“It’s not cheap to be in prison.” Prisoner - about life and earnings in the zone. “I thought that I would have to fight from the first day”: about the life of a maximum security prisoner - from the horse’s mouth Why thieves don’t respect hucksters
The address “huckster” can be heard quite often, but many have no idea what, or rather, who this word means. Who are these hucksters, and why are they called that?
Who is this huckster
Huckster is a slang word that originates from the criminal world. In Russia, this concept began to be used in the dashing 90s, when small businesses were developing. There were an enormous number of hucksters then, since everyone wanted to sell something, mind their own business and make a considerable profit from it. The word “huckster” has many meanings, since the concept is vague, but several main ones can be identified.
- Illegal trader, buyer of stolen goods. Engaged in the sale of weapons and other prohibited items on
- Drug dealer. In general, this meaning is very close to the first, since a drug dealer may well sell weapons, but very often drug dealers are called drug dealers. A good example in the movie is Jay and Silent Bob.
- In some cases, a huckster is simply a very greedy, unpleasant merchant, eager to make a profit at any cost. The word has an offensive and derogatory meaning. Most often, such hucksters have very few buyers.
The meaning of the word "huckster" in prison
Go ahead. We have already figured out who the free huckster is. The meaning of the word in prison is somewhat distorted. In places not so remote, all merchants are called this way. What they sell does not matter; the word “huckster” applies to any reseller. Of course, it is difficult to find weapons and drugs in prison (but perhaps prisoners now have much more opportunities and a much more open connection with the will). But ordinary goods such as tea, cigarettes, hygiene products are in great demand. In prison, ordinary money is practically worthless, so most often there is a barter exchange: goods for goods. This is exactly the kind of trade that hucksters do.
Drug dealers who have been released from the outside are not treated very well in prison. According to thieves' concepts, it is understood that when you sell drugs, you are ruining someone else's life and health for money, so drugs should be given as a gift. The meaning of the word “huckster” has undergone changes, but has retained its essence.
About 650 thousand Russians are serving sentences in prison - according to this indicator, our country ranks second in the world after the United States. Despite this, the Russian penitentiary system remains quite closed: not much is known about the lives of prisoners. RIA Novosti recorded a monologue of one of the prisoners - the author of the Telegram channel "Basement", who wished to remain anonymous.
About the camp
I'm still very young. An ordinary guy from a typical family, he was studying to become an engineer at a technical school, with a year left. Almost as soon as the “opportunity” to go to a maximum security prison appeared, I immediately “took advantage of it.” I am serving my sentence near Moscow. It doesn’t matter what they call me - “prisoner”, “convict”, “prisoner”. Nothing changes: I still sit as I sat.
My story is one of imprudence, even stupidity. She couldn't do without drugs. Almost half of the prisoners are under Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, production, processing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues." - Ed.). No wonder they call it “folk”. Instead of treating drug addicts, they are imprisoned for many years.
The camps are divided into “red” and “black”. In the “Reds” power is in the hands of the administration: telephones and “free” things are allowed only to “close associates”. They practice senseless violence: for example, they weld a sewer hatch to a crowbar to make a kind of shovel, and send them out to “catch snowflakes.”
In the “blacks”, in addition to the administration, there are “thieves”. You can find everything: phones, game consoles, laptops, alcohol and even drugs. Our camp was like this for about five years. Most of the zone did not visit the canteen: every day they grilled kebabs, walked anywhere, in a word, “wandered.” There was also a separate barracks where moonshine was distilled.
But after the change of leadership, the screws began to be tightened. Among the employees, everyone who once had even a suspended criminal record was fired. Riot police began to arrive. CCTV cameras were installed everywhere. Carry-on luggage is prohibited - transparent bags are issued. For alcohol, you can end up in jail for 150 days, and for drugs - for 300, with the possibility of increasing the term. We stopped walking alone and without a “wash” (razor blade).
RIA Novosti / Alexander Kryazhev
About money and expenses
Being in prison is not as cheap as it seems at first glance. Firstly, the services of a lawyer: from 500 rubles to several million. Secondly, parcels and transfers: every two months - at least five thousand, excluding the cost of cigarettes. Thirdly, you need to pay for long dates. Fourthly, expenses for improving living conditions.
Each prisoner has his own account in the accounting department, which “travels” along with his personal file. Pensions, salaries and transfers from friends and relatives go there; it is used for shopping in a local store and paying fines for violations. The limit is nine and a half thousand rubles per month. Sometimes they pay for the services of a photographer to send pictures to relatives: they usually take pictures near the church, this is the most beautiful place in the camp.
In the barracks, constant expenses are spent on cleaning and tea, sweets and cigarettes for those sufferers who end up in quarantine, isolation ward or hospital. Therefore, we have our own “tax system”: we chip in every month into a common bag, which is located in the “thieves’” corner of each barracks. The amount is determined individually in the first week. Usually it is a thousand rubles. They charge about three thousand from small drug dealers. Those caught for rape pay extra so they don't get hurt.
There are also “voluntary-compulsory” fees: for the transportation of prohibited items and for mobile communications from those who have a telephone - 500 rubles each.
Most transfers go through online wallets, which almost everyone has: a mobile number is enough. Cryptocurrency is not used - too complicated. Sometimes the sums are sent to prisons for especially dangerous criminals, for example to the Vladimir Central.
