This is another kind of repeat with newcomers in mind - way too long to run in one thread so I'll run it over a few days. So here's Part One

A prisoners Dictionary (Part One)

Numbers
4 piece A full set of restraints (cuffs, leg irons, waist, and security cover). (Iowa)

7-up: A correctional officer is approaching. Perhaps derived from the word "6-up" which was originally used to refer to officers coming at 6:00 a.m. to move homeless people from park benches.

10-10 Furlough: Death by un-natural causes, as in "He wronged too many, and got his 10-10 furlough last night"

12:01: Used when a prisoner is discharged. "I got a 12:01 tonight." (LA)

12/12: To serve the entire sentence without parole. The end of a penal term.

13 1/2: The sum total of 12 jurors, one judge, and one half-chance, often featured in tattoos

5-0: Correctional officer. (FL / NC).

38: Masturbation.

114: CDC form documenting reasons for placing a prisoner in administrative segregation.

115: A rules violation report (CDC Form 115) can lead to disciplinary action. It may be classified as either "administrative" or "serious."

128: CDC informational chrono, as in Form 128-G.

187: Marked for death, as in Cal. Penal Code section 187 (murder).

459: Burglary or intrusive behavior, from Cal. Penal Code section 459. As in " Don't 459 my convo."

580: Caution that the authorities are approaching. Normally hand signed, to alert others of potential problems. (TX)

602: The prisoner grievance or administrative appeal process (CDC Form 602). This process provides three formal levels of review, beginning institutional levels and progressing to the Director's review in Sacramento. Although the appeals process provides a means to express complaints, there are many problems with the system and appeals are frequently "lost" at the informal levels of review.

6-5: Correctional officer. Used as a warning when an officer is approaching.

5150: A person needing mental health treatment, based upon the California Welfare and Institutions Code section for civil commitment.. Other states will use different numbers, such as "730" in New York.

911: Warning that a correctional officer is coming.


A – C

AB: Aryan Brotherhood, a white prison gang. This abbreviation can also refer to the California Department of Corrections' administrative bulletins.

AC: Aryan Circle, a white prison gang found in some states. This designation is not seen in California. More commonly in California, this designation would refer to the "Adjustment Center."

Ace: a puff of a cigarette, as in "Bust me down with an ace" (NY)

Ace Boon Coon: Best friend

Ace-Duce: Best friend.

Adjustment Center: The A.C, a segregated control unit. The name was developed during the prisons adopted language reflecting treatment of prisoners. In theory, the unit was to provide an intensive program. In practice, such units remained (and remain) "the hole." A landmark case challenging conditions in San Quentin's Adjustment Center was filed in 1973 and continues to be enforced as a permanent injunction. Toussaint v. McCarthy

Ad Seg: Administrative Segregation. Placement in a controlled unit for the safety and security of the institution -- including allegations of gang affiliation, investigation of a disciplinary offense, or repeated misconduct. May be referred to as "A-Seg" in the federal system.

Aggie: A long handled hoe. (In Texas, field force work squads are referred to as Hoe squads, usually by their squad number such as 1-hoe,2-hoe.)

Aguas: Spanish word used to warn other prisoners thant an officer is making the rounds. Used as a warning in Spanish colonial times and usedd in Mexico as a warning tgo be careful. When water was thrown in the street after being used for cleaning, the person would cry to warn pedestrians.

Ain't Right: A situation, person, or object of dubious correctnessas in "Somethin' ain't right with that Cat-J."

Alphabet: A sentence so long that it cannot be characterized by numbers. (VA)

All Day: A life sentence, as in "He's doin' all day . . ."

All Day and a Night: Life without parole. (MI)

Ass Betting: Gambling without any funds or means of paying back one's loses.

Ass Out: A prisoner who has does not have anything coming or who has disprespected officers to the point where they do not give him anything.

Attitude:The display of annoyance, hostility, contempt, courage, or an unbroken spirit toward others.

Attitude Adjustment: The need for drugs. Also, a physical act by officers, including use by electric shock (taser, stun gun).

ATW Stands for " all the way " . When a prisoner is finished with his sentence in Maryland the officer that comes to get him to take him to be released will announce for him to "pack it up , ATW." (MD)

AW: Associate Warden. In some western prisons, this may refer to the Aryan Warrior gang.

