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Behind Bars: Surviving Prison
A judge hands down a stretch in a local, state, or federal prison. It's time for some serious life lessons. With the crime rates soaring in the United States and the prison population growing faster than at any other time in American history, staying alive and well - both mentally and physically - is tougher than ever.
- GenresNonfictionJustice
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2002
14 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Ian Ross
48 books4 followersJeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D. is a Professor in the School of Criminal Justice, College of Public Affairs, and a Research Fellow of the Center for International and Comparative Law, and the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore. He has been a Visiting Professor at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany, and University of Padua, Italy.
He has researched, written, and lectured primarily on corrections, policing, political crime, state crime, crimes of the powerful, violence, street culture, and crime and justice in American Indian communities for over two decades. Ross’ work has appeared in many academic journals and books, as well as popular media. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of several books including the ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF STREET CULTURE (2021).
Ross is a respected subject matter expert for local, regional, national and international news media. He has made live appearances on CNN, CNBC, Fox News Network, MSNBC, and NBC. Additionally Ross has written op-eds for The (Baltimore) Sun, the Baltimore Examiner, The (Maryland) Daily Record, The Gazette, The Hill, Inside Higher Ed, and The Tampa Tribune.
From 1995-1998, Ross was a Social Science Analyst with the National Institute of Justice, a Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2003, he was awarded the University of Baltimore’s Distinguished Chair in Research Award. Ross is the co-founder of Convict Criminology, and former co-chair/chair of the Division on Critical Criminology and Social Justice (2014-2017), of the American Society of Criminology. In 2018, Ross was given the Hans W. Mattick Award, “for an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of Criminology & Criminal Justice practice,” from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2020, he received the John Howard Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences’ Division of Corrections. The award is the ACJS Corrections Section’s most prestigious award, and was given because of his “outstanding research and service to the field of corrections.” During the early 1980s, Jeff worked almost four years in a correctional institution.
He has researched, written, and lectured primarily on corrections, policing, political crime, state crime, crimes of the powerful, violence, street culture, and crime and justice in American Indian communities for over two decades. Ross’ work has appeared in many academic journals and books, as well as popular media. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of several books including the ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF STREET CULTURE (2021).
Ross is a respected subject matter expert for local, regional, national and international news media. He has made live appearances on CNN, CNBC, Fox News Network, MSNBC, and NBC. Additionally Ross has written op-eds for The (Baltimore) Sun, the Baltimore Examiner, The (Maryland) Daily Record, The Gazette, The Hill, Inside Higher Ed, and The Tampa Tribune.
From 1995-1998, Ross was a Social Science Analyst with the National Institute of Justice, a Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2003, he was awarded the University of Baltimore’s Distinguished Chair in Research Award. Ross is the co-founder of Convict Criminology, and former co-chair/chair of the Division on Critical Criminology and Social Justice (2014-2017), of the American Society of Criminology. In 2018, Ross was given the Hans W. Mattick Award, “for an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of Criminology & Criminal Justice practice,” from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2020, he received the John Howard Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences’ Division of Corrections. The award is the ACJS Corrections Section’s most prestigious award, and was given because of his “outstanding research and service to the field of corrections.” During the early 1980s, Jeff worked almost four years in a correctional institution.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 21, 2018
How to behave when the police invade your home. (Polite, don't mention they've just mashed up the front door).
How to behave when being arrested. (Extremely politely. Kiss ass.)
What to say when being interviewed. (No comment or similar, a defence lawyer will find their job easier if you haven't actually said anything at all).
Dealing with bail, lawyers, and how to fake it with the boss to keep your job.
Being locked up. What to do, not to do, who you need to be respectful to and who you should show strength in front of. One of the main tenets is neither a borrower or a lender be. Both are likely to get you into serious problems.
How to deal with the appalling conditions of jail and eventually, if everything goes wrong, prison.
What to do or say in court. You have a lawyer, listen to their advice.
Serving time. How to make it pass without getting brain dead from lack of stimulation or being beaten up, how to make and keep friends who will be your buddies when the inevitable trouble starts. (Prison is full of violent psychopaths with nothing to do all day but look for 'disrespect' or something you have they want).
Family. They will often move on. There you go.
Re-entering the world with a criminal record and possibly no friends, family or money.
It's all enough to make you stay on the right side of the law. Almost. I mean it's impossible to keep all laws and still have a life. No speeding, no illegal parking even for a minute, no getting drunk, no having a puff (depends on where you live), no sex with minors even if you are a minor yourself. How do you keep two 15 year olds in love from having sex? There are just too many prohibitions (and not enough anarchy, but wer must respect that). Still, the book is a good one for slightly anarchic teenagers who might think of doing naughty things or even very bad ones and will not give officers the overwheening respect too many of them think they deserve, especially from Black kids. Which is what concerns me being as two of mine are kings in their own country but automatically suspected of being criminals, probably drug users, in the US.
Something happened to me not that long ago that made me think, is this how Black people feel? I was in Marco Island, Florida, and my boyfriend had gone off to California as his daughter was in one of the semi-finals of Jeopardy and taking the keys of the beamer with him. So I had to walk the 3/4 mile to Publix.
