Category: Prison Rules

When I was in prison, one of the best moments of the day was mail call. Every weeknight, an officer would come onto the wing and hand out inmate mail.  Sometimes, I would get letters or emails from home. Other times, I would receive letters from people I had never met, but who had read… Continue reading What Can You Put in Prison Letters?

When people ask me about my prison experience, one of the most common questions I get is about clothing. People are always interested in what inmates are allowed to wear.  When we see prison inmates on TV and in movies, we usually see them in an orange jumpsuit or a khaki two-piece. This is actually… Continue reading Can You Wear Jeans in Prison?

Earning money is just as important for an inmate in prison as it is for someone in the free world. In addition to “three hots and a cot,” the state provides an inmate with an absolute minimum number of supplies – a few items of clothing, a sheet and towel, and hygiene items. Other than… Continue reading How Can You Earn Money in Prison?

One of the most glaring differences about living your life in prison compared to the free world is that you have almost no control over who you spend your time with. When an inmate arrives for processing into a prison, they are assigned a cell and a bunk. Inmates have no influence on where they… Continue reading Can You Keep to Yourself in Prison?

For most prison inmates, regular communication with friends and family in the free world is essential to surviving their segregation from society. Thanks to modern technology, inmates no longer have to rely on handwritten letters and phone calls to communicate with their loved ones. These days, friends and family can communicate with their incarcerated loved… Continue reading Can You Swear in Prison Letters?

Did you know there is prison inside of a prison? You may have heard it called “the hole” or “the SHU” or “solitary confinement.” But all of those names are referring to one place inside of prison walls – administrative segregation (AdSeg).  The specific name depends on the facility, but administrative segregation is always a… Continue reading Protective Custody in Prison

There is an old saying that claims “necessity is the mother of invention.” The overwhelming evidence that proves that saying is true can be found behind prison walls. Inmates have extremely limited access to items that people in the free world take for granted. This means that everything is repurposed and nothing goes to waste. … Continue reading What is Prison Hooch and How do Inmates Make it?

When I went to prison, I had no idea what to expect. My only exposure to life behind bars was from TV and movies. And, as I’ve explained numerous times on PrisonInsight, Hollywood gets it extremely wrong. To my surprise, prisons aren’t filled with evil murderers and rapists. But please don’t misunderstand me – there… Continue reading Is Prison As Bad as People Say it is?

During most blog posts here on Prison Insight, I talk a lot about the things that prison inmates are not allowed to do. I also discuss the rights inmates lose when they are incarcerated as well as when they are released back into society as felons. Today, I am going to talk about something else… Continue reading Are Prisoners Drafted For War?

Whenever I choose a blog post topic, it is usually based on the questions we receive from our readers. But sometimes, I get inspiration by looking at the Google search trends to see the most frequently asked questions about prison. Today’s blog post is a result of those questions on Google. I chose this topic… Continue reading Why Are Inmates so Muscular?