The telephone itself is a separate expense item. It gets there in three ways: through employees, driving cars and “stuffing”, so it costs twice as much as in the wild. The hunt for communications equipment is always on. For using a telephone, you can not only lose large sums from the Internet account linked to the number, but also end up in a detention center for 15 days and receive the status of a “malicious offender” - up to eight years of additional supervision.
About earnings
Various craftsmen are held in high esteem. Some prisoners need rosary beads, backgammon, chess, paintings. For others, legal support in writing appeals and cassation complaints. The third is phone or charger repair. Prisoners are willing to pay each other for all these services. It is not customary to set fixed prices, and everyone thanks in their own way.
Some especially eloquent ones find “absentee students” - girls who are ready to wait for them and transfer money to them. Maintaining attention when you are behind bars is a talent, so it cannot be said that this is a mass phenomenon. There were cases of marriages with new acquaintances in the zone. When two lonely hearts find each other, no fences can stop them.
A separate gold mine for the common fund is games. For each game they pay, regardless of winning or losing, about 15 rubles. The most commonly played games are dice, cards and backgammon. Chess and backgammon are allowed, cards are not, but they are easy to hide. The lucky ones fall in line with the unlucky ones with money, and their winnings can approach six figures.
I don’t play myself: it’s not my thing. I earn money in other ways: passive income from investments made is about ten thousand per month. Before my phone was confiscated, I tried to trade Forex, but I didn’t have time to follow all the fundamental events and news and gave up. You can’t play on the stock exchange: either you don’t have the required “free coin”, or the site is slow, or you need to register with a photo.
I'm currently learning about cryptocurrencies. I invest in interesting and long-term projects. I’m saving up for a “safety cushion” that will be more useful when I’m free. I don’t have any income from blogging yet: readership is unstable.
RIA Novosti / Vitaly Ankov
In a correctional colony in Primorsky Krai
About caste, time and escape
The only thing that is more or less preserved among prison stereotypes is caste. These are “thieves” (with privileges), “goats” (who occupy administrative positions such as a librarian and collaborate with the administration), “muzhiki” (ordinary prisoners), “wool” (service personnel) and “roosters” (lower caste).
Basically, they are all from dysfunctional families and godforsaken places where young people have nothing to do. In the absence of options to “get out among people,” they use alcohol and drugs, and this leads to sad consequences.
The main enemy in prison is time. His ideal “killer” is a phone with mobile Internet, a window to the big world. But after total checks, the phones were confiscated, and life in the barracks became monotonous.
About future
At the moment when they put handcuffs on my hands, it seemed that this was a misunderstanding, because this could not happen to me. All the plans for the future that I made a few minutes ago have changed dramatically.
At first I clung to the last threads: I hoped that at the first trial I would be released on bail or house arrest. In the pre-trial detention center I hoped that the judge’s verdict would be in my favor, and at most they would give me a suspended sentence. But, alas, there are practically no acquittals, and the article was difficult.
It was my own fault, my stupidity, that I got here. But once here, I found out what my real worth is in the eyes of those around me without the “candy wrappers” in the form of social status and good work. I was left as if naked. Of all my relatives and friends, there are only a few people left who still worry about me and support me in every possible way. I don't know what I would do without them.
Most likely, I will not continue my studies. Firstly, with a criminal record they may not take it back, and secondly, radio engineering is not my thing. I want to connect my work with information technology. If possible, I’ll learn the basics right here in prison. Fortunately, it is still possible to access the Internet.
Those people who are in prison today and were among us just yesterday. These are someone's brothers, husbands, children and fathers. And not all of them are scumbags, maniacs, murderers and rapists. I don’t undertake to justify them, yes - these are not angels, but mere mortal sinners like the rest of us. And who has not sinned - has he lived? Those who are sinless, spit in their direction.
Tomorrow they will return to us, to our families, to become our neighbors, colleagues, friends or enemies. How did we meet them, and which of us will take their place there?
None of us are immune.
Don’t swear off money or prison!
Appreciate freedom - this is the most precious thing that a Man has, love it, cherish it, enjoy it every minute, every moment, it may be your last. Now freedom is given to a person freely from birth; he does not think about the fact that millions of people gave their lives for it. And only after losing freedom does a person understand its value, when even the word itself will delight you.
This sweet word is Freedom.
Be law-abiding citizens. Read and respect the criminal code. Know your rights and responsibilities.
Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
Ninety percent of all crimes are committed while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Hence the conclusion: don’t drink or use drugs!
Everyone breaks the law, but not everyone ends up in jail. Some are lucky so far, others solve the problem on the spot. It is better to give an extra hundred to a guard or local policeman than to give tens of thousands to a judge and prosecutor.
Resolve the issue during the preliminary proceedings, no matter what the cost.
Don't take the matter to court!
If, after all, you have been “closed”, i.e. arrested, the main thing is not to panic and not to lose heart. You are not the first, you are not the last.
And people live in prison.
If you are placed in a temporary detention facility (temporary detention center), you don’t need to shout “you don’t have the right,” demand to see an arrest warrant, or demand a phone number to call a lawyer. Temporary detention center workers will never accept you without accompanying documents. And they don't care about the rest. Spoiling their mood is no worse for yourself. Fulfill all their demands silently, with self-esteem, even when they inspect your underwear and you stand in front of them in what your mother gave birth to. Don’t try to please them, cajole them or promise them anything; little depends on them.
