Prison Lingo — Revisited (reposted w/o the pesky paywall)

Prison is a strange world unto itself. It comes with its own set of rules–the convict code– and a unique language. So, if you ever find yourself behind bars, listen up. Your survival may depend on it.

There are a few common expressions used in the big house that might sound a little foreign to people on the outside.

Buck Rogers Time:

As in, “That convict is doing Buck Rodgers Time.”

The expression comes from an inmate serving such a long sentence that his release date is so far out in the future that it sounds like science fiction. I remember convicts serving hundreds of years with release dates in 2250, and 2160. Seems like Buck Rogers time, doesn’t it?

Snitch Jacket:

As in: “Billy’s earned himself a Snitch Jacket.”

A snitch jacket means Billy is a snitch and can’t be trusted. The “jacket” isn’t a literal coat that convicts wear out on the yard. That misconception has come up before. It’s a reputation. The term “jacket” comes from the hard-sided file kept on the inmate. An inmate with “trust issues” has a dark cloud hanging over him. Being perceived as an inmate with a snitch jacket is a sure fire way to violate the convict code and earn a back door parole.

Back Door Parole:

As in: “Billy knew he had a better chance of a Back Door Parole than he did walking out the front gates as a free man.”

Simply put, a Back Door Parole means the convict dies in prison and leaves in a hearse from the loading dock–the literal back door. With decades to serve ahead, some opt for suicide, and others are caught up in prison violence where they meet an untimely demise. Either way, the convict’s body will be released to the funeral home, or coroner’s office…out the back door.

If you put them all together…

“Billy made a huge mistake earning a Snitch Jacket when he was looking at Buck Rodgers Time–it doubled his odds of a Back Door Parole. Poor Billy would never see the outside world again.”

So there you have it. A little peek into the lingo used in the prison world. You get to learn the language without the pesky felony conviction. Think of it as a Prison Duo-Lingo.

On another note, Illusion of Truth is available for preorder and is set for release on January 6th. Preorders are important to sustaining a series, so take a look-see, if you’re interested.