Over the years, slang has been used as communication while inside prison or jail, and prisoners are the ones who fully recognize and comprehend it. Some of these words have been altered and filtered down already, but still maintain their usage in American linguistics. So, what are some of the slang terms to be aware while behind bars?
Awareness to these slang words is one way of surviving in prison, because a prisoner is not being left behind about prison culture. Back in the olden times, slopping out was the term given to prison jargon. It was described as an official vocabulary of inmates, or people with vulgar or disreputable character. It was abolished in the Oxford Dictionary in the early 90s, but is still being used in Scotland up until today. But no matter what you call it, it’s really no secret that inmates do have their own language—and it’s best that you know about it.
Even if it’s probably the most unlikely of circumstances, being in prison means that you do have to adapt to the culture inside. Otherwise, you would feel left out, and that really would not do anything good for your ego—or for your stay in the facility. To make every day easier, you do have to know how people talk inside so that you’d fit right in, and you would not be bullied. Prison slang and gang slang may be offensive to some so they must be very careful in using it.
Some of the slang terms to be aware while behind bars are:
All Day and a Night
Life sentence without the possibility of parole
All Day
Life Sentence (When asked how long an inmate would be staying, he could say “I’m doing all day”)
Back Door Parole
Means to die in prison
Bats or Blow
Means tobacco or cigarettes
Bucky or Celly
A cellmate/ inmate
Bug Juice
Depressant/intoxicant drugs (this is something that wardens have to be aware of)
Beef
A criminal charge (this doesn’t have anything to do with food at all)
Bum Beef
A false accusation or charge that’s mostly used by inmates who believe they have just been framed, and that they actually should not be in prison
Brake Fluid
The psychiatric needs of an inmate (i.e., he needs some brake fluid, etc.)
Buck Rogers Time
This is the term given to a release date or parole that seems too far from now that makes it so hard to imagine
Bullet
A one-year sentence
Catch A Ride
This is a request that some inmates make to their co-inmates to help them get high, provided that their co-inmate has some illegal drugs with them
Chin Check
This is the act of punching or provoking another inmate just to see if he would actually fight back
Hole in the Wall
A cell
Dime
10-year sentence
Diesel Therapy
A lengthy trip to another facility; this usually happens when an inmate has been in trouble with another inmate, or if he really has boisterous, troublesome personality and he serves as a threat to other inmates, and even police officers
Doing the Dutch
An inmate who is about to commit suicide; sometimes, this is also known as the Dutch Act
Fish
A new inmate who is never been in prison before
Fire on the line
This is a warning to other inmates, informing them that a police officer is in the area
Grapes
Information or gossip (taken from the word “grapevine”)
Ghetto Penthouse
This is the term given to the topmost cell of one prison block
Hot One
A murder charge
Hold your mud
This term describes threats made by other inmates to their co-inmates, preventing them to blurt something out to officers, even if their lives are being threatened or if they’re in danger
Heat Wave
This happens when some attention is given to a certain group of inmates because of their actions—and it may not necessarily be good
June Bug
A prisoner who is considered to be a slave to others
Jacket
This is the information file or rap sheet of an inmate, or could also stand for his reputation among other inmates
Kesue
Means a knife
Keister
This means that an inmate is hiding something that’s deemed as contraband in his rectum
Lame Duck
An inmate who is alone in prison yard; easy to prey on
Life Jolt
A life sentence
Mud
A coffee
Monkey Mouth
This is the equivalent of a blabbermouth, or someone who just talks about nothing important at all
Nickle
A five-year sentence
Programmer
An inmate who improves himself by attending classes
Pumpkins
New inmates
Punk
A derogatory term used for transsexual or homosexual
S to Life
A basketball game without rules
Spider Monkey – someone doing hard time
Strapped
When an inmate is carrying a weapon
Stress Box
The payphone booths
Shot Caller
The captain of the prison gang
Torpedo
The faithful enforcer of the prison gang
Wham whams or Zoom zooms
Are cookies and candies
Wolf Tickets
This is all about challenging others, or talking tough about them
Viking
If the inmate is a couch potato; a lazy-bone
What are some of the slang terms to be aware while behind bars? You finally know a few good examples. Still, some of the most important slang terms to be aware of while behind bars include the following:
The term “the rock” refers to Alcatraz, which is a notorious rocky island prison situated in San Francisco Bay. It is isolated from the outside and the current of the waters that is enveloping around it are cold, strong and hazardous. Prisoners will definitely find it hard to escape from this historical maximum-security penitentiary.
The Sing Sing Prison was derived from the name of a Native American Nation called Sint Sinck. It is also a maximum-security prison located in Ossining, New York. Prisoners often refer this prison as the term “the castle on the Hudson River” or simply “the Castle.” It has its history where prisoners, both men and women, were executed by electric chair.
The word “the farm” refers to a prison farm dotted with barbed-wire enclosures, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, which is located in Angola, United States. The prisoners were like slaves because they were forced to work tirelessly all day while not being fed regularly.
Culture has an impact on different words which developed over the years. No wonder there are so many slang or prison words. Prisoners have nothing to do but adopt the prison culture, or else some of their inmates will take advantage of their weaknesses. What are some of the slang terms to be aware while behind bars? Remember that these are only a few examples. There are many more to learn, especially when it comes to ensuring survival.
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