Try not to anger them!
The cell door is opened in front of you. Calm down, no one will kill you, the same people as you are sitting there, they were just brought not an hour, not a day, not two before you. When the door slams behind you, try not to look scared, say “general hello” loudly, but without shouting, it is not customary here to shake hands with those you don’t know, remember this once and for all, below I will explain why? All the attention of the “hut” (cell) will be drawn to you, if experienced prisoners are sitting there, they will invite you and point you to an empty seat. They’ll ask what your name is, where you’re from and why you’ve been brought? Answer briefly, but not unambiguously, and don’t go into too much detail.
And remember three rules: three NOTs
Do not trust, do not fear, do not ask!
If the preventive measure chosen for you is arrest, consider that 80 - 90% of the time you will receive a prison term. Therefore, it is better not to console yourself with the thought that you are not here for long. Do not despair, all the great people whom history remembers went through this test and, perhaps thanks to them, achieved success. From the first minutes, the way you introduce yourself to your cellmates is how you will be treated until the end of your sentence. And remember, any deadline has one thing, but it has a very good property: it becomes shorter every day, which is why they say: the sooner you go to jail, the sooner you get out.
You will be kept in the temporary detention center for several days until you are transferred to the pre-trial detention center (pre-trial detention center). The first fear has already passed, if not, pull yourself together. Don’t try to be the first to make contact with your cellmates, but don’t push anyone away either - keep your distance. Listen more, take a closer look at them. Fate will bring you together with some of them for many years to come. Usually in temporary detention centers, first-time prisoners are kept separately from those who have already served time. But among them there will definitely be those who once “communicated” with former prisoners. So they teach the first lesson - how to behave in the “hut”:
Lesson 1: Don’t give people in uniform or people in uniform a reason to reprimand you.
Lesson 2: Don't refuse to do what everyone else is doing and don't do what no one else is doing.
Lesson 3: Only idiots are not afraid of anything; a normal person must experience fear.
But some fight it, others give up.
Fear only God.
If the case has reached the pre-trial detention center stage, consider that you have already received a sentence. I repeat, do not lose heart. Prepare yourself for several months of being in a confined space in the company of ten, two thousand people just like you, I repeat people just like you. In correctional institutions of all types, everything is arranged according to the principle of a conveyor belt: some leave, others take their place, but so that a part of the prisoners remains, which passes on the internal rules and hostel rules to the newcomers, so that there are no deviations from the norm. This is where you need to listen and remember everything and everyone. Moreover, for the first three days you are considered a guest, they look after you, explain you, show you, help you. Then you get into formation. And here everything will depend on how you have learned the basics of prison life...
Now some advice to the relatives and friends of the prisoner. While in prison, a person undergoes a reassessment of values. The institution of family again comes first: parents, brothers, sisters, wife, children. And only then does a person remember about friends, or rather drinking buddies. The person understands how wrong he was in their choice. From the first days, try to do everything to: firstly, he felt that he was not abandoned in trouble, that they were thinking about him and doing everything to help him. Secondly, hire a good, I REPEAT A GOOD LAWYER. HIS SERVICES ARE EXPENSIVE, BUT BARGAINING IS NOT APPROPRIATE HERE. THROUGH A LAWYER, YOU WILL BE CONSTANTLY AWARE OF ALL AFFAIRS. THIRD, PROVIDE YOUR WELLNESS WITH FOOD, AND HERE'S HOW.
Of course, in correctional institutions they provide food and no one dies of hunger here, but... Deliveries from home are not just something tasty. This is a constant reminder: we love you, we remember you, we are waiting for you, and this is more important than cutlets and sausage. Speaking of sausage: she needs to pamper her protégé regularly. At first, it is advisable to give him parcels every day. To reduce time, transfer everything in the original packaging:
- black tea - this is for chifir (prison cognac) - 1 pack;
- refined sugar - 1 kg;
- candies - 300 gr;
- gingerbread - 0.5 kg;
- milk powder - 0.5 kg;
- condensed milk - 1 can;
- stew - 1 can;
- instant food products - a couple of packs;
- cigarettes - 2-3 packs.
If it's homemade, it's in disposable containers. Be sure to send him a spoon, cup, mug.
Personal hygiene products are a must, and not only in prison. Send him: a set of white bed linen, two towels, toothpaste, a brush, soap (laundry and toilet), a pair of disposable machines, a pair of family panties, socks, T-shirts, a black shirt and trousers (now this color will be the most fashionable for his entire life ), slates for baths. If it's winter, make adjustments. Yes, be sure to have a handkerchief, toilet paper, pen, notebook and newspapers.
Please note that your ward is not alone in the cell and he will have to share with his cellmates, and they, in turn, will share with him. The more often you remember it, the better your attitude towards it will be. But do not overdo it so that it is not within your budget, otherwise he will feel guilty before you. And then his cellmates will look askance at him out of envy.
With the permission of the investigator, visits are allowed in the pre-trial detention center, albeit short-term, but still. Therefore, take advantage of every opportunity to see each other and talk. Now visits for the prisoner become a holiday that they look forward to, counting the days.