There I am in my black pants and top and Betsey Johnson backpack going home walking slowly in the 94 degree heat backpack stuffed with French bread, sangria, salads, that sort of thing, when a police car swerves onto the sidewalk so I can't proceed and the cop gets out and in a not-too-pleasant manner wants to know who I am, see my ID (I don't usually carry any, it's not necessary where I live) and what I am doing walking. Because I can't drive in the US and the bf has carefully taken the car keys in case I should decide to.
When he has established I am who I say I am he gives me a ride back to the yacht in the marina and explains that he had a report of a woman walking oddly, a vagrant, and since I was the only person walking, it must be me! Well gee, vagrants walk around with designer backpacks with a baguette sticking out? In other words if for some reason people don't like the look of you, it doesn't matter who you are if you are 'different' (ie walking in a rich area where everyone drives and there is no public transport) or just by being Black. That's it. Your guilty until you prove your innocence.
So the book is good, it might have happened to me, now I'll know exactly what to do for the next time which hopefully will never come.
How to behave when being arrested. (Extremely politely. Kiss ass.)
What to say when being interviewed. (No comment or similar, a defence lawyer will find their job easier if you haven't actually said anything at all).
Dealing with bail, lawyers, and how to fake it with the boss to keep your job.
Being locked up. What to do, not to do, who you need to be respectful to and who you should show strength in front of. One of the main tenets is neither a borrower or a lender be. Both are likely to get you into serious problems.
How to deal with the appalling conditions of jail and eventually, if everything goes wrong, prison.
What to do or say in court. You have a lawyer, listen to their advice.
Serving time. How to make it pass without getting brain dead from lack of stimulation or being beaten up, how to make and keep friends who will be your buddies when the inevitable trouble starts. (Prison is full of violent psychopaths with nothing to do all day but look for 'disrespect' or something you have they want).
Family. They will often move on. There you go.
Re-entering the world with a criminal record and possibly no friends, family or money.
It's all enough to make you stay on the right side of the law. Almost. I mean it's impossible to keep all laws and still have a life. No speeding, no illegal parking even for a minute, no getting drunk, no having a puff (depends on where you live), no sex with minors even if you are a minor yourself. How do you keep two 15 year olds in love from having sex? There are just too many prohibitions (and not enough anarchy, but wer must respect that). Still, the book is a good one for slightly anarchic teenagers who might think of doing naughty things or even very bad ones and will not give officers the overwheening respect too many of them think they deserve, especially from Black kids. Which is what concerns me being as two of mine are kings in their own country but automatically suspected of being criminals, probably drug users, in the US.
Something happened to me not that long ago that made me think, is this how Black people feel? I was in Marco Island, Florida, and my boyfriend had gone off to California as his daughter was in one of the semi-finals of Jeopardy and taking the keys of the beamer with him. So I had to walk the 3/4 mile to Publix.
There I am in my black pants and top and Betsey Johnson backpack going home walking slowly in the 94 degree heat backpack stuffed with French bread, sangria, salads, that sort of thing, when a police car swerves onto the sidewalk so I can't proceed and the cop gets out and in a not-too-pleasant manner wants to know who I am, see my ID (I don't usually carry any, it's not necessary where I live) and what I am doing walking. Because I can't drive in the US and the bf has carefully taken the car keys in case I should decide to.
When he has established I am who I say I am he gives me a ride back to the yacht in the marina and explains that he had a report of a woman walking oddly, a vagrant, and since I was the only person walking, it must be me! Well gee, vagrants walk around with designer backpacks with a baguette sticking out? In other words if for some reason people don't like the look of you, it doesn't matter who you are if you are 'different' (ie walking in a rich area where everyone drives and there is no public transport) or just by being Black. That's it. Your guilty until you prove your innocence.
So the book is good, it might have happened to me, now I'll know exactly what to do for the next time which hopefully will never come.
May 30, 2008
This is the book recommended to convicts rich enough to hire prison adjustment counselors. And anyone else who does any research on the subject. So far, I haven't seen any better 'behind the scene' frank discussion of prison realities. Crim majors - criminals... must read. However, note that it only applies to male institutions. Female institutions are VERY different.
February 11, 2012
The authors, professors of criminology (one of whom worked at a prison, and one of whom was incarcerated for 11 years), lay out in simple terms the hard realities of prison life. They tell what the potential perp can expect, from the first arrest, to surviving gang violence in the penitentiary, all the way how to readjust to life on the streets after you’re released.
It’s a well-written and easy to follow book. It’s most interesting at the beginning, when the authors reveal some of the more draconian arrest laws arrests (like “burn laws” --- where the state can convict you of just the intent to sell drugs even if you never actually had any drugs --- and those scary, error-filled no-knock warrants), and at the end, when they make an argument for the return of rehabilitation as a philosophy of incarceration.
It’s a well-written and easy to follow book. It’s most interesting at the beginning, when the authors reveal some of the more draconian arrest laws arrests (like “burn laws” --- where the state can convict you of just the intent to sell drugs even if you never actually had any drugs --- and those scary, error-filled no-knock warrants), and at the end, when they make an argument for the return of rehabilitation as a philosophy of incarceration.
