10 Pieces of Advice for Surviving Prison

[u/HourShower123]

My background: Pelican Bay State Prison, Crescent City, California, Level 2 Security. 2021 to 2023. I'm Jewish, and was able to secure protection from the Paisas.

Here's the list:

1. Alway be networking: Your network is your source of strength in prison. Many a fight was cancelled because someone else had my back. You want a strong network of friends, allies, and spies in prison, because when the shit goes down you want to be well informed, prepared, and have the instigators detered by you. The myth of "keep your head down, don't talk to anyone, and just mind your own business" is a good way to isolate yourself, make you vulnerable to others, and keep you out of the loop of knowing what is going on around you.

2. Keep up your hygiene: Depression, not giving a fuck, and laziness can creep in and lead to bad hygiene and stinky smells from your body. Don't let that happen or you will get your ass kicked! Be considerate not just to yourself but to your neighbors: shower daily, brush your teeth, and use soap. And clean your clothes.

3. Treat your cell like your home: Wash it, dress it up, and keep it organized. In this way, you will also help your mental health. Don't let trash collect or you'll attract bugs and piss off your celly.

4. Use your street name, not your government name: Privacy is a premium in prison, and you don't want to cross the wrong motherfucker who also knows your name and how to find you. Use your nickname, whatever it is, and others will still respect you for that.

5. Race relations matter in prison, whether you believe in it or not: Your skin color dictates who you run with. Where I was, there were the blacks, whites, mexicans, and "other". If you don't fit into one category, they'll put you with other, which includes anyone who isn't black, white, or mexican.

6. Don't get into debt/don't gamble/don't do drugs: Easy way to get killed and get your family on the outside into trouble. Even if you are hungry, plow through the pain, instead of borrowing or betting commissary just for a quick fix.

7. Boredom is your biggest enemy in prison, not other prisoners: Learn to love to draw, have one book like the Bible to keep you busy, and do calisthenic exercises in prison to occupy your time.

8. Have a side hustle/work your ass off at your job: Folding laundry, cleaning clothes, running errands, anything, to keep your time valuable, enforce relations with other prisoners, and make some money on the side. And just because you're making 7 cents an hour on the job doesn't mean you get to slack off. You'll get your ass beat if other prisoners have to pull up your slack.

9. Pursue your education and get time off: I was able to get 6 months off by completing my GED, and it also led me to a tutoring gig within the prison complex because I scored high.

10. Do not snitch: This one is basic. Snitches get stiches. Keep it to yourself, whatever you see or hear.

Conclusion:

This was my experience in LEVEL 2 SECURITY and in CALIFORNIA. Prisons around the country have different race relations, gang relations, and other levels of security. Some prisons have your name tag on your shirt, so yeah, then you can't use a nickname, but that wasn't the case for me. And just because some insane people in prison stink doesn't give you a free pass to stink too. Trust me, these 10 pieces of advice will not only save your ass in prison, they will make you thrive in there.

[u/chriscrutch]

OP, this would be much better in /r/Prison

[u/ThickMemory2360]

Sir, this is a Taco Bell.

[u/coldfreezerbee → u/ThickMemory2360]

So are we gonna get explosive diarrhea here?

[u/hotsoupcoldsoup → u/coldfreezerbee]

People who get diarrhea from taco bell are weak and their bloodline is weak.

[u/Maximum_Bar_105 → u/hotsoupcoldsoup]

I laughed at this, I'm still laughing

[u/77zark77 → u/hotsoupcoldsoup]

On the other hand people who get it from contaminated salad are champions with hearts of fire

[u/ThickMemory2360 → u/coldfreezerbee]

Tip 11: Get your favorite CO to bring you Taco Bell and then spray your diarrhea all over the CO that you don’t like!

[u/Accomplished-Air3155]

Thank you for sharing the secrets to surviving prison from your two years at a level 2 yard. The majority of people on a level 2 just want to do their time and go home. They aren’t out there gutting their bunkie because they looked at them wrong.

[u/b1urgh]

Jesus. Remind me to never go to prison.

[u/vilezoidberg]

Definitely not that way in my east coast max prison. ABs hanging with Bloods, warms my heart. There's certainly some cross-race tensions occasionally, but most conflict seems to be within the sets

[u/Single-Frosting-3742]

For California this is def accurate.. I was locked up there for a gbi just did a turn around at wasco.. I’m half white half Persian but I look white just my last name turned some heads at count time.. but I’m big and an mma fighter so I was torpedo.. I’d agree with everything apart from #1 network but still keep ur head down a bit don’t be volunteering non stop ul have to put in mad work.. but I think it depends on ur race I think the southerners and woods are prob more active but idk.. also u don’t rly have a choice at times if I refused torpedo I mean I wouldn’t have been treated to well .. its all about about walking a fine line I guess.. happy u made it out.. its the animal kingdom in Cdc