phrack/phrack67/5.txt

                              ==Phrack Inc.==

                Volume 0x0e, Issue 0x43, Phile #0x05 of 0x10

|=-----------------------------------------------------------------------=|
|=---------------------=[ How to make it in Prison ]=--------------------=|
|=-----------------------------------------------------------------------=|
|=----------------=[ by TAp - kill4deth <at> yahoo.com ]=----------------=|
|=--------=[ http://www.freewebs.com/hexdeth  / AIM : swp2388 ]=---------=|
|=-----------------------------------------------------------------------=|


                                  -------


  1 - Introduction
  
  2 - The beginning

    2.1 - Intake
    2.2 - Outline of the process

  3 - Fresh Meat

  4 - Life in prison 

    4.1 - What to expect and getting used to it
    4.2 - Mail & collect calls
    4.3 - Hygiene
    4.4 - How you will live and getting used to it
    4.5 - The commissary/snack cart
    4.6 - Making money

  5 - Interaction with other inmates

    5.1 - Getting checked
    5.2 - Just like momma used to make?
    5.3 - Getting punked/becoming a bitch

  6 - Prison gangs

    6.1 - Prison gangs
    6.2 - Should I join a gang, and if so which one should I join ?

  7 - County Jail Vs. State Prison
  
  8 - Common Situations

  9 - Staying mentally fit

  10 - Why I wrote this


                                  -------                                         



--[ 1 - Introduction


Alright people, this is a guide on what to do and how to act if you find 
yourself in a prison environment. Let's all face it, if you're into the 
underground world of hacking or phreaking then you've a very good chance 
of being arrested some day. Seeing as how I've been in this situation 
before, and also having noticed the amount of files on laws and police, 
I've decided to write a file that has information you could use to make 
your time a lot easier if you happen to go into prison. I myself seriously 
hope you would never have to use this in a real life situation but if you 
do, use it to your advantage. So to the point... 

In this file we will be talking about a lot of different techniques and 
also about things you should and should not do... This is in no way an 
exactly fool proof text. All information is based on how I, the author, 
interpreted the actions of others. Also note that this file is based 
souly on the American prison systems. Therefore if you are reading this 
file and are not living in America, some given information will be wrong 
and some steps of the process may not be in order or even exist at all.


--[ 2 - The beginning


OK due to the aspects of confusion, there will be some vocabulary that's 
common to the American Prison facilities in this file. In America there are 
thousands of 'slang' words that prisoners use to help hide or mask the 
activities from other inmates and/or the prison officials. We'll start at 
the beginning stage called the 'intake process'.


--[ 2.1 - Intake            
                         

The 'intake' part of the process is the very first part. In this process 
you will most likely have your constitutional rights (if you're American) 
read to you and if they fail to do this then you will most likely have all 
changes dropped/cleared. After this is done, you will be formally charged 
with what ever crime you are being accused of, then you will have your 
fingerprints and a mug shot (picture) of you taken. You will be moved into
a room either with other 'offenders/inmates' (these are the people who have
also committed crimes and awaiting trial) or by yourself depending on how 
many people are being 'processed'. In this room there will be guards there
to take pictures of any and all tattoos and scares. These will be used to 
help identify you in case you escape or try to give a fake identification 
in the future.

In this part of the process you will be completely naked, so if you're 
scared to show your body then too bad get over it or risk being restrained 
and having them undress you. Next you will take showers with (pubic) lice 
shampoo. Depending on the setup of the building you will either get to 
shower by yourself or with a group of inmates. After the shower you will be
given a set of pants and a shirt. Some prisons do not provide underwear or 
cotton shirts you will have to buy these if they are available. Next you 
will be taken to your 'holding cell' a temporary housing until they either 
issue you a more permanent cell or until they get more room for you. Now 
you are ready for the main part of this text file


--[ 2.2 - Outline of the process


This part is mainly about the movements that go on and what to expect while
in transition. Some of the information applies to the American judicial 
system.


--[ 2.2.1 - The county jail


when you first get locked up they will most likely put you in what is 
called a 'county jail'. This type of jail is only for the people who live 
in your general vicinity and is the first part of the process. While you 
are heard you will either buy a lawyer or be appointed one. If you are 
appointed one you have a greater chance of going to prison. I would advise 
that you pay for one. While heard you will see your lawyer and he will set 
up the pre-trial date. At the pre-trial your lawyer will present motions on
your be-half (These will help you in your case so don't just sit around in 
there. Go to the law library and do some research.) but the prosecutor will
also have the opportunity to present motions that can hurt your case. From 
here the judge will decide what to accept and what is thrown out, he will 
also set your real trial date.


