Sex offenders are perceived by other inmates as the weakest of the weak; their crimes the lowest of the low. This is the reason why sex offenders get beat up in prison most of the time. If you’re a sex offender who’s about to go to prison, here are some basic guidelines for you to follow if you want to know how to survive in prison or county jail as a sex offender while serving your time.
Be Prepared both Mentally and Physically
Prison is a totally different world on its own. They have their own culture, language, and rules. To acclimate yourself in advance with the world that you’re about to enter, you must educate yourself with how things work in prison. You can do this by asking an ex-convict friend or a prison guard neighbor about how prison life works.
Ask them the different terminologies used in prison and what they actually mean. Most inmates size up newcomers by talking to them using prison terms. If the newcomer knows what they’re talking about, they’ll perceive you as someone who’s been inside the joint before and know how things work. If you say the wrong things because you don’t know what they’re talking about, you’ll be seen as a “meek”; a weakling and therefore would be harassed a lot or worse, murdered.
If there’s one thing that is constant in jail, it’s conflict. Conflicts happen every day. Most of the conflicts arise because of gossip mongering, snitching, gambling, unpaid debts, or just by plainly being an asshole. To increase your survivability in jail, don’t be any of the aforementioned.
Just like in the outside world, gossiping can bring about dangerous consequences in jail. Know that you’re spending your sentence with the worst of society. Jail is not a place that tolerates gossip, especially if it is about the wrong person. Gossip about the wrong guy in jail and you’ll likely end up in the pool of your own blood.
Snitching on the other hand, is what most inmates hate. Telling the jail guards about an inmate’s or a group of inmate’s illegal activities in jail can be detrimental to your survival. You’ve probably seen the what happens to snitches in jail movies. Either they are beaten up to a pulp or they “mysteriously” hang themselves in their own cell. Do not, under any circumstances, snitch.
Gambling is another thing that you should avoid when in jail. Take note that money is very hard to come by inside jail. So it’ll only be a matter of time until you run out of things to bet. What you’ll end up doing is betting on credit. It’s like borrowing money from a loan shark. The interest on borrowed credit inside jail is insanely high.
Of course, credit doesn’t always mean money. It may come in the form of a special favor, an item that’s not readily available in jail, or drugs. If you’re not able to pay what you owe, then get ready to receive some beating. Don’t worry, they won’t kill you. That’s the last resort. What they’ll do is beat you up, take your food and supplies, and harass you every chance they get until you pay up. Only when you really can’t pay up despite the trouble they’ve given you will they kill you.
Lastly, don’t be an asshole. Respect goes a long way in jail. In fact, jail is the only place in the world where respect is of high regard. In the outside world, you can be respectful one second, and be a jackass the next. In jail, you have to be respectful AT ALL TIMES or you may find a knife stuck behind your back.
Show respect to both your fellow inmates and the jail guards. If you think the inmates are troublesome when you disrespect them, wait `till you disrespect a jail guard. A jail guard has enough power, freedom, and influence to do anything in jail to make your life a living hell. They can throw you in the hole, torture you, make it look as if you’ve committed another offense in jail which can further increase your sentence, etc. Do not, mess around with a jail guard if you know what’s good for you.
Don’t Show Weakness
Never ever show the other inmates that you’re weak, especially if you’re a convicted sex offender. Most sex offenders fall under the “meek” category as a prison newcomer. This makes them targets for prisoners who are looking to show other inmates that they are strong by. Don’t allow yourself to get bullied. A well placed “Fuck off” or “Fuck you” can go a long way in showing them that you’re just another convict.
Use profanity sparingly however, for you may cussing to a gang leader or an extremely violence-prone inmate. You need to stay under the radar for as long as possible. Keep your head down and do your time, but never let other inmates bully you around.
Don’t Talk About your Charges
This is one of the most important things that you have to remember if you want to learn how to survive in prison or county jail as a sex offender. Do anything in your power to avoid discussing the details of your incarceration. All inmates, regardless of their race, color or nationality, look down on sexual offenders. They consider sexual offenders as cowards for assaulting a female (assuming you’re male).
If you are charged with a sexual offense and your cellmate asks you about your case, try your best to deflect their question, change the topic of discussion, come up with fake charges against you, or just outright refuse to discuss it with them. Keep in mind that you want an incident-free survival inside the prison. Inmates won’t care about the circumstances around your sexual offense. In their eyes, if you’re a sexual offender, you’ll be labeled as a “rapist” and will most definitely be treated as such.
Hit the Panic Button if Needed
Solitary confinement can sometimes be your best option for survival. If you have any suspicion that you’re about to taken out by other inmates, don’t hesitate to do something that will get you to the hole. Doing your time in solitary is better than getting a shiv in the gut. If the guards don’t want to throw you in the hole, just say these powerful little words: “I refuse to receive housing.” By law, they are required to put an inmate in the hole once they refuse housing.
These are just some of the basic guidelines that you have to keep in mind to survive as a sex offender in prison. Aside from these, just remember to be mindful of your surroundings. Never let your guard down and always mind your attitude in gen pop. Your attitude in prison could mean your survival or demise. This is how to survive in prison or county jail as a sex offender.
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