Let's go back to the cell again. You have already begun to get used to it, the fear has passed, you have taken a closer look at people - people of different character, age, occupation before the arrest. The days flowed steadily, rise and fall, and the day passed. There are 24 hours in a day: you sleep 8 of them, 2 hours are spent checking, eating, etc. What to do with the remaining 14 hours? You can, of course, listen to the stories of fellow inmates about their adventures and “escapes.” But he takes care of his soul, body and mind.
In my personal experience, in the wild, very few people think about the soul, about the eternal, about God. Because there are too many temptations, everyone is running, there is no time to even think about where? For what? In prison you stop, look back and realize that you ran in the wrong place, with nothing, and most importantly in vain. But in your heart you want to be free again and think that now, God willing, everything will be different. As a rule, there are believers in the cell - Muslims, Christians. You see that true believers are better than us - they have different eyes, faces and thoughts, and you involuntarily reach out to him and thank God...
In a pre-trial detention center, the total cell area is no more than 15-20 m2, of which no more than 5 are free for walking, and this is for 15-20 people. And if you sit for 2-3 months without moving, your muscles will begin to atrophy, you will be lethargic and frail. Therefore, you need to exercise: do push-ups, squats. The bunks (beds) in the cell are located so that you can practice on them like on uneven bars. In a month you will feel how your muscles have gained strength. Then regular exercise will become a habit and again thank God.
Yes, we almost forgot that the investigation into your case is still ongoing. An investigator should come to you for questioning. There is a small nuance here. If in the investigator’s office illegal methods, to put it mildly, could be used against you, you were scared and confused. Now everything will be different. You came to your senses and thought about your punishments. Build a line of defense so that the interrogation reports are written as it actually happened, or as you want, and not as the investigator wants it.
You have received an indictment. Read it carefully several times. Each accused person is given the last word. You must think over this word so that it makes a positive impression on the judges. Judges are people too. For any article, the law provides for a minimum and a maximum term limit. For example, from 8 to 12 years in prison. Task number one is to get the minimum. You must solve this problem together with your lawyer. At the trial, you must play a role according to all the laws of Stanislavsky, so that he does not exclaim I DO NOT BELIEVE. Judges should feel compassion for you, not disgust, pity, not revenge.
When I heard my first sentence: 6 years in prison to be served in a maximum security colony. I thought that my life was over. I just didn’t believe that this was all happening to me. But life goes on. Firstly, this is not a death sentence or even life imprisonment. I saw people who were given 25, 30 years in prison. I don’t know what they were experiencing at that moment. One can only guess. But my 6 years seemed just funny to me. The guy was not yet 20 years old; he served in the army. A fight, a shot and 21 years in prison. Imagine - in 6 months, you will turn 20 years old since you were born, and you are given 21 years in prison. Can you imagine his condition, the condition of his father, his mother, they are older, they have been waiting for their son home from prison for three years now, his sentence is about to end. They select his bride one by one and prepare for the wedding. If you describe only this tragedy you will get a whole book. I'll probably do that. And there are tens of thousands of such tragedies. You say: what about the condition of a mother who has lost her son, whom she will never, never marry, and will not play with his children and her grandchildren? I'm not defending these people - I'm just saying that they exist. They, including me, are someone’s son, brother, husband, father, friend, neighbor, colleague. I'm not asking you to help me sympathize. I'm just telling you I am, I'm alive, I'm a prisoner, I'm a person. Sorry for the lyrical digression. So there are no short deadlines, but even the longest deadline is getting shorter every day. And the day will come when your call will also ring.
Within 10 days after receiving the verdict, you have the right to appeal it to higher authorities. And if you do not agree with the verdict, be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. You will spend the entire time the litigation drags on in a pre-trial detention center.
OK it's all over Now. All the I's have been dotted, you're waiting for the stage to enter the zone. No need to fuss, terrorize your family, bring this, bring that. Go to the zone on the easy way. The smaller the bag, the lighter, the better. Here is an approximate minimum of things: cup, mug, spoon, toothbrush, disposable machine, soap, towel, bed and underwear, black trousers, shirt, sugar, black tea, cigarettes, matches. Everything else is superfluous. When you are brought to the zone, you will be in quarantine for the first 15-20 days. Dating is prohibited there, but transfers are allowed. There they will explain everything to you, tell you, show you. Listen and remember; they won’t repeat it; it depends on how you spend your time in the zone.
Well, here's the zone. You will be assigned to some detachment, where you will spend the entire term, you don’t choose the barracks, they are all the same. They will meet you, take you to the barkeeper, he will explain everything, show you where you will sleep, who to contact if you have questions, and they will definitely appear. There are people in the passage where you will sleep, they will help you at first - but...
There is no need to rush to open your soul to anyone, be it your fellow countrymen, acquaintances and other well-wishers. First, take a closer look at what the zone breathes, figure out who is who, and with whom you are on the way. And there are many paths and roads in the zone. And here you only have one attempt as a miner.
The contingent of the zone, and this is from 1 to 4 thousand people, is divided by suit and region. And the zones are black and red. The color of the zone indicates who commands the zone - the state represented by the administration or the underworld represented by thieves in law or authorities of this world: depending on the color, certain rules of residence apply. I personally sat in the red zone and will talk about what I saw and experienced there. Although I have heard stories from experienced prisoners about cuttings in black zones and they are completely different. But since there are fewer and fewer of them, my advice may be useful to you. For example, in the country where I was sitting there is not a single, black, zone out of 11 operating zones of all containment regimes. So…
By “suits and areas” - what does this mean.