B & B: Bag and Baggage - to leave prison or jail.

Baby: A weak prisoner used for sex, a "punk." (FL)

Badge: A correctional officer.

Bale: Loose-leafed tobacco purchased at a canteen.

Bam-Bam: The mental health ward or a prisoner who is a mental health patient.(MI)

Banger: A knife. Also called a burner or a shank.

Bar: To fear a certain area or restrict one from an area, such as a cell. As in "You are barred from this side of the yard."

Bastille by the Bay logo Bastille by the Bay: San Quentin, a term coined by San Francisco columnist Herb Caen. Also, the title of a column in the now-defunct San Quentin News

Beast: Sex offender (England), also called a "nonce."

Bean Chute: Slot through which food trays are inserted. Also, slot through which ad seg prisoners are cuffed prior to leaving cell. (TX)

Beat Your Feet: Order by an officer for a prisoner to move out of an area. (TX)

Beef: A disciplinary charge, as to "catch a beef."

Be Farts and Cell Partners: Beans and franks. (archiac)

BGF: The Black Guerrilla Family, an African-American prison gang that originted as a revolutionary organization influenced by George Jackson.

Bid: Prison term. Also called "bit."

Big House: Prison.

Big Jab: Lethal injection. Also, "stainless steel ride," "doctorate in applied chemestry," or the "needle."

Big *****: Convicted under the habitual criminal act which carries a mandatory life sentence. See also "Little *****." (TX)

Billies: White men.

Bing: Segregation unit. (NY)

Bippy: A small paper cone of cleaning powder used for scrubbing cells. (TX)

Bird: Someone who is a fool or idiot. Also, a prisoner sings like a bird (rat). One who escapes from prison. Young offenders. (Ontario, Can.)

Birds on the Line: Warning that someone is listening to a conversation.

***** Up: To cry or give in. (NY)

Blade: A prisonmade weapon, a shank. To "blade up" is to cut someone up.

Blanket party: Throwing a blanket over a despised prisoner, so he or she can't identify an attacker.

Blickey: AIDS, as in "He or she has the blickey."

Blickum: Generic term used as a substitute for other words. As in "He got a 72 hour blickum,: substuting for lockdown. "Jont" may be used in a similar way.

Blind: Area where correctional officers cannot see, as in "Let's go to the blind."

Bling Bling: Officers are coming.

Bit: Prison sentence. (IL)

***** Up: Chicken out or be a coward. (FL)

Blazed: To be under the influence, high, or stoned. (Ind.)

Blood In, Blood Out: To enter a prison gang by committing a stabbling, to leave by being the victim of a stabbing.

Blow Up the Spot: To let out a secret. To point out when another prisoner is doing something against the rules. To make a scene. (NY)

Blue Belly: Correctional Officer (Maine)

Blues: Prison clothes.

Boarder: A prisoner. (archiac)

Boat: To transfer out of a prison, as in "on a boat."

Bo-Bos State issued tennis shoes. Shoes that may be bought through a prison commissary (FL).

Bolillos: Whites, perhaps from a term for a large loaf of white bread. (Sp., TX)

Bomb: Paper rolled tightly together that is lit and used to heat items.

Bonaroo: One's best clothes. "I've got my bonaroos all ready for my next visit."

Bone: (2) Cigarette. (NY) (2) The dominant partner in a relationship between prisoners.

Bone Crusher: A particularly large prison weapon (shank).

Boneyard: Family (conjugal) visiting area.

Boof: Contraband concealed in the rectum. Also, "boofed." (NY)

Books: Trust fund account, "on the books." All money received by a prisoner is placed into a trust account and may be withdrawn for canteen purchases, special orders, postage, and other expenses.

Boot Camp: Military style programs used by many states for some first time offenders.

Booty Check: Rectal search.

Border Brothers: Mexican nationals.

Boss: An officer -- some say in it is "sorry son of a *****" spelled backwards.

Bounce: Move along, get lost. (Iowa)

Bow: Life sentence. (GA)

Bowling Alley Units that have a long and wide cement walkway. Prisoners walk along the yellow lines on the side of the walkway, while officers and staff walk on the inside. (TX)

Box: (1) A carton of cigarettes. (2) Segregation or SHU, as in "I don't want to do any box time." (NY) (3) A quarterly package containing personal items sent from the outside.

