Prison Slang and the Language Between Inmates and Correctional Officers
Prison Slang and the Language between Inmates and Correctional Officers Prison society has always had its own language and over the years, prison language has evolved. Correctional officers have to deal with a considerable number of offenders with a large variety of issues. All the inmates segregate themselves by race or religion in prison. At times dealing with each race or religion in a prison environment can be difficult. Prison staff are trained to understand how inmates live and the issues they face everyday being incarcerated. Correctional Officers have to communicate with inmates that speak foreign language, understand their prison slang, and their non-verbal communication. Ethnic groups and gangs in prison have their own slang or language. There are certain words or phrases that mean nothing to one person but mean everything to someone else. Inmates also communicate non-verbally by their tattoos. Tattoos are used to identify inmates as members with specific gangs. A gang member that has spent time in prison will have numerous tattoos. These tattoos could include one or more symbol that has special meaning to that unique gang.
Tattoos in prison are most commonly used to establish allegiance to a specific gang. Moreover prison tattoos are intended to display the inmate’s specialties, skills, and convictions.
Love to Know Tattoos depicts some of the most frequently found prison tattoos as follows: * Double lightning bolts. This is a symbol borrowed from Nazi Germany * The number 88. "H" is the eighth letter of the alphabet. Double 8 's stand for "Heil Hitler" * Teardrops. In some places, a teardrop means the wearer has killed someone. It may also mean he or she has lost a close friend or family member * Ornate lettering spelling out the inmate 's gang name * The number 13 stands for the letter "M" (the 13th letter of the alphabet). It 's sometimes used as a reference for marijuana use, but this design has also been linked to a
Tattoos in prison are most commonly used to establish allegiance to a specific gang. Moreover prison tattoos are intended to display the inmate’s specialties, skills, and convictions.
Love to Know Tattoos depicts some of the most frequently found prison tattoos as follows: * Double lightning bolts. This is a symbol borrowed from Nazi Germany * The number 88. "H" is the eighth letter of the alphabet. Double 8 's stand for "Heil Hitler" * Teardrops. In some places, a teardrop means the wearer has killed someone. It may also mean he or she has lost a close friend or family member * Ornate lettering spelling out the inmate 's gang name * The number 13 stands for the letter "M" (the 13th letter of the alphabet). It 's sometimes used as a reference for marijuana use, but this design has also been linked to a
Cited: Tong, Virginia, Tom Mclntyre, and Herman Silmon. "What 's the Flavor? Understanding Inmate Slang Usage in Correctional Education Settings." Journal of Correctional Education 48.4 (1997): 192-197. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 3 Nov. 2010. Wittenberg, Peter M. "Language and communication in prison." Federal Probation 60.4 (1996): 45. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 3 Nov. 2010. S, Beth. “Prison Tattoos.” Love to Know, 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. Phillips, Jen. "BLOCK TALK." Mother Jones 33.4 (2008): 63. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.