NCJ Number
170838
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 48 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1997) Pages: 192-197
Date Published
1997
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Correctional educators must become familiar with inmates' coded language in order to comprehend institutional events, bond with their students, and optimize their teaching effectiveness.
Abstract
"In group" slang is shorthand, coded terminology that develops within social groups or when individuals regularly interact in a certain setting or context over a long period of time. Prison slang, like other situational argot, encompasses "secret" words and idioms that replace their counterparts in conventional language and often make no sense outside of the prison environment. The secret code is meant not so much to deceive outsiders as it is to give speakers a sense of identity, comradery, and exclusivity, thus cementing bonds with the listeners through the use of privileged communication. This "insider" speech serves as a symbol of commonality, a means of connecting with others, and a way of identifying one's relationship to that group. Prison argot, when understood, can be a "window" that allows insight into the cultural dynamics of a particular prison setting and the social structure of its groups. Considering that effective instructor-student communication is vital to the process of teaching and learning, correctional educators must become familiar with inmate slang use in order to function optimally in their classrooms. A prison teacher's acquisition of prison slang comprehension is not a one-time undertaking. Because of the high turnover of slang expressions, one's slang lexicon will require continual updating. Given the "regional" nature of prison slang, each facility's correctional educators must combine their efforts to develop their own "jail jargon" sheet and share it with others in their setting. Appended prison slang quiz, a prison slang glossary, and 15 references