-[ 2.2.2 - The first day in prison


Your first day in prison will be at a diagnostics unit. This is where they 
do mental evaluations on all inmates to help them place you in the facility
to best fit your needs such as if you are handicapped then you will be 
placed with fellow peers. If you are a person who likes to get angry and 
assault people then you will got a place with idiots such as yourself.

During your stay at the diagnostics unit you will go there are tests 
regarding your mental stability and be questioned about your past. You will
also be asked about prior drug use. My advise to you would be to try look 
and act as normal as possible and to lie about any and all drug problems.
This will help make your time easier and keep you from doing stuff required
by the prisons to make parole such as a rehab/anger management program. 

After about 2 months, depending on your actions you will be sent to a more 
permanent placement which is a lot different. That is because most people 
were 'faking it to make it'. This means to act one way to get what you 
want. These people may have anger problems and all that but they pretended 
not to so they would get a better unit. Now once they get to that unit they
can go onto being there real self's. This can be frustrating to the people 
who are actually normal because now they have to put up with the people who
they didn't want to be around.

Note: You will notice that the guards on the transportation busses have 
shot guns. These are not for show if you attempt to escape they will shoot 
to kill.


--[ 3 - Fresh Meat


Fresh Meat - This is someone who has never been locked up, therefore you 
are the main person people will 'go after' which means attempt to cause you
harm or to manipulate you. Most likely these people will be the ones who 
have been locked up for several years or the people who make a habit out of
getting locked up. Yes some people spend most of their pathetic life in 
prison, even when they've had many chances given to them. 

Now you're either reading this for one of two reasons:
   1. You've never been locked up before,
   2. You've been locked up before and you want to see if this is a serious 
      file.

Well if you're reading this to find out whether I'm knowledgeable on this 
fact, then you might find something in here that could have or will help 
you in the future ;]. But if you're reading this file for the first reason 
then enjoy.

Now most of the time when someone new goes to prison he will be approached 
by fellow prisoners who will attempt to give him a 'heart check'. This is 
were the other prisoners get you to fight them. They do this to see if you 
are a good fighter or if you will simply let them assault you. Most of the
time the people trying to assault will be the same race as you and they may
ask you some questions to see if they can find out more information on you.
If they do this, you must fight them back. It doesn't matter whether you 
win or lose, remember they are there to see if you have heart (courage). 
For them people who fight to protect themselves or their property have 
'heart' and in prison respect is all you have. No one can take it unless 
you let them (and they will try).


--[ 4 - Life in prison


--[ 4.1 - What to expect and getting used to it


Now when you get to your facility please do not expect people to care if 
you want to go home, when your used to eat, what you like to eat, or if 
your bed is too thin and hard on your back... NO ONE GIVES A FUCK, not the 
inmates, not the guards, and not the nurse.
                                                                        
You will most likely eat breakfast early in the morning. Here (America 
Texas) it is at 3:00am then lunch is at 9:00am and dinner at 4-5pm. Do not 
expect a snack in between because there will not be any, not even if you're
"Starving to death". Yes this is your first time being locked up and most 
likely you will be a short timer (someone with less than 5 years, some 
people refer to short timers as 'having less then 20 years'...). Yes you 
will be there with people who have life without parole. Therefore you 
should not complain about how much time you have or how you want to go home
because this can cause problems with the other inmates who have been in 
prison for a while and most likely will not be getting out soon. Inmates 
with a lot of time take this so seriously they will fight you if they hear 
you complain about your situation. Remember, there will always be people 
with more problems than you.


--[ 4.2 - Mail & collect calls                          


You will most likely have the right to send/receive letters from family and 
friends. There will most likely be limits on the amount you can send out 
for a certain amount of time depending on where you live. You may also be 
expected to provide the pen/paper/envelopes/stamps. 

There may also be payphones (good luck to all the phreakers) depending on 
your location. If you are lucky enough to be in a prison with working 
phones you may notice that you will have to place collect calls. However 
this type of calls will not establish a connection with a cellphone unless 
the receiving party has set up an account with the phone company. 