BP: Federal grievance forms. Different numerical designations identify the level of the grievance.

Brass: High ranking administration.

Brew: Homemade alcohol; "pruno."

Brick: A carton of cigarettes

Bricks: The outside, on the outside, as in "on the bricks."

Broadway: The first floor of some tiers. A wide area where prisoners come and go -- and occasionally may be housed if the prison is particularly crowded.

Buck: Homemade alcohol (Florida).

Buck Horn: Hand rolled cigarette.

Buck Master: One who makes homemade alcohol. See "pruno."

Buck Rodgers Time: A parole date so far into the next century, the prisoners cannot imagine release.

Bug: A crazy person.

Buggin' Out: Going ballastic, losing one's mind, going totally crazy. (SC)

Bug Nasties: The sack lunch given prisoners. (AZ)

Bull: Guard.

Bull Dagging: Homosexual activities between women; taking a homosexual partner. Also, "Bull Dagger," a macho-acting lesbian. See "Dagging."(TX)

Bull Dog: A prisoner who uses fear and intimidation to get something from a weaker person.

Bullet: One year prison sentence..such as "They gave me a bullet."

Bum Beef: To falsely accuse a prisoner of doing some thing. (OR)

Bum Rap: A bad charge.

Bumpin Ya Gums: Talking Excessively.

Bump It On Down: An Order to get moving. (TX)

Bunkie: The person with whom a prisoner shares a double bunk bed.

Burn: (1) Tobacco (England). (2) To write up a disciplinary report. (archaic)

Burn rubber: Exclamation meaning "Get lost," "Leave me alone!"

Burnt Up: To get into trouble or to receive a disciplinary report.

Bush Pass: An escape or walk-away. (TN)

Bus Therapy: The practice of transferring prisoners from one institution to another, to keep them from away from their property, visits, and other contacts. Particularly used in the federal system. Also known as "diesel therapy," "grey goose therapy," or "round robin."

Buster: (1) Disrepect referring to the fact that someone "busted" or swore to a statement upon something of value in the prison culture and was found to have lied. (2) A term for "Northern Mexicans" used by "Southern Mexicans"

Butched In: Having to perform oral sex for favors

C-file: The central file. The critical information maintained on each prisoner.

Cadillac: (1) Coffee with cream & sugar, smooth, rich and creamy. (2) A fish line. (3) A cushion job or enjoyable work on the inside. (4) The best. (5) On officer's term for a vacant cell.

Cap pealed: Someone's head, as in "I'm gonna peal his cap"

Calaboose: Prison or jail (archaic).

Call: Time for specified events -- e.g., mail call or sick call. May be known in some jurisdictions as a call out.

Camp: CDC minimum security facilities for firefighting and conservation work.

Canton: One's cell (SP TX).

Cappin': Talking about one's family, relatives, or girlfriend in a disrespectful way.

Carnal: Homeboy. Street Language. (Sp.)

Case Disciplinary violation, as in "to catch a case." (TX) See also "Beef."

Cap: The amount of marijuana that fits into a chapstick cap.

Catch a Square: To get ready to fight, as "You'd better catch a square, punk." Derives from the corners in a boxing ring.

Catch out: To request protective custody. Move around, leave an area rapidly (TX).

Catcher: Sexually passive or submissive, often victimized

Cat-J: A prisoner who needs mental health treatment. Sometimes referred to as a "J-Cat."

Cat Nap: Relatively short sentence.

Cat Walk: Walkway above yard or tier where officers patrol. Officers in the area, as in "cat walk front to back."

C.C. Consecutive sentences.

Cell Confinement: Disciplinary detention, confining prison to cell for 24 hour increments. (Iowa)

Cell Gangster: One who talks tough locked in his cell. Then says nothing when out of cell (NY). Also known as a "cell warrior" or "cell soldier." (AK)

Cellie: Cellmate.

Chain: Used when a prisoner is transferred to another unit or arrives and departs on the bus. "He left out on the chain yesterday."