In any zone there is a guard - someone who looks after the zone. He is elected at a gathering of authoritative, so-called general, prisoners. The duration of his tenure in this “post” is determined by the period of deprivation of his freedom, or at his request, or if he committed some act unworthy of his position, or if he fails to cope with this “work.” All his orders - “runs” - are mandatory for all prisoners, otherwise those who violate them are severely punished. Next are his associates, i.e. those who are nearby. Then they go “to the saints,” that is, those people who look after the holy places: punishment cell, quarantine, hospital. They make sure that in these places there is no shortage of cigarettes, chifir, glucose, drugs, medicines and other little things; for this purpose they collect removals from the entire zone. They also have their own team of loyal boys.
Next come the baroque. They keep order in the barracks. A lot depends on them, they are also chosen by men from their midst and his word is law. They practically keep order in the “if it weren’t for them, everyone would have killed each other within a week” zone. In the barracks live from 100 to 200 prisoners, most of them from 20 to 35 years old, who have gone through and are going through such a “school” of life that cannot be envied. Murderers, robbers, raiders, robbery, racketeering, hooliganism, serious assault - lethal bodily harm, and so on and so forth. They must be kept with a tight rein, which is what the barman and his henchmen, among whom there are “bulls” and “torpedoes,” do, as a frightening argument in the hands of the barman. And here’s my advice: don’t get into this “suit” category, where it won’t turn out well for the rest of your life, but do you need this?
The other suit is “non-paths”, that is, those who go a different way, they include “balanders” - canteen workers “watchmen” - who stand with bandages on the doors “shnyri” - those who serve officers wash, clean, bring - give “SPPshniks” is a section for promoting crime prevention, a kind of voluntary squad of “goats”.
Cultural traders, foremen, orderly clerks - this is also not your path. I was a “huckster” in the zone—it used to be called a speculator, now it’s a businessman, but in the zone it’s called a “huckster.” He pronounces this word with disdain, but he can’t live without it. There are zones without a thief, but there are no zones without a huckster. Each huckster has his own specialization. Some sell drugs, others sell food - snacks, others sell clothes, I sold phones, SIM cards and everything related to mobile phones. I’ll tell you the job, I won’t envy you, on the one hand, you are being hunted by the zone administration, and on the other hand, every prisoner considers it his duty to deceive you. If I were to return everything back now, I wouldn’t do it at all and I wouldn’t advise you to do it. But in the zone and in the criminal world as a whole, they don’t wash themselves and don’t wash themselves off.
I am a huckster and that says it all.
The third suit is the separated ones. The most despicable “roosters” most often become them in “young children”, where, as I heard, there was real chaos. The most violent criminals, oddly enough, are children—teenagers under 16 years of age. In a strict mode of lawlessness, no one will force you to “put you down” only if you yourself do not want it and this is not welcome. Then come those who are imprisoned for raping minors - this category is not particularly respected among prisoners and even outside. Next come the “rats” - those who steal from their own. In general, in the zone no one has the right to take anything without “good”, even if this thing lies unattended, kill it on your nose. Next come the “gargled ones” - these are those who, knowing that they are separated, shake hands with them, drink or eat with them from the same cup, smoked the same cigarette with him, etc. The next category is “balaboly”, i.e. those who promised did something and didn’t do it. This concerns serious things. For example, a card debt was not paid on time. When a not very serious question is told to him that he is “not solid”, but is not separated, what does separated mean? They even have their own place in the toilet; this refers to the words “your place is near the bucket.” No comments here.
He is a man even in Africa. The whole zone rests on the guy. In any zone there is an industrial zone where there are various workshops. You can choose according to your liking and abilities. Here you will have only advantages. Firstly, the time passes unnoticeably, and secondly, you will always be well-fed, dressed, and shod. No matter the salary at which they shop in the store, or buy after the call. Welders, electricians, turners, construction workers, finishers, and tailors are especially valued. If you don’t know how to do this, you have the opportunity to learn, especially for free. My advice is to be a man.
Well, I have listed for you the main categories into which the contingent of the zone is divided, the choice is yours. In general, I would formulate the golden rule of life in a colony this way. Live in such a way as not to interfere with others’ lives, but also do not allow them to interfere with your life. Prison is the perfect place to take care of your body, soul and mind.
I have already mentioned playing sports. For example: you were given 6 years of imprisonment. Half a year has already flown by. You've already gotten used to it, you've taken a closer look. In any zone there is a sports ground, an hour in the morning, an hour in the evening, after 5-6 months you won’t recognize yourself. As for the mind, there is a library in each zone, I don’t know about others, but where I sat there was a good choice. Remember a book is a source of knowledge. As for me, I was studying the Koran. Praise be to Allah, there were good teachers in the zone who were trained in the best madrassas in the world and were imams of large mosques and even cities. With this I combined activities for the mind and soul.
To be continued.
There is some kind of dark humor in this - in the “Stops” section, which is about interesting places and attractions, publish a story about life in prison. Well, where else to put it, on the other hand? No one strives to make such a stop in their life’s journey, but many have to, and these are not only villains and bandits. Our interlocutor Alexey (name changed) is not a thief or a murderer, not a rapist or a swindler. A young Russian guy who, as it happens, has been serving a sentence in one of the Russian colonies under strict regime for four years now. He told “Passenger” about how life is behind bars and whether there is any benefit from such a life - by the way, risking his own safety.