Also not all land lines will accept a collect call. Depending on the phone 
company the prison uses you may be able to set up a prepaid account that 
your family will provide money to. If you are using this type of account 
with the phone company then you will be able to call any land-line/
cellphone.

Now that you know the basics about the mail/phone set up we're going to 
talk about what you should not do regarding these systems. If for some 
reason you are not receiving your mail, make sure you are not giving it to 
the guard who may have reason to not turn it into the mail office/postal 
services. They may work for the prisons but there are some who are just as 
corrupt as your fellow prisoners. If you are certain this is not happening 
then there may be a problem with the postal services, sadly you will not be
able to find this out. Lastly and most likely your loved ones just simply 
did not write you back. There is really only one main reason that you can 
not get through on your phone calls and that would be the person you are 
calling does not want to talk to you. If this is so, do not complain to 
your fellow inmates they do not care like I said before. The reason I tell 
you this is because there are some people who do not receive letters/calls 
and it's simply rude to complain in front of these people (its also bad for
your health).

Another thing is that there are some people who will try to manipulate you 
into giving them a phone call or try to get you to give them your pin #. 
You'll know what I mean and be able to resist this if you have some 
experience in social engineering. Your best bet would be to keep your pin #
for yourself and if you give someone a phone call make them give you 
something of theirs. Also you can use your knowledge of SE to exploit your 
fellow inmates to make your free calls, once again good luck with your 
techniques :)

Note: Phone calls and mails will be monitored by the prison officials so be
careful of what you say.


--[ 4.3 - Hygiene  


Right if you really need me to explain this to you then there's something 
wrong, but to all the people who need it...

Depending on your location you may or may not be given hygiene (deodorant /
soap / shampoo ... you know the main shit). If this is not given to
you then you will need to find a way to get these items because you don't 
want to walk around looking/smelling like a homeless bum because this seems
to upset the inmates also the average person, no one wants to smell you. I 
would also recommend that you take a shower as often as you can. In some 
prisons you may only shower once a week, maybe longer, this is why the 
deodorant is so important because it will help make you smell better or 
'seem cleaner'.


--[ 4.4 - How you will live and getting used to it                                        


Now you're going to be in prison and you will be living there for the time 
being. No one in their right minds will like living there and most of the 
time the guards don't even want to be there. Noting this you will be issued
a bed (this is not a real bed, its more like a shower certain stuffed with 
wall insulation). They're not very thick (most of the ones I've seen are 
about three inches thick) and as you might think they are not in the least 
bit comfortable. No one is going to care if your back hurts or you cant 
sleep, you will just have to get used to it. You will not be issued 
sleeping medication or pain relievers, due to the illegal pill trade inside
the prisons. In your cell you may or may not have a toilet. These will be 
stainless steal, you may have seen some in a prison movie, and most likely 
have a sink at the top. Don't worry the water does not recycle.

So if you are shy (note: you will also be present in front of female 
guards, this may cause you to be more uncomfortable than you already are 
unless you get amusement from shifting in front of them) then you're going 
to have to get over this quickly or walk around holding your piss and 
having a stomach full of shit. When you're done doing your bathroom 
business make sure you cleaned the area you've used (only the sink/toilet 
seat, the rest doesn't matter unless you're clumsy and pissed on the floor 
or dropped something). 

This is to show respect for yourself and the others around you so please be
sure to clean up after yourself. This type of cleanliness also applies to 
your room/cell/living area. You should observe good cleaning habits to make
sure your room is not a mess or does not smell bad. The main reason is that
if a guard sees a room that is in a mess then they're most likely to search
the room (these are called 'shake downs') and if you are the cause of these
shake downs then your fellow peers will 'check' you. 


--[ 4.5 - The commissary/snack cart


In prison there is a thing called commissary (it's like a store in prison).
With this you can buy food such as candy, chips, cokes and lots of other 
things that are way better than what they give you from the cafeteria. The 
problem is that you will have to buy these items with your own money. This 
will have to be sent to you from the outside world, basically your family /
friends will have to do this. You can't just come across some real money 
and hand it to them they wont take it. They will tell you about the process
more when you get there. You are issued an account number and the money 
will be located there. You will also be able to buy your hygiene / letter 
writing materials here. Make sure you buy the things you need before you 
buy the things you want.

Note 1: people may try to manipulate you into buying items for them. Please
do not be easily manipulated only buy things for the people you trust and 
make sure they pay you back or give you something in return for what you 
gave them.