Chainin": Used when a prisoner is transferblack to another unit or arrives and departs on the bus. "He went chainin this mornin."

Chalk or Raisin Jack: Home made alcohol, or pruno. (TX)

Chalking: To run interference with officers while another prisoner is breaking a rule.

Chapete: A Southern Mexican word used to disrespect Northern California gang members. (SP)

Chasing the Dragon: Looking for heroin on the yard. Also called, "chasing the horse."

Check In: To be placed into protective custody.

Check Out: To leave protective custody.

Checking: A fight. When it happens in the fields, it is generally sanctioned by officers. When it happens in the building, it is generally testing to see whether someone new is going to ride or to be a punk. See Hoe Check. (TX)

Checkin' It: Putting on one's best clothes for a visit with a prisoner. (NY) Check Off: Someone who asks for protective custody due to debts, or because he is scared.

Cheese Eater: An informer.

Chester: Child molester.

Chin Check: To hit someone in the jaw to see if he will stand up for himself.

Chiva: Heroin (spanish). Also: scam, gow, stuff, hop.

Choney: A chocolate or candy bar. (BC, Can.)

Chuck: A white prisoner or officer. (MI)

Cho-Cho: An ice cream bar bought in the canteen (TX).

Cho Mo: Child Molester. (MT)

Chrono: Informational notes by prison officials documenting classification decisions, minor disciplinary offenses, medical orders, and just about everything else that might be recorded on a prisoner. (CA) Also called "C-note" (UT).

Circuit: Transfers to discourage contact with others. "Diesel Therapy."

Clavo: A stash or collection. "He has a huge clavo of jelly-beans."

Clica: Spanish for gang, also "ganga." Related verb: cliquear, meaning to **** up or ride with a gang. (Sp., TX.)

Click: A group of prisoners who use their combined strength, a clique. When two or more prisoners attack one prisoner. "Those prisoners clicked on me." (TX)

Click up: To join a gang.

Clicks: Minutes on the telephone. (NY)

Clipper Pass: A special shaving pass that allows prisoners with medical conditions to shave only once a week or to wear short beards. (TX)

Coffee and a Day: Out in just over a day.

Dept. of Corrections Badge C.O.: Correctional Officer.

Commandos: Prisoners who go to another prisoners bunk or cell, after lights out, for sexual reasons. (FL)

Commissary: Money for buying stamps, toiletries, cigarettes, and other items. The place to buy it. Also called "canteen."

Convict: A prisoner with traditional values. One who has pride and respect, who maintains integrity, who is not an informant, whose word is good. A convict is different from an inmate.

Convict Boss: A prisoner given authority in a prison system. Also, an officer who conducts his business and does not hassle or instigate trouble. (TX)

Code 21: Masturbation (TX, from the TDC offense code).

Cop Out: (1) Form that a prisoner must fill out requesting action. (FED) (2) To inform on someone. (3) To place one's self into protective custody.

Copping Deuces: (1)) To contradict one's self, (2) To change one's mind, to the sore displeasure of another.

Corner:"A corner is defined by who a man hangs out with. That's his corner. Lot's of times, even a loner is hooked to a certain corner, so within that you've got `strong corners,' `weak corners,' etc. Once you know all the corners, where they are, and what their guidelines are, then you get an easy feel for the pulse of a prison." -- Dannie Martin, Committing Journalism.

Cross Bar Hilton: Prison (archaic).

Count: The institutional count, repeated at different times in the day. Everything stops while prison staff make sure no one is missing. May be referred to as the "count time." In the federal system, an unscheduled count may be referred to as "census count."

Court: Disciplinary hearing. (Ohio)

Cowboy: New officer. Spelled backwards, its "yobwoc:" young, obnoxious, bastard we often con." (FL)

Crate: Carton of cigarettes.

Crib: Home on the street. (PA)

Crime of Passion: prisoner serving time on a sex time.

Crimey: Best friend or co=defendant.

Cut: Area around a prisoner's bunk, considered to be his territory/area. (GA)

Cut That Knot: Beat up on a prisoner. (TX)

Cutting Up: Suicide.


D-F

D-report: Disciplinary report. (WY)

D-Seg: Disciplinary Segregation. (FED)

Daddy: A dominant prisoner who protects or uses a weaker homosexual partner. A homosexual.

