SURVIVING INSIDE: The 10 Essential Rules for Prison Survival

What They Don't Tell You About Prison Could Get You Killed Prison runs on an unwritten code—never written down, always enforced. Break it and you risk violence, injury, or death. Follow it and you can survive your sentence with your dignity—and your life—intact. SURVIVING INSIDE breaks down the ten critical principles that govern life behind bars, drawn from over a decade inside maximum and medium-security prisons. This isn't theory or secondhand stories. It's real survival intelligence from someone who lived it every day. What You'll Learn: The Golden Rule that gets people killed more than anything else. Why your word becomes your most valuable currency. How small debts turn deadly. Phone rules that prevent violence in one of the most dangerous areas in any facility. The personal-space boundaries you never cross. Hygiene expectations that stop confrontations before they start. How to stay out of other people's business. Communication skills that keep you safe. Simple courtesies that de-escalate hostile situations. Mental strategies that help you do your time without letting the time break you. Who This Book Is For: People preparing for incarceration, those already inside, families trying to understand what their loved one is facing, criminal-justice professionals wanting accurate insight, and anyone curious about the true daily reality of prison life. Why This Book Is Different: Many books about prison are written by people who've never done time or who dramatize the experience. This guide is the opposite—straightforward, practical, and grounded in actual lived experience. The author worked in the prison law library, survived dangerous situations, and learned these principles from both personal experience and lifers serving decades. Key Topics Covered: Prison economics and the deadly debt system. Informant culture and why snitching is unforgivable. Cell etiquette and respecting space. Dangerous phone-area dynamics. Hygiene expectations. Navigating prison politics without getting involved. Listening and observing. Why keeping your word can save your life. Respect and courtesy in a hostile environment. Mental tactics for staying sane and focused. A Message to Those Facing Time: You can make it through. Thousands do. This book gives you the knowledge to survive, stay safe, and come home ready to rebuild. A Message to Families: Understanding these rules helps you support your loved one and make sense of the harsh realities they're dealing with daily. Prison changes people—this book helps ensure it doesn't destroy them. Reviews: "This is the real deal. I wish I'd had this on day one." — Former inmate "My son said this explained things I never understood." — Mother of incarcerated son "As a corrections officer, I can confirm this is authentic." — CO, 15 years