Note 2: you may also try to SE people into buying stuff for you but be 
smart about this because people do not like when they find out you 
manipulated them.


--[ 4.6 - Making money
                                                     

Yes it is possible to make 'money'. The term money is not only used for 
legal currency but also commissary / tobacco / stamp/other materials. These
are worth the same amount as they are when you buy them from the commissary 
people and tobacco will be worth more if it is not sold by the commissary.
Now once you buy your materials you have either the choice to keep them or 
use them to buy illegal goods that are rampant inside the prisons across 
the world. There will always be someone who can be corrupted or extorted 
into doing your bidding (bringing in certain items you could not get with 
out an outside source, this is called contraband). Now you'll use your 
legal goods to buy this contraband from the more experienced inmates, there
will be all kinds of contraband to choose from and they are not cheap. Here
is a nice list of a few things that may be available to you: 

1. Most drugs, i.e. cocaine, heroine, methamphetamine, crack, also 
including prescription pills obtained by the inmates who take the 
medications. They do this by hiding the pills in their throat or they can
be brought in by a guard or through visitation.

2. Real currency. This will be obtained through the usual ways like the 
guards, visitation, and using the mail. Either the guard didn't check the
mail right or it was hidden inside a card. People use birthday cards to 
hide the money. The process is quite simple. Take a card that has a part 
where you can write extra stuff on then put the money between that part and
the back part of the card. Super glue it in a neat and undetectable 
fashion.

3. Tobacco. There are the normal channels but remember also that the inmate 
you're buying this stuff from might have had this in their anal cavity to 
hide it while being search. Lol that's why I never smoked unless I knew it 
wasn't stuck up an ass before.

4. Cell phones. These will be brought in by the guards 99% of the time and 
they will cost more than anything else you can buy. It has to be real 
currency (guards don't want food because they can get it themselves). They 
cost around 200 to 400 dollars and I've heard of people buying them for 
$1,000. It will be pre-paid and you should get a zip charger (about the 
size of a AA battery). Keep the phone on silent and only use it when you're
alone because if you are caught with a phone inside a prison you may be 
charged with another crime and sentenced to more time. When you run out of 
minutes you may have your family buy a refill card and activate it over the
Internet.

Note: Other inmates may ask to use your phone, charge them for this if you 
allow it.

My advice would be to hide it from everyone and not tell anybody since they
may try to use this against you and force u into doing something against 
your will. They'll threaten to tell on you or just do it to get back at you
for something.

Past events: The state of Texas has just recently cracked down on the 
illegal cell phone trade inside their prisons. They are currently 
installing cell phone jamming devices in all of there facilities, the 
reason for this is because an inmate on death row called a government 
official from his cell and threatened his family.

5. Tattoos/materials. You can also pay for getting some nice tattoos in 
prison, they are of high quality and cheaper than in the free world (not 
sure why though). You can just about get any type of tattoo you want as 
long as you're willing to pay for it. You can also sell the tattoo guns / 
ink if you know how to make it. The prices will be up to you and the basic 
rules of the prison environment.

6. Artwork. If you know how to draw you can draw up some samples and show 
them off and you will get some people who will want you to draw for them. 
Whether this is a card for their family or a tattoo design they plan on 
getting, the prices are up to you. The better the quality the higher the 
price you can request.

7. Weapons/shanks. These are home made knives that people will use to 
assault/kill others with. There are also tempered Styrofoam and news paper 
bats/poles and spears made out of news paper. These really have no set cost
just thought I'd give them a mention.

8. Other inmates. Yes there maybe inmates for sell. These you can buy to do
your bidding or just simply to have someone under your control you can 
basically do anything you want but my advise is to treat them nice and make
them think you're their friend or else they'll turn against you. Also be 
prepared to protect this person. If they see you're not helping them they 
are not going to help you. This may bring you more problems than what you 
want. The prices will be set by the person you're buying from. If you are 
caught buying/selling people you will be severely punished.

Note 1: These are all illegal products and most are punishable by law. You 
can receive extra time if you are caught buying/selling these items.

Note 2: You should really commit to using your SE skills with these 
activities to help you get more for less, just make sure not to get caught 
cheating people.


