This is an incomprehensive list of all terminology commonly used in prison. It might not be completely accurate however, these are the phrases I’ve had to learn while incarcerated. I will continue to add words that I come to remember over-time.
Kill Fence: A fence, with razor wire at the top, that has enough electricity running through it to kill a man.
Pheezy: A homosexual male that is; transitioning into a female; or attempting to appear as a female (I don’t endorse intolerance; this is a term, created by an unknown person, which is commonly used among people in prison).
Tail: The period of the parole term (ex: I received a three-year tail).
The Streets: The community in general or life outside of captivity.
Hand-Ball: Is a popular sport played in prison that is a lot like racquetball, but instead of using the racquet you use your hand to hit the ball.
Friday-Night-Fight-Nights: Are, essentially, prison “fight clubs”. Prisoners gather together in an area and place bets on fights, between other prisoners, while someone keeps tech.
Keeping TECH: Means to keep watch for guards while illegal activity is being committed. Usually, this is a paid position among the prison community.
Gladiator School: This is what prisoners, in Colorado, call prisons that are active, or have frequent fights occur.
Active: This is a term that specifically refers to a gang members involvement status with his gang but can also refer to: a yards level of gang involvement, or the amount of fighting that takes place daily (example: CMRC was an active facility).
Security Toothbrushes/Razors: These are toothbrushes and shaving razors that prisoners buy off of canteen that are reduced in size for safety reasons.
The way-way: Also known as the half-way house or community corrections, is a residential community-based complex convicted criminals use as a residence while transitioning from prison back into the community (sort of like rehab).
Direct Sentence: People who have committed a low-level felony and are given the option to serve their penalty time at the way-way as opposed to prison.
AD SEG: or Administrative Segregation, is a single cell a prisoner is confined to for an extended period of time because they were deemed unsafe for Gen Pop.
Gen Pop: or GP, stands for General Population which is where everyone co-inhabits, in prison, unless they are otherwise, considered too violent/dangerous to be around others, or they will be at risk of being attacked by others (because of the nature of their offense or their affiliation with a gang etc.).
STG: Stands for Security Threat Group. This is any organized group of at least three to five people who are working together (examples include: gangs, the mafia, motorcycle clubs etc.).
The Hole: Or solitary confinement; is a single cell a prisoner is placed in for disciplinary reasons and confined to for twenty-three hours a day with no electronics (T.V., Coffeepot etc.), just a book to read and only their selves to talk to.
23 & 1: This means the amount of time a prisoner is confined to a cell without being permitted to leave (ex: twenty-three hours in the cell and one hour out to make a phone call, shower, or exercise).
Count Time: Count time is when prisoners must report to their rooms and wait to be counted on a roster by two guards (taking attendance).
Weight Pile: is a designated area with exercise equipment that prisoners are allowed to use in order to work out.
Hooch: Has been called a variety of different names, on a state-by-state basis, it is defined as prison made alcohol (like moonshine) and is concocted with what prisoners have available to them, namely: “lemon-aid candy” or other things that are not sold on canteen.
Canteen: is the service that sales approved products ranging from, food to deodorant, that prisoners can use to make phone orders with the money that is on their books. They receive these funds from working in prison or by a loved-one who put the money in their account.
Tumbler: is a cup that a prisoner can purchase off of canteen. It is plastic, white, and transparent.
Books: This refers to a prisoners financial account (like a bank account) that they have access to over the phone.
Open Movement: This means that once count is cleared, prisoners are allowed to openly move about from their rooms, freely around the facilities complex, to the library, yard, weight pile, etc.…
Controlled Movement: This is typically reserved for medium security prisons and higher, and it means that prisoners are only allowed to leave their rooms or the day hall – In order to go to other locations within the facility (like, the library etc.), when control makes an announcement giving the approval to do so.
Day Hall: This an area within the housing/living unit a prisoner can congregate, use the microwave, make phone calls etc., that is separate from their individual cells.
Control: This is where the guards watch the yard through surveillance monitors, and control access to other parts of the facility, make announcements, or lockdown the yard etc.…
Lockdown: This means because of security reason, every prisoner must report back to their assigned cells and be lock in, until the whatever threat to the facilities security has been dealt with.
Yard: This is the area prisoners are allowed to congregate and engage in recreational activities outdoors and outside of their housing/living units (To walk laps etc.).
Custody Level: Is the amount of security required to house a prisoner based on the severity of the crime they committed and how big of a threat they are to society. These levels consist of the following:
- Maximum Security: These facilities have Kill Fences, 23 and 1 lockdowns and Segregation with limited controlled movement.
- Medium Security: These prisons have a Kill Fences and controlled movement.
- Minimum Restricted (MR): These facilities have razor wire fences (no electricity) and open movement.
- Minimum Security: Also Known as a Camp, typically have no fences and has the most allotted number of privileges.
Recidivism: “The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.”
Programs: A program is a course (college-based) or self-help (rehabilitation) training class, that usually gives prisoners days off there sentence.
Sizing-up: Looking someone up and down, in an aggressive way, as to intimidate them or initiate a fight.
Paperwork: This refers to a “minimums” which is a document showing a prisoners convictions or criminal charges.
Wooing Staff: This means to try and flatter a female staff member in an attempt to fornicate with them (for example: hit on, etc.).
Walked-off: A guard getting escorted out of the facility and off of the premise, after being caught fornicating with a prisoner.
Religious Services: In other words, church gatherings: of any denomination or religion.
AR: ARs are codes of CDOC regulations.
Override: This means to be reclassed to a higher or lower custody level than that of what is equal to a prisoners crime rating, by way of recommendation.
Reclass: Stands for Reclassification in regard to a prisoners custody level. Prisoners can be referred to a lower or higher custody level facility, as a result of their behavior in prison (example: I was reclassed to CCC because I did not receive any write ups).
Write up: This is a disciplinary action taken when a prisoner breaks the laws, set forth by the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC). It can send someone to the hole, cause their halfway house approval to be revoked and add time to their sentence.