Surviving prison

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
Most of us when we talk about survival often relate to the jungle or some uncharted territory or the wilds. Few, I reckon, would contemplate about survival behind great big walls and barbed wire - prisons.

Let's say if a person has to spend the next couple of years behind bars. Basically, he's a decent man except for some grievous indiscretions which cost him a couple of years of freedom

We are not here to talk about his life of crime but about how he's going to survive prison, and hopefully emerge a better man.

I know books have been written by men who spent their lives in prison and attained dubious fame as a result of their writings.
Famous prisons have been written by ordinary men and ordinary prisons have been written by famous men.

Surviving behind bars may not all be that different from surviving in the wild except there are different animals on either territory.

Some person take on a different persona to adapt to their new harsher environment, others assimilate and survive. But survival at what cost?

How does a convicted person who goes behind the wall survive the years and perhaps emerge a better, reformed man?

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alot of us have over a thousand posts but few of us have so many questions like golok.


I try to prepare myself to adapt to any situation that comes my way.

everything I have read about surviving prison is keep to your own race, stand your ground without being overly tough or hostile.

my worst fear for a while was going to prison for something I didn't do.
 
The only thing I heard was 3 things:
1-Cigarrettes are coin of the realm.
2-Don't drop the soap in the shower!!:eek:
3- befriend any of the good bribable guards


Sadly, at least in the NJ prisons, the only thing prisons do is make better,meaner, & nastier criminals.
 
Yeah!

I didn't comment on the "rehabilitation" thing I think it is on heard of. maybe in rare cases.
 
I used to train martial arts with a former prison guard. One piece of advice was to think about what special skills you have and try to make yourself valuable to the more powerful/influential prisoners who may be able to help protect you. For example, if you are a good writer, doing some "jailhouse lawyer" work (like helping to write appeals for the less literate) might make you worth keeping healthy.
 
The best piece of advise is this: Do your own time.

Mind your own business and don't get caught up in the yard politics.

Be respectful, of yourself and others. Keep your belongings and living area neat. Keep yourself clean.

Doing time is what you make it for the most part. The hardest part is not usually physical, but rather mental. What is happening on the outside, the seperation from family and friends. Losing everything you worked for. Your wife shacking up with some other guy, your kids are sick and you can't be there. The world moves on, but you stand still. Lots of stress.

Some of the eastern meditative arts work great for stress control, at the very least you ahve to be able to zone out and live in your own mind. Otherwise the sensory depravation of santized institutional living will drive you insane.

It is not other people you have to fear the most but yourself.
 
Prison sucks, i havent been in there more then a few hours and its horrible. my best friend has been in there since july and hes gotta stay there till his court in april. and hes lookin at Life. if convited . but its lookin good for him. he said its the worse thing in there. wakeing up to the same thing day after day after day. i hope he comes out looking a life a little better. and makeing better decisions :(
 
I spent 6 years as a volunteer in a max security prison. I learned a few things. Don't do anybody wrong, and keep mostly to yourself. On the inside, just like on the outside, you have to treat others with respect, and you'll receive it in return. Don't get involved in gambling or borrowing. Nothing worse than owing someone something and not being able to pay it. Don't get involved in the drugs, keep a clear head about you always. If attacked, fight back with all you got. Even if you lose, you'll gain respect. Those who don't fight back when attacked end up as victims, and/or lose respect. Keep yourself busy with activities such as hobbies and working out. Don't get involved in homosexuality - homosexuals and AIDS are rampant in prisons. Don't get involved in gangs, only God can protect you, not men. Spend time reading and studying. Stay busy, and time will go faster. Attend services at the chapel regularly, and make many Christian friends. That's the only group worth hanging out with. By the way, I don't believe in rehabilitation, I believe in regeneration.
 
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