--[ 5 - Interaction with other inmates


--[ 5.1 - Getting checked 


Being 'checked' by someone is not a good thing at all. This means another 
inmate is telling you that you've fucked up or letting you know that you're
doing something wrong. A good example of being checked would be: 

You use the restroom and you forget to clean up after yourself. Another 
inmate that has been waiting for you to Finnish comes in and sees this. Now
he can't use the restroom until your mess is cleaned up but he's not going
to clean it himself. What he will do is go and find you and tell you to 'go
and clean your fucking mess up'. Now if you do clean it after the other 
inmate told you this in front of every one then you will be thought of as 
someone who can be pushed around and if you don't clean it you will have to
fight this inmate.

This is looked at as a bad thing because the other inmates may see this as 
you letting someone tell you what to do and then they'll try to do the 
same. This type of people who let the other inmates tell them what to 
do have the lowest rank in prison (right above snitches and sex offenders). 
I hope that none of you are sex offenders but if you are then you will get 
what you deserve when you get caught and this file will not help you in 
any way. So you should simply avoid this type of confrontation.

                                     
--[ 5.2 - Just like momma used to make?


In this section we'll be talking about the food you will be eating while 
you're locked up. This 'food' as they like to call it is not very good and 
you most likely won't be getting a lot of it (if you're the average man 
you're going to get to sleep hungry most nights). You'll start your day off
early in the morning (3:00am were I was at, this will mostly be true for 
you also because there will be a lot of people in the prison and they'll 
have to start early to get every thing done on time). Then there will be 
lunch at about 9:00am to 11:00am and finally you'll have your last meal 
somewhere around 5:00pm. 

Now that you have the basic meal schedule it's time to tell you what you're
most likely going to be eating. The main thing I've seen would be the soy 
bean patties (tofu I guess). This is not real meat nor will it taste as 
such. The reasons they give you are:

   1. It's cheap,
   2. It's low in fat. They have to keep you healthy even though they'll 
      feed you the minimum amount of calories that a human needs to stay 
      alive),
   3. It's high in protein. 

If you are not given soy bean then you will be given either 'pork' or 
turkey meat (this will mostly be the 'sausage' at breakfast or the patties 
for the hamburgers). The breads will almost all the time be wheat (you may 
like wheat bread but it gets really old after a while). Basically 
everything will be low fat. I'll recommend that even if you don't like it 
just eat it (mixing the food all together will help mask the taste). 

Basically there may be things that you can't eat without throwing up. You 
will get used to it the more you eat it but there will always be 'roaches'
(someone who looks for scraps/extra food that others did not eat...like a 
cockroach). These people will see that you did not eat all your food and 
ask you if they might have it. Depending on who they are and if you trust
them or not, it is up to you whether you give it to them or not. I would 
suggest you not to if you don't know them or if you think they're trying 
to manipulate you. Giving people stuff they want will not help you gain 
acceptance. They will continue to manipulate you if you allow it.


--[ 5.3 - Getting punked/becoming a bitch

 
Getting 'punked' is when you allow other inmates to treat you any way they 
want. This includes:

   1. Letting them assault you
   2. Letting them take your food/personal belongings
   3. Letting them verbally abuse you
   4. and sexual abuse

Becoming a 'bitch' means that you belong to another inmate. You'll be 
treated like a punk and/or be raped though they may protect you in return 
(they can't let other inmate fuck with their property now can they?). Don't
let this happen, if you think this may happen to you then stop reading the 
file, you'll be a disgrace to all the hackers and phreakers of the world. 

Note 1: an inmate may offer you protection from the other inmates. What 
they will not tell you is that you will be their bitch, and will do what 
they say or accept the beating you will get. Also if one day you no longer 
want the protection of the inmate then he and his friends will target you. 
You will still get beaten, so don't accept any 'protection'.

Note 2: You may notice that I degrade a few types of people in this file 
such as sex offenders and 'bitches'. When I use this word I mean the people
who can defend themselves but simply will not. There are people who will 
not fight for themselves but if someone tells them to fight another person 
then they will. This is pathetic and inexcusable, do not be like this.


--[ 6 - Prison gangs


--[ 6.1 - Overview


I will now try to explain the basic concepts of the main types of prison 
gangs. Please remember this will not always be true for all gangs or for 
prisons in other countries besides the USA. Some information may not be 
accurate therefore I will not use any names.

