When in prison as a sex offender, I have been told the violence against sex offenders by other prisoners is incredible. What is the best way to try to avoid this violence and confrontation and just lay low. I know there is a lot of talk about requesting isolation or protective custody, but that is almost as bad as the violence itself. Not everyone in prison for a sex offense actually committed a sex offense, but some places make the risk of trial so great, like life sentences (55 years to serve as the minimum time served), and the rules of these trials make the possibility of a fair defense almost impossile. For those in jail just to try to avoid a life sentence from a pissed of DA with a point to prove, what is the best way to avoid all of the voilence directed at Sex offenders? Do sex offenders ever stick togather to make sure that they are left alone? I know this sounds kind of sick, but there are a lot of offenders either trying to pay for their crime and move on with their lives, or not guilty, and none of them want any trouble. Any advice

No offense, but if you don't want any trouble, you don't cause it. You've caused it already, now it's time to pay the price. Not all prisons are the same, not all prisoners are the same. But I can guarantee you'll have a hard time if you are a serious offender (rape or molestation). These things tend to get around, if you are an S.O. cause you were naked in public or something like that, I doubt you will get as much flack. But there's not really anything anyone can do for you to make your sentence easier.

I know that's there's an excon here that could probably give you a bit better advice than I. Hopefully he will come along and do so.

For those of us that did error, most of us want to do our time and pay our price. Bad judgement and moments of weakness do cause harm, and nobody accepting of their crimes deny that. The problem is that what often goes around is much worse than what the crime is or what the charge is, many times totally incorrect. It is a desire to avoid additional violence and cause of additional crime while in prison that many seek. It seems there is no way to accomplish this. The question was just looking for ways and ideas to try to keep further violence for everyone down, and to allow the SOs to rehabilitate and be able to re-integrate once they get out.
I understand the sentence is hard for all SOs, it should be, but further violence is just bad for everything.

Hello m:

Prison is a microcosm of the street. Victimizers seek out victims. If you don't want to be a victm, you need to be a victimizer (or at least PRETEND to be)...

When I first went to prison, I was 19 and a VERY good looking boy. I was concerned about my welfare, like you. So, at the very FIRST opportunity I had, I sought out the biggest, baddest, meanest mf'r on the yard and punched him in the face...

Nobody messed with me after that.

excon

When you are asked by fellow inmates about your crime and what landed you in the hotel graybars why not pipe up and say you where a drug dealer or bank robber instead of a child molester or rapist? Why volunteer info that will definitely get your head beat in or a$$ whooped by some big, nasty man who hates child molesters or rapists?

And most prisons put you in PC (protective custody) so you aren't "picked on" by the general population.

In prison, the inmates always find out what the crime is I have been told by many who have been there. Lying about your crime is supposedly a giving someone who wants to fight a reaosn to take it out on you. As far a taking on the biggest dude in the yard, I have also heard that all that really does is have 10 of that guys friends take on a vendetta against you for every moment you aren't expecting it. What I have also heard is that don't look for trouble, but if trouble finds you, don't back down, don't let them victimize you, but don't actively seed out trouble for yourself. What are your thoughts on that? There will already be enough people looking to make their bones on beating up someone, I want them to know I am not going to be an easy target. Any advice on how to do it without searching out a fight?

Ah, now it sounds like you are going to prison and not "some friend". Well, if you ASK for PC I'm sure you'll get it. Then you should be housed AWAY from the general population with others of your ilk in relative safety. But prisoners will be men and men like to take revenge. The worst places in this world are hospitals and prisons as you are not in control of your surroundings like you are on the outside. So deal with it. You are the one who got yourself into this mess whether you are guilty or not as they don't really care one way or another as in their mind you wouldn't be there if you were "innocent", now would you? No. And Alaska has some of the roughest prisons around.

You must ASK for Protective Custody and you must give them a viable reason WHY you need it and not because of what you've heard either. Watch a few episodes of Lockup and the one episode that was filmed in Alaska and you'll get your "preview" of what's really in store for you when you go to prison. Stop listening to second hand baloney. It's on MSNBC. Some epsides may be on YouTube as well. Check it out.

Hello again:

Thanks, BMI. I didn't know what you were referring to so I googled it. It's a movie starring Edward Norton. I LOVED that movie but had forgotten the title. On the last day of freedom, Norton's character asked his friends to beat the crap out of him and MESS up his face.. All this, so he could LOOK bad, and not be attacked...

I understood it completely.

Excon

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Most of the people that will reply to this thread have not done hard time, much less for a sex crime. So we can only guess what you should do.

My advice is get huge. Hit the gym, get confident and keep a keen eye and make friends in high places.

Otherwise, protective custody is your only option.

Exactly what is your offense or your friends offense. Truth. You may get some very good advice by tellinng exactly what your friend was charged with.

The limit of my prison knowledge is friends who have done time and what I see on TV reality shows. Make of that what you wish.

There are certain prisons "laying low" won't work, because many gangs have the viewpoint "if you aren't with us, then you are against us" and you end up with everyone hating you... even without the sex crimes conviction.

And the prisons are full of "Innocent" people... just ask any inmate. Most will say they are... unless they have already exhausted their appeals... then they might be honest.

I like Excons analogy "Prison is a microcosm of the street. Victimizers seek out victims."

Consider Prison like the worst part of the worst part of the bad side of town.

I always understood "Protective custody" be essentually the same as voluntary solitary confinement. If I'm wrong please say so. I think that would be pure hell over an extended time... but of course considering the alternative...