Dagging: Trading out for sodomy. (TX)

Date: The release date. Often used with lifers to refer to a date set by the Board of Prison Terms,

Dead: (1) No, as in "That's dead." (2) Deprive of something. "That officer deaded my rec." (NY)

Dead mouth: Told by an officer to be remain silent until told otherwise instructed. (IN).

Debrief: Prisoners who wish to establish that they are no longer associated with a prison gang must provide information regarding gang activities and pass a polygraph examination. The prisoner must give names and identify criminal activity. This is the only means available to a prisoner to establish that they have left a prison gang and should be released from segregation. Having become an informant, the prisoner must rely on the Department of Corrections to protect them. It is an extremely dangerous pact. Prisoners who are wrongfully identified as gang associates may have nothing to offer in the debriefing process.

In Texas, this process may be known as "Attachment B," referring to the forms filled out by a prisoner delcaring that he has left a gang and to request safekeeping.

Deck: Pack of cigarettes. See also "square." (TX)

Deuce: A two-year sentence.

Deuce Less: The difference between federal time and local time. (Canada)

Deuces: A squad of correctional officers , usally called in to control a riot. "The C.O.'s just dialed the dueces."

Diddler: Child molester. (CT)

Dig this out: "Check this out."

Digger: The segregation unit. (Scotland).

Diaper sniper: Child molester.

Diesel Therapy: Constant transfers to keep a prisoner from associating with others or to discourage particular activity.

Dime: Ten, as in ten years (dime sentence), ten dollars, ten pounds of weights.

Ding Ding Something that is dead or no-more, "That thing is ding-ding, shorty." (MD)

Ding Wing: Where mentally ill prisoners are housed. A mentally ill prisoner may be called a "ding."

Dip the Spot: Leave the area.

Dipping in the Kool Aid: Trying to enter a conversation when a person has no business doing it.

Director's Rules: The regulations of the California Department of Corrections, found in title 15 of the California Code of Regulations.

Dirt Nap: To die.

Dis: Disrespect.

Discharge: Release from prison.

Dog: (1) Homeboy or friend. (2) A prisoner who gives someone up to the authorities. (Australia).

Dog Food: Heroin.

Dog House: Lock up.

Dogs: Shoes. Fee. To beat someone up, as in to "walk the dogs on someone."

Don: Dominant prisoner in a cell.

Donkey Dick: Sliced cold cuts.

Doo Rag: An archaic term for cloth worn on the head of a prisoner. See "Wave Cap." (MI>

Doowop: To go through the food line twice. (GA)

Dope Fiend Move: A sleazy maneuver.

Double Cell: Housing two prisoners in a cell designed for one.

Down: Locked up, as in "This your first time down?"

Down Bad: To accuse wrongly, as "You got me down bad." (LA)

Down Letter: A letter from the parole board notifying a prisoner that more time must be served.

Dragon's Tongue: Slice corned beef, boiled to an unexcelled toughness.

Drama: To cause a disturbance, as "There's gong to be a little drama." (NY)

Draw: Canteen order.

Dressed Out: To be assaulted with urine,feces,or any liquid mixture by a prisoner. See also "gassing."

Drive: To pick on someone to the point of getting angry. "We drove him about that all night." (LA)

Dry Cell: To put a prisoner on dry watch, without water, when he is suspected of packing contraband (Maine)

Drop a Dime: To inform on someone. "He dropped on dime on his bunkie"

Drug Charge: Child molestation; "He's in on a drug charge, he drug them out of the sandbox. (Iowa)

Drive Up: New officer or prisoner. Can be used as in "just drove up." (TX)

Dry Rat: Prisoner who snitches in front of another person (Maine)

Dry Snitch: (1) prisoners crowding around a fight that draw the officers' attention. (FL) (2) a prisoner who talks about something important to another prisoner in front of an officer.

Dubbed: Locked. As in "he dubbed the door on his cell." (Scotland)

Ducat: Prison passes for movement in the institution. Assignments for jobs, cell changes, sick-call, and other prison programs. Trust fund withdrawals for canteen draws.

Ducat to Chapel: To set a man up for a murder (from a Folsom hit).