When you go in prison you may notice that groups of people with the same 
types of tattoos happen to congregate in groups (most of the time in the 
same areas). You may also notice that they will show favoritism to the 
group they associate with, this is most likely because they are in a 
'gang'. A gang is a group of 3 or more people that are involved in 
organized crime and believe in the same values/beliefs and share the same 
goals. For this reason these prisons have established what most call a 
'gang task force'. People assigned to the task force are responsible for 
finding out the illegal activities of these inmates....

Most of the gangs are based on race (White/European, 
Mexican/Latino/Hispanic, Black/African). Their common goals are to: 

   1. Protect each other. Have your fellow members backs don't let any one 
      walk over them or punk them. Most likely though there won't be any 
      punks in a gang (and if there are they will be ejected from the gang 
      or disaplin).

   2. Establish and keep the respect of their people. Once again don't
      allow people to push you around, if this is allowed then it will be 
      bad for their business/dealings.

   3. Make money. This has been explained to you already but what was not 
      explained earlier was that most of the people you will buy your 
      contraband from (drugs mainly) will be from one of these gangs. Gangs
      often got war over business related dealings. Most people assume it's
      inspired by racial issues but about 90% of the time its over the drug
      trade/territory.


--[ 6.2 - Should I join a gang, and if so which one should I join ?


My advise to you would be that you should not join a gang if you want to 
get out and go home on time. When you join a gang you are expected to put 
the gang and its members first. It doesn't matter if you think its the 
right thing to do. If they ask you to do something then you must do it or 
accept the punishment they will give you. If another member is with you and
instigating problems with other people and he gets attacked, it will be 
your job to help him. This means you could end up getting hurt or getting 
more time on your sentence (think about this for a minute you have 4 days 
until you're allowed to go home and then something happens where you have 
to help your gang... You end up getting more time and can't go home. How 
would your family feel, how would you feel ?).

Now if you are persistent about joining one, here are the main rules about 
this:

   1. You should join a gang based on the same race/ethnic group as you 
      are. 
   2. Make sure you understand and are willing to follow any and all rules 
      given to you.
   3. Do not try to manipulate your fellow members or cheat the gang out of 
      any money.
   4. Only do approved business with other gangs/people.
   5. Do not talk about your gang affiliation with any one (family/guards).
   6. Make sure you are willing to be in the gang for the rest of your 
      life, your affiliation does not stop when you are released (if 
      released), you will be responsible for contacting your local ranking 
      members of the gang when you get out.
   7. Most importantly do not join a gang if you have anyone you love or 
      care for. The simple reason for me saying this is that you may not 
      get out if you join a gang... You must follow any and all orders 
      including if they want you to kill someone (people have been ordered 
      to kill their own family members).

Note: Failure to do these things may cost you your life. You will also have
more rules to follow than expected when you join. These rule aren't known 
to people outside the gang therefore I've only listed the most common.


--[ 7 - County Jail Vs. State Prison


What? there is a difference you say? Yes, there a few of them in fact. 
Let's go over them.

                            -------------------

                                County cons

   1. You most likely won't move out of your cell.
   2. Time is harder and feels like it goes by a lot slower.
   3. Depending on how big it is, there's not as much food.
   4. It might be a lot more dirty and could smell like shit and piss.
   5. You will be in there with mentally ill people.
   6. Commissary costs more.

                                County pros

   1. You may get to see females and depending on the jail write them 
      (they'll be locked up too).
   2. You may get to have your own shower.
   3. You may not have to get up if you don't want to.
   4. You may not have a lights out time.
   5. Not every thing is gang related like prison and you can basically 
      chill with who ever you want (as far as race goes rivalries still 
      hold up).

                            -------------------

                                Prisons cons

   1. A lot of new rules you must learn and you might be expected to learn 
      without any help.
   2. The daily schedule will be a lot different than in county.
   3. Gang wars.
   4. Lock downs (no movement at all until told otherwise this can go on 
      for months).
   5. Work (you will have to work and you may not get paid for it... You 
      could work in the fields too and that sucks).
   6. Can't wright other people who are also locked up (this means the girl 
      you wrote in county wont be getting your letter).
   7. Mass butt naked searches. 
   8. Take showers in front of every one.

                                Prisons pros

   1. Time goes by a lot faster in county jail
   2. Easy to make money.
   3. Tattooing is more available.
   4. Cheaper commissary.
   5. Easier access to tobacco/drugs.
   6. A lot more respect than what there is in jail.


