Prison slang

Prison slang is an argot used primarily by criminals and/or detainees in correctional institutions. Many of the terms deal with criminal behavior, incarcerated life, legal cases, street life, and different types of inmates. Prison slang has existed as long as there have been crime and prisons; in Charles Dickens' time it was known as "thieves' cant." Words from prison slang often eventually migrate into common usage, such as "snitch" and "Narc."

Prison slang, like other types of slang and dialects, varies regionally.

See also

• Gassing (prison slang)

External links

Look up Appendix:U.S. prison slang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• The Prison Slang Dictionary, written by a currently incarcerated inmate
• Prison Slang (US and UK)