Duck: An officer who reveals information to the prisoners about other officers.

Duff Out: To beat someone up.

Duffy: State issue, flake tobacco once supplied to California prisoners under the brand name "Bonanza." Coined after former San Quentin warden Clinton Duffy. (archaic)

Due Process: In prison, very little process is due. Under federal constitutional standards, the prison may not even be required to follow its own rules.

Dump Truck: A lawyer who makes an easy deal at the expense of the client

Ear Hustling: Listening to conversations going on over the tier (eavesdropping).

Eight Ball: (1) A prison click. (2) An eight-year term.

Elbow (L-Bow): Life sentence.

Elevator Ride Given a beating in an elevator. (NY)

EME: The Mexican Mafia, a Southern Hispanic prison gang, based on the spanish pronunciation of the letter "m."

E.P.R.D.: Earliest Possible Release Date. A prisoner's release date, assuming that he or she earns credits and stays out of trouble. Computing this date can be difficult since it is based on a complex formula. The prison's computation can be reviewed through the Legal Status Summary Sheet.

Escape Dust: Fog.

Ese: Slang for "guy" or "homie." (TX)

Eyeball: To give a long dispariging look at an officer.

Family Style: Performing sodomy in the "missionary" position,

Featherwood: A peckerwood's woman.

Felon Fodder: Human beings subjected to incarceration.

Fence Parole: Escape.

Figa" Shank. (Sp./MA)

Fifi: An artificial vagina used for masturbation.

Fire on the Line: Officer on the tier or in the area. Also, "Fire on the Walk" (MT) or "Fire in the Hole."

Fish: A new prisoner.

Fish Row: Cells where new prisoners are placed. (MT)

Firma: When someone or someone is "down" or "hard." (Sp.)

Fish Line: A line used to pull items from one cell to another. A "fishing pole" refers to an item used to facilitate this line, such as a rolled up newspaper.

Fishing Kit: A small packet of toiletries, such as deodorant, toothpaste, soap, and a toothbrush that are issued to new prisoners in the LA County jail.

Fit: Short for "outfit"--- a home-made contrivance for injecting drugs intravenously

Five-O: An officer. (MI)

Fix: To be given a favor or served with more food than other prisoners. As in, "Fix me up."

Flat Time: To serve one's time without parole.

Flat Wig: To slam, or put to the floor with force. Or, "Flat Weed."(TX)

Flavors: Brand name cigarettes or cigarettes received from outside the canteen.

Flick Up: Take a photo.

Flip Flop: To alternate in performing acts of anal sodomy with a partner, indicating weakness on the part of the dominant prisoner.

Flip the Pad: Turn over one's mattress on assigned days.

Flipping the Script: A person (usually an officer) that acts one way one day and another the next. (KY)

Floor Wet: Call to warn others that officers are coming.

Flop: The time a parole board gives (after denying parole) before a prisoner will be eligible for another parole hearing. As in, "The parole board gave a 10 year flop." (KY)

Fluff: Feminine lesbian.

Food Strike: A group of prisoners that refuse to go to the dining hall to take food, or go there and refuse to eat anything. Unlike a Hunger Strike, prisoners still eat food that was bought or made by them in the units.

Fogline: When the fog is too thick for staff to keep a close watch, fogline will be called and prisoners will be restricted to their cells or unit.

Foo-foo: Deodorant and after-shave, as in "foo-foo'ed back."

Fop Fops: To fight with fists.

Ford: "Found On Run Dead." This started because of a particularly bad doctor named Ford. It grew to mean any generally antagonistic or unhelpful doctor. (TX)

Four Minute Job: Shower.

Front: To act differently when people are in the area. (TX)

Free Pass: Let off by prison staff without making a further report.

Free World: The outside. Also mass made cigarettes - as opposed to hand-rolled.

Fudge Packer: Homosexual. (FL)

Fug: Cigarette.

__________________
They say NOBODY is perfect so just call me NOBODY

...no Mo...this thread I did not read in its entirety...whoa to damn long...anyway...didn't have too...some of the words, numbers and codes...brought back some weird thoughts...thanks though...think I'll save this for my grandaughter...in time it will make her laugh...gd4or

*bump*
Can anyone find part 2?

__________________
When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!!!!!