Ad Seg: Administrative Segregations. Placement in a controlled unit for the safety and security of the institution. Also called the “hole”.

All day: A life sentence as in “He’s doing all day…”

Badge: A guard, correctional officer,

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

Beanhole: Slot in the door that allows a food, commissary etc. to be handed to the inmate without opening the door.

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

Big House: Prison

Big Jab: Lethal injection. Also called the “needle.”

Blanket Party: Throwing a blanket over a despised prisoner, so he or she can’t identify the attacker(s).

Blind: Area where correctional officers cannot see.

Books: Inmate trust account. Monies received by a prisoner is placed into an account and may be withdrawn for commissary purchases, special orders, and other expenses.

Boss: Would be a Correctional Officer overseeing a project or a certain area.

Box: Carton of cigarettes

Bull: Guard or Correctional Officer

Bunkie: Person with whom a prisoner shares a double bunk bed.

C-file: Critical information maintained on each inmate.

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

Cell Restriction: Disciplinary action

Cellie: Cell mate

Chain: Used when an inmate is transferred to another unit/facility.

Close Custody: Inmates who have lost lines due to disciplinary actions can end up in Close Custody. Close Custody inmates are escorted by Correctional Officers everywhere they go. They only go out to work (hoe squad), otherwise they are in their cells.

Committee: A group of Prison Officials who review an inmate’s actions to see if they can grant a line promotion or disciplinary action.

Commissary: Prison “store”

Commissary Restriction: Disciplinary action

Count: The institutional count of inmates, repeated at different times in the day/night. All movement stops while prison staff make sure no one is missing.

Death Row: Inmate sentenced to die by lethal injection.

Date: Release date

Drop A Form: A prison form requesting information or giving information to a certain department.

FI: Favorable parole answer the FI is always followed by a number, which determines if an inmate will have to complete a program or be released as soon as his/her release paperwork is complete.

Fish: A new inmate.

Fish Line: A line used to pull items for one cell to another.

Fog Line: When the fog is too thick for staff to keep a close watch, “fog line” will be called and prisoners will be restricted to their cells.

Free World: Outside

G4: Medium Custody

G5: Close Custody

GP: General population

Good Time: Credits earned towards an inmate’s sentence.

Hall Card: Inmate’s personal record/history

Hard Time: Serving a sentence the difficult way.

Hit: A planned murder or stabbing.

Hoe Squad: Inmates who work the fields with a hoe and are supervised at all times by a Correctional Officer on horseback.

Hole: Solitary confinement, segregation, disciplinary detention cells.

Homeboy: Another inmate from one’s hometown or neighborhood.

Hooch: Homemade alcohol.

Ink: Tattoos

Inside: Behind the walls.

Jacket: Inmate’s prison record.

Jail: A county facility.

Jailhouse Lawyer: A prisoner who assist others in filing legal actions.

Jailhouse Religion: Inmates who only have religion in their life while incarcerated.

Kite: Notes or letters. Any message passed to a prisoner.

Life Row: A term for women’s row.

Lifer: An inmate serving a life sentence.

Lock down: An individual inmate, a specific housing unit, or the entire prison may be locked down when there is a threat to security, count doesn’t clear, or someone is missing.

Lock Up: Segregation unit, the adjustment center; disciplinary detention.

LWOP: Life without possibility of parole.

Made Parole: Given a favorable answer by the parole board

Mainline: Also called, “general population.”

Make Paper: Make parole

Make Store: An inmate is able to go to commissary.

Man Walking: A signal that a Guard or Correctional Officer is coming.

Old Timer: An inmate who has done a lot of time.

Packing: An inmate who is carrying a weapon or drugs for sale.

Parole: Where an  inmate is released early as long as abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers until their sentence is complete.

PC: Protective Custody

PHU: Protective Housing Unit

PIA: Prison Industry Authority

Priors: Previous convictions

Re-entry: When an inmate is transitioning back into society.

ROW: Death Row

SO: Sex Offender

Seg: Segregation (isolated or disciplinary unit)

Set Off: When an inmate is denied parole.

Shakedown: A search of a cell or work area.

Shank: Handmade weapon – generally a stabbing instrument.

Short-timer: Inmate who is soon to be released.

SHU: Security Housing Unit, Segregation (the hole)

Snitch: An informant. One who has given up names or activities.

Stinger: Appliance used to heat water.

Street: The outside world as in “on the street.”

Trustee: A position where an inmate is allowed outside the gates without supervision.

Yard: The exercise area. In segregation, or death row the yard may be nothing more than a concrete “dog run” with no equipment.