Connection with will, or 15 days for “VKontakte”
Naturally, we are prohibited from conducting correspondence online. If any of the employees find out about this interview, I will face 15 days in the punishment cell (punishment cell -approx. "Passenger" ) and a serious search in order to take away everything “extra”. After all, we shouldn’t have access to the Internet or mobile communications at all. To make calls you can use a machine, now they are in every barracks - it’s called Zonatelecom. You apply for a card (you can do it virtually from outside, the main thing is to have a PIN code) and call, but only those numbers are available that are indicated in the application, and it must first be certified. Plus letters and dates. You can only use these tools, but why when there are phones and smartphones? Of course, the situation with mobile communications in camps across the country is different, but to one degree or another it is available everywhere. And this is not only convenience, but also business.
We are not required to be kept under constant surveillance 24 hours a day; no guards are enough for that. This is possible when kept in cells, but not in camps. But public events - trips to the canteen, divorce, etc. - are held under the control of employees. In addition, they inspect all facilities (workshops, detachments, any place of work) several times a day, plus they regularly conduct inspections, scheduled and at will. So, when using the phone, you need to be alert. Ideally, watch the entrance through the window. In the squads there are special people for this purpose, who “sit on the chip” all day long for cigarettes or something like that. When an employee approaches, you immediately hide your phone - not in your pocket, of course, but in a place where they won’t be able to find it in case of a search. For this purpose, triggers are prepared (hides -approx. "Passenger" ) in advance.
Life in the zone: expectations and reality
It's definitely not like in the movies. I myself thought that I would have to fight from the first day. When I came here, I prepared myself mentally, but it turned out that I didn’t need to. So far I have swung seriously only once, the rest was in sports sparring. Oh, well, I once beat a rooster with a stick, but that’s the point. On the contrary, it’s almost impossible to fight. Yes, it all depends on the situation, but there is a risk of running into a showdown with thieves - for lawlessness. Here, any measures must be justified and approved. When I had to fight, I was sure that the person would not go anywhere to take it out later, everything was fair. And if you know that someone will go to thieves or garbage, it’s better to just calm down. I generally don’t like to resolve conflicts by force, but I admit that sometimes I want to when I’m tired of everything and everyone. If the trash find out about the collision, they will not look into it, but, most likely, will send both of them to the punishment cell, and who needs that? And it’s not even about the conditions in the punishment cell, what difference does it make, 15 days of the entire sentence is nothing. The reason is that this is entered into the file, and many, including me, want to leave on parole, and such records do not help at all.
As for the thieves, they can give you a few bream, or they can seriously beat you up, and that happens. They pull you in for a conversation, and if no sense comes out of the conversation, then they simply hammer you with stools and bed frames to the point of fractures, etc. But this is for serious reasons. Those who take drugs in prohibited ways are at risk - say, through the transfer window, or peddle without permission, or gamble and do not pay off debts.
If no sense comes out of the conversation, then they simply beat him with stools and bed frames to the point of fractures.
Concepts, of course, live, but they are needed to maintain internal order, otherwise there will simply be chaos. If actions do not have consequences, then prisoners will begin to expose each other with their actions and complicate their lives. So there are snoops, and roosters (including “printed” ones), and rats - but these categories appeared long before the appearance of concepts and Russian prisons in general. Snoops usually either tend to “stick” to someone, always behave this way in life, or pay for their own stupidity - debts. Roosters are basically rapists, pedophiles, perverts, everything is clear here. And rather than open hatred towards them, let them clean the toilets and sweep the streets. There are those who were unlucky - they “extinguished”, that is, they chifirled with a rooster. Or they took a cigarette from him, or shook hands, or touched someone’s penis, or in some other way. Well, it's your own fault, you have to keep an eye on such things. Rats and bitches choose their own path, and this should not be allowed to remain without consequences. Moreover, all this is determined here, in captivity. That is, no one tracks your previous biography when you are free, and in prison you always have a chance to live like a human being (unless you are a pedophile). It's better to keep the rest to yourself. For example, technically you can fuck a rooster, but I believe that the very desire to fuck another man in the ass is homosexual, so I don’t do that myself.
About the camp authorities
As for how they talk about coming to the camp: now this is not the case here. You either accept the rules and get comfortable, or, if you deny, you end up in a punishment cell. Although this is nonsense compared to past times. They can, of course, give you bream sometimes, but the employees are also being renewed, the old-school cruel bosses are leaving. In general, the camps in this area were broken down 6-7 years ago. Before this, there was an “acceptance” when they fucked right away so that they understood where they had ended up. But then the situation was different: drugs, booze, tracksuits for everyday wear, everyone gave a damn. With the new government, everything has become stricter in terms of the regime, but at the same time without harshness from the administration.
They address prisoners mostly on a first-name basis, although there are exceptions. Some take this very seriously and are always on friendly terms with those convicted, but these are isolated cases. The authorities (that is, the administration - majors, lieutenant colonels, colonels) are quite arrogant towards the majority of prisoners. And in general they prefer to communicate with prisoners through caretakers, and they often use this for their own purposes. Those of lower rank—key holders (aka security guards), some squad leaders—behave simpler. This is how things will turn out, with everyone differently - with some it’s just on familiar terms, but with others it’s completely familiar. Here, over time, something like a professional deformation occurs - they become similar to prisoners, only in uniform.
