due to a gambling debt. The inmate owing must have his family or friend mail a money order to an address provided by the debtor. Payment must be made within two weeks or the debt doubles.

Med-Line: Medication or pill supply line within a prison.

Money: Postage stamps that are substituted for cash.

Monkey Mouth: A prisoner who goes on and on about nothing.

Monster: HIV. Also known as “the Ninja.”

N

Nazi Low Riders (NLR): A white supremacist prison gang.

Newjack: Corrections officer or guard who is new to the job.

Nickel: Served a prison sentence of five years.

Ninja Turtles: Guards dressed in full riot gear. Also known as “hats and bats.”

No Smoke: To follow staff’s orders without resisting or causing any problems.

O

Old School: Reference to the way prisons and inmates used to be. He can see a lot but say little. He can make a deal with a handshake. Often they are respected among officers and inmates.

On Vacation: When an inmate has been placed in solitary confinement.

Orderly: An inmate whose job is to maintain the cleanliness of the housing unit.

OTC: Out to court.

Out-count: To count an inmate whose whereabouts are accounted for but not in his/her assigned cell.

Out of Bounds: Any area inmates are not allowed.

P

Packing the rabbit: Inserting contraband into a body cavity.

PC: Protective Custody.

PC Up: To enter into protective custody. Generally for sexual offenders or weak inmates.

Peckerwood: Usually used by Blacks to describe white inmates.

Peels: The orange jumpsuit uniforms worn by prisoners in some facilities.

Pepsi Generation: Newer, younger prisoners who lack respect for Old School ways.

PO: Parole officer.

Police: Corrections officer, guard, or staff of a federal prison facility.

Popped: An inmate that has been caught with contraband.

Prison Wolf: An inmate who is normally straight on “the outside,” but engages in sexual activity with men while incarcerated.

Public Pretender: Public defender. Most inmates do not consider public defenders to be good at their job.

Punk: Term for either a homosexual inmate or a weaker inmate who performs as a homosexual for protection.

R

Rabbit: An inmate who has a history of escape attempts or has plans to try to escape.

Rat: An inmate who informs on other inmates to corrections officers. Can also be called snitch or stool pigeon.

Regulate: A beating administered by thirteen Sureños for thirteen seconds. Sureños is an organization of different Hispanic street gangs.

Resident: A Hispanic inmate who is not a gang member but still supports Sureño racial violence.

Ride with: To do favors for a fellow convict, often sexual ones, in exchange for protection, contraband, prison currency, or commissary items.

Ride Leg: To be friendly with or suck up to staff in order to get favors.

Road Kill: Cigarette butts picked up from roadsides by prison work crew. They’re brought back to the facility and the collected tobacco is rerolled with toilet paper to smoke.

Robocop: Guard or corrections officer who writes inmates up for any rule infraction possible. A helicopter used to track a person running from law enforcement.

Rod: A prison stabbing device similar to an ice pick.

Rolled it up: A phrase used to describe an inmate who has entered into protective custody.

Rollie: Inmate’s handmade cigarette.

Run a Make: To locate and check the credentials of an inmate to see if he’s an informant.

Runner: A person who does favors for prisoners, such as smuggling drugs into the institution, relaying messages, etc.

Running Wild: Inmate who has a longer time in prison because he must serve consecutive sentences rather than serve all of them at the same time.

S

Sally Port: Secured control area where inmates/guards enter a jail/prison. Can be between two fences or doors.

Sandwich: To stab an individual using two or more assailants, thereby sandwiching the target.

Scam: A hustle or scheme to obtain something.

Scandalous: Can be either unbelievable or so outrageous as to be considered cool or okay.

Score: What an inmate obtained from committing a crime.

Screw: Guard or correctional officer of a prison.

Script: Money. Note: In many prisons, stamps are also used as money.

Scroll: A contract by an inmate to get someone.

Segregation: Usually SHU or another part of prison where inmates are kept away from the main population and most privileges are taken away.

Send-Out: Any monetary transaction in prison where an inmate gets another inmate to make the payment.

Shakedown: Search by guards/corrections officers of inmate areas for contraband.

Shank: Any object an inmate has made into a knife/shiv/sharpened point.

Short: An inmate whose sentence is less than two years or as low as imminent release.

Short Line: Line for prison store (commissary) during lunch hours or early lunch for inmates with medical problems.

Short Timer: Inmate who will soon be released.

Shot: In federal prison, this is an incident report filed against an inmate.

Shot Caller: An inmate who represents and speaks for a group within the prison such as a gang, dorm, or racial group.

SHU: Secure Housing Unit where problem inmates, such as gang leaders and those who are disruptive, are contained and privileges are mostly suspended.

Sick Call: An inmate visiting the medical section of the prison whether for illness, questions, or an appointment.

Slammed: An inmate who has been put in solitary confinement or administrative segregation.

Sleeved: Any person who has tattoos covering the entire length of his or her arms.

Sleeves: Any person who has tattoos from their neck to the wrists.

Snitch: Inmate who informs police, prison officials, or authorities about rule breaking by others for a shorter sentence or favors. Also known as a squealer or rat.

Spook: In the federal prison system, staff who work in the Gang Intelligence Unit.

Self PC: To refuse to go to the yard or come out of your cell but not enter protective custody.

Shift Gears: To jerk a knife around in circular motions while it is embedded in the torso of the target in an effort to cause massive trauma and death.

Skinheads: A white supremacist group.

Slocking: Using an inmate-made weapon consisting of a bag with a heavy object in it to hit another inmate.

Stainless-Steel Ride: Death row inmate term for legal injection.

T

Take It To The Stall: Going to the shower area to physically settle disputes by fighting.

Tank: A dormitory unit within a prison consisting of ten to twelve inmates. Contains both a day room and a bathroom.

Tats: An inmate’s tattoos.

Ten-Minute Move: Moving between locations within a prison. These times begin at five minutes before the hour and end at five minutes after the hour.

Three Knee Deep: To stab someone so that he or she is injured but not killed, usually as a warning.

Throw down: A fight between inmates.

Tio: Spanish for “uncle.” Tio is often used in prison and jail correspondence to indicate that the person being called “Tio” is in fact a Mafia member.

To have the keys: To be in a position of leadership.

Tomahawk: A jail/prison manufactured slashing type weapon constructed from razor blades and melted plastic stock.

Toss Salad: To sexually turn out another inmate by performing oral sex on their anal area.

Turf: Gang territory.

Turn: To cooperate with law enforcement.

Turn Out: To force an individual into homosexual activity.

Two For One: A common practice in prison where drugs are provided on credit with the expectancy that the principal debt will be paid back double the value of the drugs.

U

UA: A urinalysis test for drugs.

UBN: United Blood Nation, an African American prison gang (wears red with pride).

W

Wacked: High on drugs.

Walk In: To allow membership into a gang without initiation.

Walk the line: To be an inmate on the general prison population.

Wearing the brand: Wearing a gang’s tattoo.

Wolf Tickets: To talk tough or challenge others, without any intent to back it up with action or violence.

Y

Yard: The recreation area within the prison.

Yard-In: The command guards or correctional officers give at the closing of the recreation yard.

Yard-Out: Announcement that lets inmates know they can go out to the recreation yard.

Yolked: An inmate who is muscular.

Z

Zapato: Spanish for “shoe.” Zapato is a slang term used to describe the “SHU” or Security/Segregated Housing Unit.