19 Key Prison Slang Terms You Should Be Aware Of

The slammer. The clink. Heading off for a state-sponsored retreat. Taking a detour to Federal Resort. There are countless ways to describe a stint in state or federal prison—and once inside, inmates must quickly learn a unique vocabulary to survive life behind bars. Linguist Julie Coleman explained to PBS News Hour that prisons are breeding grounds for slang: Inmates are confined together, constantly communicating, and often trying to avoid being understood by guards. Crafting new ways to speak and communicate becomes essential. Here are 19 slang terms that define the criminal conversation within prison walls.

1. Newbie

When someone convicted of a crime first enters prison, they’re labeled a newbie. This term might reflect their inexperienced status—like a fresh catch—or it could originate from the foul-smelling, low-cost ink once used to print an inmate’s identification numbers on their clothing.

Green’s Dictionary of Slang traces the term’s first documented use to 1933, when James Spenser’s memoir Limey: An Englishman Joins the Gangs was released: “The fish uniform is the mark of poverty in San Quentin. It’s a visible sign that the wearer has no one on the outside to support them.”

2. Stash Spot

When an inmate needs to conceal a forbidden item and has no other options, they might stash it in their keister (or keester), tucking it away for safekeeping. Green’s notes its usage as early as 1992.

Although cavity searches might seem like a deterrent, inmates can sometimes hide contraband deep enough to escape detection. In 2011, a prisoner at Lake County Correctional Facility in Florida successfully concealed a cell phone, an MP3 player (complete with headphones), marijuana, tobacco, and $140 in cash. Suspicion arose when guards noticed the smell of marijuana emanating from his cell.

3. The Outsider

When someone becomes romantically involved with the partner of an incarcerated individual, they’re referred to as a Jody. The term likely has roots in military slang, where soldiers feared a Jody would charm their significant others while they were deployed.

4. Inmate Messaging

In prison, kite describes a written note exchanged between inmates: “I heard we’re getting a new warden,” one might remark. “I’ll send you a kite.” A kite-box serves as a suggestions box within the facility, where messages can be submitted to staff, earning it the nickname snitch box.

5. Shell-Shocked Guards

When prison guards gear up in riot equipment, some inmates have noted their passing similarity to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

6. Homemade Blade

Historically, shank has referred to a leg, part of a tobacco pipe, or a harpoon segment—but in a 2019 proposed update to the Oxford English Dictionary, it was recognized as slang for a makeshift weapon.

7. Feathered Friend

A duck in prison is sure to stir up trouble. It usually describes a corrections officer who sides with inmates and shares confidential information with them.

8. Loyal Companion

When prisoners develop a strong friendship, they’re referred to as road dogs. The term can also apply to those who spend leisure time together or were close friends before incarceration.

9. Stitch Count

When an inmate attacks another with a weapon (such as a shank) and inflicts a severe injury, it’s called a buck fifty since it could require 150 stitches to mend the wound.

10. Toxic Retaliation

When prisoners seek revenge against a corrections officer but can’t physically reach them, they may turn to gassing, which involves hurling urine or feces at the officer from their cell.

11. Decision Maker

Initially a legal term, shot caller gained a sarcastic twist in prison culture: It refers to an inmate who dictates orders and controls others within the hierarchy.

12. Lifetime Stay

Sentenced to life? You’re in prison all day, a phrase used by Australian inmates since at least 1910. If you’re serving life without parole, you’ve got all day and a night. If your sentence is just a year, you’re serving a bullet.

13. Fixture Destroyer

When an inmate becomes enraged and begins smashing items like toilets or sinks, they’re labeled a porcelain termite. The term gained widespread attention with the release of Pete Earley’s The Hothouse: Life Inside Leavenworth Prison in 1992.

14. Cellblock Brew

Pruno describes homemade alcohol created by fermenting bread, water, and fruit or fruit scraps in a bag, often concealed—sometimes in a toilet. Green’s traces its usage back to 1918.  

15. Ride

No, inmates don’t have access to vehicles. In prison slang, a car describes a group of prisoners who hold significant sway over various operations. If you’re new, you’ll want to find a car that suits you. However, if someone mentions a specific model, like a Cadillac, they’re talking about coffee loaded with cream and sugar.

16. Orange Inmate

Inmates wearing orange correctional attire during processing or while serving time are often referred to as pumpkins. When many of them gather in an intake area, it’s called a pumpkin patch.

17. Barter Deal

In prison, where cash is scarce, inmates often resort to creative bartering. A two-for-three is a deal where two items—like a bag of chips—are exchanged for three at a later date.

18. Meal Pass

During meal times, if you’re confined to your cell, guards may deliver your food through the bean slot—a small opening designed to allow trays to be passed in and out.

19. Unofficial Release

Back door parole is prison lingo for passing away while imprisoned, often with the deceased buried on the prison premises.