Professional deformation: security guards become like prisoners, only in uniform.
About the red and black zones. Roughly speaking, they differ in that on the Reds the real power is in the hands of the trash, while on the Blacks the order is determined by the thieves. My zone is red, that is, the main thing is to follow the regime or the laws of common sense. Although there are thieves here too, and they have their own weight: they resolve some conflicts between prisoners, monitor the general situation, the game and compliance with unofficial laws and rules. Another thing is that they are all tied up with garbage and, out of necessity, solve problems together, because both of them want to live in comfort.
About the camp hierarchy
At each facility in the zone there is a responsible convict and a responsible employee. Formally, such convicts (goats, caretakers, buggers) are not endowed with power, but in fact they have both privileges and power. They are closer to the staff than others, and often communicate with the head of the colony and his deputies. In addition to bonuses, they have responsibilities and responsibilities, including financial ones. Thus, all repairs are carried out at the expense of convicts; the administration is not inclined to spend money on this. There were many scandals associated with these things, I won’t go into details... And how the goat/supply manager/hillock will organize the work process and financial flow is his concern. As is the situation at the facility. I myself, although not a goat, invested in repairs at my work. You just have to do something, but you do something for yourself, for a more comfortable existence. For example, I perform in a club, play the guitar, we have a full-fledged band here, we have all the instruments, but where would these instruments and equipment come from? We brought everything ourselves or those who worked here before. Some from home, some bought by friends or relatives. And if nothing is repaired or brought in, then the administration will definitely notice. And he will either directly point this out to the caretaker, or simply remove him and install another one.
Day after day
A typical day depends on whether you are working or not. If you sit in a detachment all day, there is not much variety: you go outside for checks, visit the canteen, sometimes the bathhouse, the library or the gym. The rest of the time - reading, sleeping, watching TV, sorting things out, playing games, hanging out on the Internet, whatever you like. I work, so I’m not in the squad that much, mostly in the morning and evening. I live under easy living conditions, sleep on a single-tier shkonar and not in a huge section, but in a small cubicle with a TV. At 6 a.m. the whole squad is already standing on the street - some kind of exercise, or morning formation. Then the usual morning chores - wash, go to breakfast or cook something for yourself in the food room (“kishark”). Then it’s either divorce and work, or a morning check. My job is not dusty, I am in the voluntary fire department. Sometimes there are training alarms, sometimes there are repairs, but mostly I go about my business: reading, sports, chess, etc. Plus - lunch and another check. In the evening, in the detachment you can watch TV (I didn’t do this in the wild, but here it somehow happens naturally), but it’s better to watch something from a flash drive, if you have one. If I don’t go to work on a shift, I spend time at the club: rehearsals or anything else: books, sports, coffee, stupid things. The choice is not that great.
Holidays are celebrated in the zone, but not in a very diverse manner. On your birthday - chifir, tea, coffee and sweets. On New Year's Eve they usually change curfew, you can sit for up to an hour or two and make salads. Everything is almost as usual, only without alcohol and adventures, so there’s nothing to talk about.
Remarkable events are usually someone's failures. Just yesterday someone hanged himself because of debts.
There are incidents, but I don’t remember anything good. Remarkable events are usually someone's failures. Just yesterday someone hanged himself because of debts. This happens, in my memory they have already been hanged a couple of times, all because of debts, usually gambling. People sit down to play without having money to pay, but the excitement takes its toll. We jumped from a third-floor window twice (there is simply no higher one), but without a fatal outcome - we simply broke. One because of debts, the other, it seems, just had a leak. One died of stomach cancer; he was taken out of the zone just a few hours before his death. Before that, they took me for treatment, but they treated something wrong. Well, little by little, it happens that goats get into trouble, this is also interesting, but only if you stew in this mess. Garbage also ends up in such situations; key holders have been caught carrying and using drugs, and reselling confiscated phones. The bosses get bigger, their own security is hunting for them. For example, we got into trouble with the removal of construction materials and fraud with telephone shipments. And the warden may be arrested, I think. There is a reason for anyone. Sometimes prisoners with drugs are also fired. Usually they get caught when they share it with someone - everything is as if they were free.
Since this is a strict regime, they are imprisoned here mainly for selling drugs and murders (intentional and not). 10-15 percent are the remaining articles, there are even a few bribe takers. I’m not sure about typical categories, but I’ll try to highlight a few.
Blue warrior - there are enough of them, these are those who killed someone in a fight or something like that in the blue shop. Nothing interesting; many people in our country can fall into this category sooner or later.
Old bandit - those who have been in prison for 10-20 years, or maybe not so long ago, but for typical crimes of the nineties and 2000s - murders, banditry, possession of weapons, kidnappings, etc. It's interesting to talk to many of them. In general, you somehow expect that a bandit can be immediately distinguished, but in reality this is not the case. Ordinary people, often even intelligent ones.
An ordinary Tajik - some for robbery or murder, but mostly for manipulation with heroin, this is their topic. Everyone, as a rule, did not know anything, they were asked to keep them or take them, and other nonsense.
It's best to be in prison for those who have been in prison since they were very young and don't know any other life.