                            -------------------


--[ 8 - Common situations


Here we will talk about a few common (negative) situations presented to the
newer people of the prison world. In this section I'm going to tell you the
best ways to get out of them and I'll try to explain them in a way you can 
understand. Not all situations are listed in this section because no one 
can list them all but you can use what is here to help you 'free style' the
situation if one arises. Like I've said before you can use social 
engineering skills to help you get what you want or get out of almost 
anything that you can get yourself into. So lets get to it...

1. It's your first day on the unit (prison), people will be looking to see 
if they can make you there punk/bitch (remember that we've talked about 
this before). The most common way they will try this is using intimidation.
Most of the time a group of inmates will approach you and ask you seemingly
harmless questions but they're not. These questions can be used against 
you in some type of way (these people are not trying to be friendly, it may
seem this way but it's not). Few subjects you should not release any 
information about would be: 

  - Your family/personal life. Do not give your address or anything such as
    this out. The reason for this is to make it harder for them to know the
    people you may know.

  - Never lie about things you're not sure of. Just simply state that it's 
    your business and keep it as such. Also do not lie to try and gain 
    acceptance because it will not work. Keep your stories to yourself and 
    only tell them to trusted people.

2. You walk into the 'dayroom' (the place where everyone gathers to play 
games/watch tv/converse) and you see the people who entered your cell 
earlier playing a game of cards. You see that they are having a good amount
of fun and you need something to help take your mind off of your situation
or you just simply want to go over and make a few new friends. Well I'd 
recommend that you stay to yourself for a while longer and let the other 
inmates invite you to the game if they choose to do so. Still be cautious 
if they do as they might try to manipulate you for some reason.

Note: I'd also recommend that you do not just go up to people asking them 
questions or telling them your adventures from the free world. Being a 
friendly person is not looked at as a good thing while in prison.

The reason you should not just walk up to people and talk to them is
because some of them are mentally ill and may attack you if you attempt 
this. They will also try to make you think they are your friend and use you
for their amusement or personal gain. You should also never give out 
personal information to people you don't know because they may use that to 
help find victims when they are released. 

Note: If you want to make friends then my advice is to not lie to people 
show them you're trustworthy. If you're not a drug dealer then don't say 
you are. If you've never shot a gun don't say you have. And also don't 
overload them with technical talk, and don't get all excited to be talking 
to someone. They are not that cool plus it's annoying.

3. Someone disrespects you, either verbally or physically (pushing you or 
bumping into you). When this happens your safest bet would be to fight and 
not let this go on for very long because you will be seen as a bitch. Now 
if you are challenged to a fight then you should accept it and fight as 
good as you can. It won't really matter if you win or lose. If the inmates 
see you will fight then they will respect you.

Note: If a guard tells you to stop or hit the floor then you should do so 
to avoid being pepper sprayed or tazed. Some prisons are allowed to use 
deadly force.

4. Your friends or some other people ask you to join a gang. This is up to 
you. For help refer back to the gang section of the article.

5. You see something happening that you don't like, then your best response 
would be no response. If you get into someone else's business then it will 
only cause problems on yourself and you do not need any problems that can 
be avoided. If you choose to take action then that will be on you, I have 
warned you of doing so.

Note: This could result in retaliation from other inmates as well.

6. You're about to get out and you no longer want to be in the gang you 
joined when you first got locked up. Well there's a problem with this 
because one you were told it was for life and two they will most likely put
a contract on you (hire someone to kill you). To avoid being killed inside 
the prison walls you can use a technique. In prison they have a program 
called 'PC' (protective custody) this is for people with mental/physical 
illnesses and for the weaker prisoners. You will use this to your 
advantage, here is a good way to put yourself on PC:
 
Contact a ranking guard and let him know your situation. You will want to 
do this with a guard you trust so that he will not tell everyone of what 
you are planning to do. Sooner or later you will be taken to a one man cell
and you will be asked questions by the gang task force. You will be asked 
to give any and all information about the gang and if you don't help them 
then they will not help you.

Note 1: In my opinion if you use this part of the file you do not deserve 
to call yourself a man.

Note 2: These are the most common situations you may go through in prison 
but these are not definite. You may need to customize these techniques or 
apply them to different situations...


-[ 9 - Staying mentally Fit


In this part of the text we will be talking about the various techniques to
help you stay mentally fit. Basically what I'm talking about is how not to 
go crazy. Some people have the tendencies to over obsess about the outside 
world, or to think too much about their friends and family. This will cause
you to stress yourself out and become depressed. This leads to suicide in 
some people and this is what we want to avoid. So here are a few techniques
or suggestions that I'll give you to help keep you on top of things.

