From the Archives: Throwing Punches

Aspects of the penitentiary:
When a fight must occur, its location depends upon several variables. If the participants are of the same gang, or sometimes even the same race, then they go into a third party’s—an umpire of sorts—cell, and fight “rounds” there.

If they’re not of the same gang or race, however, then there is the real risk that one or the other won’t stop fighting when his adversary is felled. So this fight takes place in the dayroom—usually under the TV—in front of all. That way, if one or the other doesn’t stop fighting, other inmates, acting in their own self-interest, will rush in and break it up.

Another reason for the fight being in the dayroom is that it then has to be a round-for-round format, as every time officers walk by outside, the fighters have to sit down on the bench real fast. Ironically, they usually plop down right next to each other!

Something particularly wearisome one must endure is the omnipresent barrage of vile remarks that are lobbed back and forth from inmates to guards working the wing. Over time—or maybe even instantaneously—this must manifest itself in harmful ways upon the weaker willed. And it’s predominantly the women C.O.s that receive the bulk of the derogatory comments, for reasons of which I know not.

I confess, the majority of the guards are not receptive to comments or questions regarding something they’ve done, when brought in the form of calm, logical talk. But is that any reason to devolve into vitriol spewing pirates? For most, unfortunately, such is not even a devolution!