Pensioners - old people are also in prison, they try to shove them together in one group, like a home for the elderly with disabilities.
Drug addicts and hucksters can be roughly divided into “old-school heroin addicts” and “pepsicole new agers”, well, that’s true, it’s easy to laugh. There are many who are imprisoned for murder, but if they had not been imprisoned, they would someday be imprisoned for drugs.
But - I repeat - in general, your article does not mean anything for life here (if it is not rape). People are all different, and here everyone behaves differently, too, which is why it is customary to look at actions, and not at the past.
It’s best to be in prison for those who have been in prison since they were very young and don’t really know much about any other life. There's really nothing to compare it with. They develop all the necessary qualities for a successful life in prison - their own special morality, in which the one who achieves his goal by any means is at his best. And if we talk about character, it would be best for a calm person who understands that there is no point in rushing anywhere. People who are too cheerful and sociable can quickly find friends, but they can end up in an uncomfortable position - saying too much, being seduced by provocation. Some people are too nervous and worry, and it’s especially hard for them in the zone. Others see their emotions and add fuel to the fire, teasing them, purely for fun. But it is seriously difficult to communicate with such sufferers, because they are trying to explain all their worries to you, but who needs that? Everyone here has their own problems. Aggressive characters will also not benefit from their character; conflicts have consequences. It is best to stay calm and act according to the situation, not to hope for a miracle, so as not to get upset. You certainly shouldn’t think about justice; you shouldn’t look for it in prison. If you look for the truth in prison, you will quickly be imprisoned.
What are the prisoners talking about?
Everyone is talking about the same thing - who is interested in what, and the news of the zone, of course, is discussed. As for feni, I’m not good at it, somehow I can live normally without it. So all the most common things come to mind: shkonka, shlenka, dalnyak, office, rat. Fuck knows, I’m not too interested in this, and there’s no strong need. For those who are interested, I recommend finding a dictionary, there are some that I have read myself. I remember being surprised at the existence of a verb that means “to jump out of a car while moving,” I don’t remember the word itself. Previously, it was truly a separate language. Here’s one more observation: already during my sentence, I often came across the word “shkvar” or “shkvarit” on the Internet, but in the zone or in the pre-trial detention center I never heard it at all, literally zero times. We use the word “quench” here. If something is extinguished, then no one except the roosters can touch this item, this is understandable.
I have never heard the words “shkvar” or “shkvar” in the zone or in the pre-trial detention center.
Another stereotype about prison life is tattoos. Yes, it is. They hit, and they hit everything, it all depends on desire and skills. As for themes and plots - somewhere it may be different, but with us - do what you want, within reason. The application technique is the same as in the wild, only the machines are homemade. It’s not difficult to do, I can assemble it myself without any problems: a motor (from a drive, for example), a body from a regular pen, a frame made of wood, aluminum or anything else, a string, a power supply or phone charger, an adjustable resistor (optional), a pair of rubber bands, glue . Nowadays all this is not difficult to collect even in the zone. Someone hits on the prison theme: rings, gaming chaos, icons. I have seen both SS and swastikas from those who previously “denied” (in my opinion, not the best idea for a tattoo), all sorts of inscriptions “got mit uns”, “only God can judge me” - these are all classics. Someone hits whatever comes to mind - as if in freedom.
Prison has everything - truth or myth?
You can often hear that money, drugs, and alcohol are quite accessible in the zone. In general, this is true, again depending on where. Money is not a problem now, before you had to drag it in and hide it, but now all payments are electronic - you open a Qiwi wallet and that’s it. If you have the Internet, you translate it yourself; if not, you call home and ask for it to be translated. There are also a lot of sharpening points, they need to be cut with something, naturally they get kicked off, but it’s not like there’s a direct hunt for them, it seems like prisoners don’t cut each other. They make their own alcohol, they make mash, they make moonshine, I don’t do that, it’s too troublesome, and even if they find it, they’ll have to go to the punishment cell, and I don’t want to drink that much. It’s not like there are drugs, but there are more of them. Sometimes someone gets into trouble with them, sometimes with hashish, sometimes with heroin. Not very often, these are personal initiatives, and they don’t always add time for this, although this does happen. But the risk is still not worth it. I had a chance to indulge during the term - several times with candies with THC from California, once I smoked garika and once I ate several nutmegs. But I don’t strive for this, and the last time was a long time ago. This is not at all the same as in the wild. The environment here is, to put it mildly, dark and depressing, and when you're tipsy, paranoia and all that prevails. Well, to hell with it, I didn’t get caught and that’s good.
How time has changed me
I have more time. I spend it on sports, self-development, reading. Plus I box, learn languages, study music, even juggle a little, so I learned something, this is definitely a positive side. In terms of spiritual changes, it is difficult to say. Maybe I've become calmer. Perhaps I now care less about the opinions of others. It seems like I know what I want from life, and I have some plans, but it will all be clear when I’m free. He's probably become more patient. But it’s like with appearance - when you see yourself in the mirror every day, it’s not so easy to notice how you have changed over several years, so I see myself and my thoughts every day, and it’s not for me to judge how I have changed or not.
And the fact that correctional colonies do not correct anyone is a fact, in our country nothing is being done for this, this is purely punishment. Everything ultimately depends on you. If you want to change your life, then you will correct in yourself what you consider necessary, and if you can only complain about circumstances, then nothing will help you.
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