1. Some people put all their faith in getting letters and phone calls from 
their family/friends. This is not really a good thing. When you get a 
letter I would recommend reading it once and then replying to the letter as
soon as possible. Doing this will help you keep your mind off the free 
world. If you continually keep negative things on your mind/think about 
negative things then your attitude will almost always be negative. This is 
what we want to avoid inside the prison walls. The more negative you are or
negativity that your around will likely cause you to do negative things.
This will most likely cause you to stay inside prison longer then you have 
to.

2. Visitation is most likely going to be the hardest part to get out of 
your mind. The reason for this is because you actually get to be with the 
people you love. Now depending on where you are at, you may have be 
separated by a wall with glass and will talk to them on a pay-phone type 
set-up. 

Note: Beware that most prisons record these types of conversations. You may
not get a prompt letting you know this but regardless be careful on what 
you say. A few tips on how to have a good visit from the family/friends: 

- Stay on a positive topic. You don't need to fight or argue with someone 
who takes the time to come and see you, and later on you'll most likely 
feel bad for doing this. This is what we don't want.

- Do not attempt to get your visitor to smuggle contraband. This can cause 
problems between you and the visitor, or you may end up getting them put in
prison if they do wish to bring the contraband.

- Take one visitation at a time. In other words do not go back to your cell
and ponder upon the visit. Doing so will cause you more stress and problems
than you should have to deal with.

3. You will be allowed to have pictures of your loved ones. This can be a 
good thing. Everyone wants to have pictures, but you should not keep them 
out because this causes you to pay more attention to the pictures instead 
of the things you really should be doing. You're just making your time 
harder then it should be by thinking about things that make you depressed.

Note: Also keeping your personal stuff out can end up getting it stolen by 
the other inmates. Stealing is frowned upon but is every common inside 
prisons.

4. When the guards tell you 'lights out' or bed time then this is what you 
should do. Do not stay up at night and ponder upon your misfortunes or your
family. The reason is this causes you to lose sleep and will make your 
daily schedule very hard to work with. You may be expected to work while 
you're locked up and if you're not fully functional then you will cause the
others to get angry and lash out against you.

5. Try to have as much fun as you can. This is hard but you have to try. 
Once you get comfortable and in transition to this new way of life then it 
will become easier. The main thing you should do to have fun is play games 
such as cards, dominoes. They may have a few board games also (I liked to 
play a good game of chess myself). Also when you're at the rec. yard (a 
place outside where you are allowed to Rome inside a certain area) play 
some sports like basket ball or football. There will be sports and people 
willing to play, this can also help you meet new people who can help 
distract you from your daily problems.

6. Like I mentioned earlier you can workout to keep you in shape and keep 
your mind off your problems. Find you a good workout routine and stick with
it. Working out is proved to higher your self-esteem and help with 
depression. You don't always have to wait until you go outside to workout, 
you can do this inside your cell whenever you find yourself thinking about 
negative things.

7. Establishing a relationship with a guard (depending on the sex the 
reader is) can also help you pass the time. If you have someone that is 
willing to help you in your time of need then this will bring your stress 
level to a lower term if not take it away completely.

Note: Establishing a relationship with a guard is not easy. They look at 
you like a criminal so your goal is to either manipulate them into 
believing that you're not or just simply show them the real you {nice, 
kindly person lol}. Like I've said this is a hard task but this in itself 
can keep your mind off the bullshit. Think of new ways to get through the 
guards personal defenses (you're hackers you should be good at this), and 
when you finally overcome them then you have all kinds of fun things to do 
depending on what your intentions are (contraband staff, or true 
relationship. Yes you may be able to fuck them). 


-[ 10 - Why I Wrote This


I wrote this article based on the assumption that many people would 
basically enjoy it, but also that it may help some people if they happen 
to go to prison. I was sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault with a 
deadly weapon. It was my first time ever being locked up but I was one of 
the ones who took it as a challenge. While inside I've seen other first 
timers being treated in a way that no person should ever be treated. 

I made it inside the prison walls and now I am sharing with you ways for 
you to make it also, use this to your advantage this is for entertainment 
but also education.


                                          -TAp


PS: If you have any questions you would like for me to answer then please 
feel free to contact me.