Prison Rule # 1. Never Change the TV Channel without Asking

When I was in the FCI in Phoenix Arizona, I had dinner with a fellow inmate one night and he was dead the next morning, all because he changed the channel on a television in a common area being used by several inmates, and someone took offense over that and stabbed him!

Prison Rule # 2.  Never Cut In Any Line for Any Reason

In another instance, an inmate cut in line to make a call at an inmate telephone kiosk, and another inmate grabbed the phone receiver from his hands and smashed him repeatedly in the face with it and knocked several of his teeth out. Never cut in the dining hall line, telephone line, OR ANY LINE!

Prison Rule # 3. Never Reach across Anyone's Food Tray

I was sitting in an inmate dining hall and I watched an inmate reach across the table over another inmate's food tray. The inmate, who the tray belonged to, picked up a napkin dispenser and struck the offending inmate over the head with it.

Prison Rule # 4. Never Sit on Another Inmate's Bunk without Permission

Most importantly, never sit down on another inmate's bunk or use another inmate's property without their permission. With personal space and property in prisons being of a limited nature, it's considered disrespectful and rude to take liberties with things belonging to others and could lead to you being labeled a thief.

Prison Rule # 5. Never Rat Out another Inmate for Any Reason

Just about everyone who's in custody share a common denominator in that the reason they are locked up other than committing a crime… is that someone finked on them! Well on the inside, there's nothing worse than being labeled a snitch, and the quickest way to lose the respect of your fellow inmates is to rat them out to the cops.