Lockup Doc

It may surprise some people to hear that not all inmates, not even the ones who see psychiatrists, have difficulty coping with incarceration. Certainly some do, but many others are more stressed about family/relationship issues, financial problems, or the prospect of being unemployed felons upon release. Some inmates have found positive approaches to incarceration that make it less stressful and more productive while others struggle and often find themselves in undesirable situations.

Since I regularly see prisoners with a wide variety of effective and ineffective approaches to their incarcerations, I decided to compile a list of suggestions for how one could make prison or jail time more palatable. This list is not all-inclusive and is in no particular order. I offer no guarantees and hope that you will never seriously need a list such as this!

1. Stay busy and healthy: Some inmates do virtually nothing in prison, and I believe this is a mistake. Although freedoms are limited, there are still many things inmates can do to make the time pass more quickly, stay physically and mentally healthy, and better themselves. Go to the prison library regularly and read lots of books. Earn your HSED/GED or take college classes if they are available. Do not pass up the opportunity to go to recreation. As your health permits, work out regularly. You’ll feel better, be less likely to be a target, sleep better, and you’ll likely be healthier.

2. Don’t draw attention to yourself: “Lay low” is good advice. Try not to come up on the radar of correctional staff or other inmates. If you know that certain inmates are troublemakers, then avoid them as much as possible. Likewise, if the day room seems to be where trouble and fights seem to start, then avoid it as much as possible. If there is an incident that results in inmates being taken to segregation, then you will likely be going there, too, if you are in the area when trouble erupts. Although you may be let out of segregation soon if you were not found to have been involved, it’s better not to go there in the first place. Avoid guilt by association! Around other inmates, do not try to act tough or as though you have an attitude. Don’t talk big and tell people that you’re “a player.” (If you’re really “a player,” then people will know without you telling them!)

3. Keep your eye on the ball: Articulate to yourself exactly how you want your life to be both during your incarceration and when you get out. Do not share this vision with anyone except family members. Do not allow others to sway you from your plan. You will be tested by staff and inmates at some point, and you don’t want your short-term urge to be right or to have the last word to end up sabotaging your plan! I’ve seen many inmates quit programs such as boot camp that would have allowed them to have been released early simply because they didn’t want to have others tell them what to do.

4. Don’t trust anyone, but do listen: I like to believe the world is basically a good place, but in prison you’re much safer assuming the opposite. “Anything you say can and will be used against you” is a fact behind bars. Do not share any personal information with others. Do not talk about your crime, your family, your personal beliefs, etc. But, do have a brief, canned response to give to inmates when they ask you about your crime. Do not lie – inmates frequently have family members and friends look up other inmates on the internet. Keep your ears open at all times. You will learn things you need to know. Use common sense, though, and realize that not everything you hear will be accurate or truthful.

5. Do not resist what is: Remember that “resisting what is” is what creates suffering. I realize that suggesting this may sound akin to telling a person with anxiety to stop worrying. I believe, though, that the more mindful one is of this principle, the more likely one will be to stop resisting. Try your best to realize that there will be many circumstances outside of your control. You’ll have a much more positive experience if you put your effort into things over which you do have control.

6. Do not expect other inmates or correctional staff to behave rationally: I see this issue come up frequently when older, nonviolent offenders enter prison for the first time. They seem to expect everyone to behave in a civilized, respectful manner. They seem to become especially upset when younger, emotionally immature inmates engage in adolescent behavior or when inmates who are generally disrespectful to nearly everyone cannot be reasoned with.

7. Don’t become a target: Do not show your emotions. Do not allow others to know if something causes you to feel fear, anger, sadness, or even happiness. If you do, it will reveal to others the “buttons” they need to push to manipulate you. Try to avoid confrontations and fights whenever possible, but if someone is trying to push you around, you absolutely must not back down, especially if other inmates are around. If you do, you will become a target!

8. Do not be a “snitch”: Regardless of your own sense of right and wrong, many inmates will engage in behavior that is in violation of prison rules and/or is illegal. You should be focused on improving yourself during your incarceration and should not take it upon yourself to try to change the behavior of others. Most of the time it will be in your best interest to ignore the objectionable behavior of others. If you are even suspected to have “snitched” to security about something, you will become a target. Therefore, think very carefully before reporting the behavior of others to security staff.

9. Be persistent in letting your family know that you care: Although this suggestion may not help you survive prison, it very well may have a positive lasting impact on your relationship with others when you are released. I often see inmates make the mistake of not writing to their significant other or children. Or, they started out writing to them and simply stopped because nobody was writing letters back to them. Most inmates, whether they want to face it or not, have significantly damaged any trust others had in them, and I believe it is best for them to keep letting others know that they care (and not make their own letter writing or phone calling dependent on others reciprocating).

10. Get help if you need it: Although mental health systems in many prison systems are lacking in resources, there should be resources available if you need them. You will not likely get medication if you’re simply having trouble sleeping, but if you are slipping into depression, are having overwhelming anxiety, and/or are having any thoughts of suicide, then by all means ask for an appointment with psychology or psychiatry.