June 27, 2016
This was an eye-opening and informative book. I think it may be helpful, which is its purpose I believe, for someone who is about to start a period of incarceration to let them know what they may be up against and how to survive with their skin. It is definitely educational for those who have no prison experience. The authors closed with their thoughts on the need for a more redemptive and rehabilitative system, and gave ideas on how to work some of these things out to provide more successful transitions and reduce recidivism. It gave an insiders look w/o the Hollywood glamor. I am glad I read it.
March 28, 2015
Good book-Hope I NEVER NEED it!
I have a relative that was recently sentenced to 16-18 years in prison. Since no one else I know well has ever been to prison, I got this book before I even write them a letter. Having heard if I write the wrong thing or something that could be misunderstood or taken out of context, this book was a great investment. Now, from what I learned, I do NOT know if it is worth the trouble an innocent person can get into just contacting an inmate. If you even think you or anyone you know could end up in the U.S. prison system, read it! Remembering it. Worth every penny.
I have a relative that was recently sentenced to 16-18 years in prison. Since no one else I know well has ever been to prison, I got this book before I even write them a letter. Having heard if I write the wrong thing or something that could be misunderstood or taken out of context, this book was a great investment. Now, from what I learned, I do NOT know if it is worth the trouble an innocent person can get into just contacting an inmate. If you even think you or anyone you know could end up in the U.S. prison system, read it! Remembering it. Worth every penny.
February 28, 2011
I picked up this book because my husband had been friends with one of the authors when they were in their 20's and recently reconnected with him. I'm in no position to vouch for the accuracy of the book but it has the ring of truth to it. The language is straight forward and clear. This book tells what prison is like from the point of view of an inmate and has good tips for making a stay in prison less awful. Both the authors are men with experience in men's prisons so the focus is on that. There is a short (7 page) chapter on women's prisons but that is clearly not their strong point.
May 19, 2008
I've always thought I would end up in prison (unjustly). I was excited to read about a survival guide to my worst nightmare. Although it acts as a good primer to the major prison gangs and day to day life, it unfortunately concludes that in order to survive, you have to a) join the aryan brotherhood (if you are white) and b) become someones b**** or be willing to face death and or mutilation constantly trying to stop sexual assault.
February 11, 2008
Well, I owe Ian my sincere thanks for finding this gem at a Value Village somewhere in the wasteland of Southern Ontario. Like many middle-class women, I am deathly afraid of going to the pokey (as my mom calls it) and getting shivved in the kidney during role call. Thankfully I now know how to avoid this fate (and much more) all thanks to these formerly incarcerated sociology profs.
February 26, 2019
Years ago I read a book titled “You Got Nothing Coming” by Jimmy Lerner. It was about a regular guy with a bit of an alcohol problem who got sentenced to prison for manslaughter. He wanted to fight the charges because it was self-defense but his lawyer advised him to take a plea deal and not roll the dice with a jury that sees a lot of blood and thinks murder. In this book he details his life in prison in Nevada. I’ve been hooked on the drama of prison life ever since.
“Behind Bars” is written by two men intimately familiar with life in prison. One worked nearly four years inside a correctional institution and the other spent 11 years between jail, prison, and parole. Are they the most experienced guys that could write this book? No, but they have enough experience to guide a layman like myself.
The book is written almost like a manual for someone on his/her way up the river. It takes the reader from the arrest, to sentencing, to prison time, up to even release. Much of it sounds like good advice to keep a person alive and out of trouble while there are also some good statistics in there to give the reader a solid impression of the make up of prisons in the U.S.
“Behind Bars” is written simple enough and is a fairly quick read. Hopefully I won’t ever truly need any of this information!
“Behind Bars” is written by two men intimately familiar with life in prison. One worked nearly four years inside a correctional institution and the other spent 11 years between jail, prison, and parole. Are they the most experienced guys that could write this book? No, but they have enough experience to guide a layman like myself.
The book is written almost like a manual for someone on his/her way up the river. It takes the reader from the arrest, to sentencing, to prison time, up to even release. Much of it sounds like good advice to keep a person alive and out of trouble while there are also some good statistics in there to give the reader a solid impression of the make up of prisons in the U.S.
“Behind Bars” is written simple enough and is a fairly quick read. Hopefully I won’t ever truly need any of this information!
May 27, 2021
This book is a quick read that will tell you everything you need to know if you are expecting to be locked up or know someone who is. Without going through too much detail, the authors give an overview of the chaos, inhumanity, and mundane conditions of life under incarceration. No other book matches this breakdown of the U.S. prison system in such a practical manner.
December 6, 2021
Too opinionated, not enough facts, to be truly useful
May 15, 2010
followed a prisoner through the system and gave an idea what visiting day is like, working in the kitchen with felons,being moved from prison to prison, and then trying to adjust to release with $3 and a thin jacket, no job or apt lined up.
April 23, 2012
I feel well-prepared now.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews