Having just finished a small sentence, I was re-immersed enough in the world of imprisonment to really get a chance to study it. As an anti-civ anarchist / primitivist, I found myself in a place that mirrored the opposite of what I believe. Hopefully this essay will help others to see the justice system for what it is and oppose it and all of its concepts. This is a story of what I and millions of others across the world have been subjected to. While telling of my personal experience, I’ll also attempt to explain the different tactics prisons use to attempt to domesticate inmates. This takes place on the East coast in the US.

First, let’s define ‘domestication’. I’ll use these definitions here:

do•mes•ti•cate \də-‘mes-ti-,kāt\ : to breed or train to need and accept the care of human beings : to tame : to bring to the level of ordinary people

Simply put, it’s the process of taming individuals to conform to society and its needs. You know, be a good little peon. Wake up, go to work, go to sleep. Don’t forget your schooling and other institutions designed to progress you in the world of civilization.

I’ll start from the very beginning of processing in prison but that’s not really the beginning. Once arrested, before conviction, individuals will be thrown in jail (in their ‘native’ county), given a bond, and wait to handle their charges. If convicted, they could receive a multitude of punishments; some clearly more severe than others. Prison is the apex of the justice system, except possibly for capital punishment.

The day you are sent to prison, you will undergo ‘processing’. Processing is where you are initiated into the system- the system of domestication. You’ll receive your inmate ID and number, learn the rules, and begin the overall process of conformity. You are also being held at the processing phase to determine what prison you’ll be sent to. Once you step off the vehicle which you were brought in, you will be lined up, most likely with others, and be told to strip. Then, you’ll be told to ‘squat and cough’. It is what it sounds like. You spread your ass cheeks for another man to examine and then proceed to squat and cough, so they can make sure you’ve brought no contraband up your ass. You then shower, receive your clothes, and will be moved to a cell or dorm. This initial process, whether intentional or not, is extremely demoralizing and embarrassing for those not yet ingrained into the system. To some, they’re so desensitized to it that its just another thing. For the rest, this is only the beginning. This whole initial process lets you know how little control you’re about to have.

After you’ve been processed, they’ll determine where to send you. Your prior convictions, infractions in processing, and crime itself will ultimately determine the level of custody / security. So, now you’ve made it past processing. You’ll get to your new prison and do the usual. Strip butt naked, show your ass, and then be herded into your living area. Here begins the story.

I was sent to a prison that is VERY based on structure. Because it is a youth prison (18-25), the state tries to introduce more structure and punishment to maintain that structure. At this prison, COs were VERY authoritative and had no qualms with giving write-ups out. A write-up is something you receive when you don’t follow the rules within the prison system. Here, there was A-D charges; A being the most severe, D being the least. The domestication begins.

You receive three meals a day. Where I was at, you are LITERALLY herded within the gate, then let out to walk to the chow hall. You’re told to tuck in your shirt, remove any headwear, and line up in the chow hall in an orderly fashion. I feel that it’s well known but I would like to reinforce that the food is not top of the line. You’ll receive the minimum amount of calories as determined by the state. Certain dorms had to sit where they were told and could only leave when they were told. Many people, illegally, were forced to leave the chow hall by an officer whose superiority was challenged. The state is supposed to provide inmates with 3 meals a day however, many COs like to deny inmates this legally guaranteed commodity. What a great system we have!

Now, you’ll likely be given a job. Jobs are distributed to inmates so they can reduce their time and hit their minimum required time to serve. In my state, you get a CHARGE if you refuse to work. If, at any point, you deny your job, stop work, or otherwise mess with the labor they’ve set up, you’ll receive a write up. These write ups, if you’re found guilty, can take privileges such as the phone, radio, canteen, etc. They also take ten dollars and can put you in segregation if they want. In other words, inmates are extorted for work. The jobs themselves are set up to maintain the prison so that 1) you can learn to be a contributable member of society and begin having structure in your life and 2 ) the prisons save money using inmates to take care of the prisons. The MOST an inmate can receive a day is 3 dollars, and that’s if you’re an ICP worker (Inmate construction program- inmates who literally build state and federal buildings, oftentimes building other prisons). I personally received 70 cents a day. They can work you up for a certain amount of time in accordance with your job but if you’re not working that day, they can use you for up to a few hours on any other miscellaneous task. Remember, refusal to work can result in a loss of privileges, freedom, and the ability to call your family and purchase canteen, which I don’t like to refer to as a privilege. When I was in, one day I was told to help move rocks outside the fence and stack them in the back of a trailer on an ATV. At one point, me and the other worker stopped working because the ATV was not back. The maintenance man, an authoritative, wanna-be CO, told me to keep working. I replied that we’d wait for the ATV. He asked if I was ‘refusing to work’. The way he used the specific wording entailed in a write-up made me apprehensive about my safety. I continued to work. Approximately one week later, he wrote a statement on me saying that I refused to work, ‘rallied the workers’, and kept attempting to get everyone to quit working. Although I was not respectful to him (I don’t respect ‘authority’), I wasn’t blatantly disrespectful; at least not to the point to be misconstrued as attempting a general strike or riot. His false statement, in addition to very specific wording, was an attempt to get me an A charge. Specifically, an ‘inciting a riot’ charge, which is VERY serious. Fortunately for me, it being my first write up, I was ‘counseled’. Basically given a slap on the wrist, yet nothing was done about the sadistic fuck who attempted to give me a charge so severe it’d cost me two extra months of time. When I expressed concern over his false accusations, I was told to ask for a new job. The man who distributes jobs never sees people. The only way to see him is to attempt to go to the dorm he is located in. If not called for, going to see case managers can result you in a charge. In other words, because I was worried about receiving additional write-ups, I needed to see a man who refused to do his job and risk getting in trouble just to see him on my own time.

Now, as for the inmates reactions to labor, I was overwhelmed. People were APPRECIATIVE. The 40 cents to 70 cents a day was appealing. That, and obviously the desire to reduce your overall sentence. While it makes logical sense to get a job so you can go home sooner, why was there so few who were willing to question the labor system? Do they not realize they’re being used to save the state money, and being molded into what society wants? Some said they needed the structure while many rationalized it by saying things such as “well we put ourselves in here”. Right, I cuffed myself and walked my happy ass to prison voluntarily, mind you, and continued to serve my time because I truly felt guilty for my sins. Bullshit! Where is the resistance?! So, all this being said, labor is an extremely important tool (not only in prisons!) for domestication. The difference on the outside is people live to work and work to live all in hopes of developing enough green paper so that they can do as they wish. In prison, you work for your freedom and to ensure that you don’t whither away from the insubstantial meals. The term freedom is a funny one in regards to this topic. In a sense, one can somewhat be free inside, ironically. If one can understand that he is separated from the system and refuses to accept the higher order imposed on him, he can to an extent free himself. But even then, when there is a presence that has no problem extorting, stealing, or physically abusing those who rebel, a practical sense of freedom can be diminished. Conform or die.

The blind obedience to the system is overwhelmingly prevalent in prisons. The inability to think beyond the system is a serious issue. The “I put myself here” attitude causes such mass conformity that allows the prison system to remain intact. Otherwise, if people started to question the legitimacy of the system, we might see a breakthrough, both physical and mental. The societally innate desire for authority, order, and laws has brainwashed so many inmates. I don’t know of any wild animal who remains in the cage when the door is opened. Imagine if there was a mass breakthrough within the minds of the imprisoned. Imagine if there was a mass attempt to break out of prisons all across the nation. Wouldn’t it be grand? The chaos! The look on the face of the oppressors as they hide in their homes and offices!

You cannot use the systems rationalizations to beat the system. How about what we want? I don’t want to be there, therefore I shouldn’t. Fuck what you or others think of it. I don’t believe in your laws and methods. I will not serve that which does not serve me. Release me! You are not my superior for I do not consent and will not recognize your twisted perception of relationships, or your sick ideology. Why are so many afraid to stray outside of society’s logic? Is it a fear of being outcasted? Oppressed? What we must realize is that until we reject the system entirely, it will remain in place. It only exists because we let it.

Let’s talk about the rules themselves in the prison system. I was amazed to find out there was a charge called a ‘Disobeying a direct order’. It isn’t as serious of a charge as others, but still enough to greatly reduce your comfortability within prison. What this charge represents is an extreme level of authority. If a guard asks you to do something, anything, and you refuse, he can give you this write up. In other words, they can make up their own laws. I saw this write up tossed around like nothing. Constantly using it as a threat to get things done. I saw one CO use it constantly to extort inmates for work. They might do something he considered to be unwanted, and then tell the inmates to work to stay out of trouble for what he could’ve initially wrote them up for. If they refuse to do that work, he threatens them with a ‘Disobeying a direct order’ charge. Oh, the marvels of the justice system! Every state has specific rules to be followed in every state-owned prison. Then the individual prisons can create even more specific rules. We were expected to constantly maintain an ordered (clean) environment. Nothing on top of the lockers. Beds made up neatly and maintained, while staying out of bed past a certain time. Floors swept, mopped, and in some dorms, even buffed. You were told to constantly keep up with your environment. Once again, conformity enters the scene. WHY? Why the FUCK am I cleaning the state’s fucking floors when it’s the state holding me against my will? Why would anybody clean up the cages that they’re confined to? Obviously, there’s the threat of receiving a write up but people did it without even considering the infraction. It’s expected, so it must be done. Make your time easier. Do what the oppressors want and you’ll be oppressed less. Conform, or you’ll be looked at differently. But without laws, there’s no order? And we need order, right? We can’t rely on instincts, no! We must have enforced order! Well, even in prison, one of the most oppressive environments invented by civilization, the rules do VERY little to stop ‘criminal’ behavior. That’s the reason we’re criminals. We, on some level, don’t feel the laws should be followed. Therefore, we break them. Irony is ever evident. We can’t follow the laws of society so we go to these dark places and, at least in my experience, conform to the laws inside. Fear can make individuals do crazy things. Although the laws within might be obeyed, many oftentimes pick and choose which ones to obey. People still get beaten, extorted, raped, and killed. Clearly, those who are determined enough are not stopped by some system of morality introduced by the state. If you get away with it or obey from the start, you’ll receive more privileges and reduce your custody level. Eventually, you can go to a work-release camp! You get to work at a chicken farm for minimum wage. You have to pay to stay in the prison housing you but nevermind that, CHICKEN FARMS and minimum wage!! So, either you become indoctrinated by society or you be a target for authority. You can conform, have privileges, get free, and keep conforming. Or you can fight the system by disobeying the system. And you can lose privileges and freedom. OR you can keep being a criminal and try to get away with everything. Be the sneaky rebel. Be part of the group who further rejects all laws and acts on their own whim. But even then, a level of conformity is required if you wish to have the amenities of our wonderful prison system. You’ll need a job to lower your sentence. You’ll need to maintain at least some level of order or you’ll never gain more of these amazing perks! So, no matter what, on some level, you must conform to get anywhere. The whole design of the system is meant to break individuals.

Speaking of individuals and conformity, another integral part of the system is reducing individuality. You must wear the same clothes, eat the same shit, work the same jobs, follow the same laws. You might have religious freedom but really, what kind of freedom is that? Worship whatever god you want, so long as you’re oppressed as fuck in our prisons. Besides, that god most likely has justified or advocated such tactics as utilized by the state. So, really, your religion probably only solidifies what we’re tryna tell ya! I tried to change my shoe strings from my boots to my shoes one day. I had white laces on my boots and black laces on my shoes. I was different. I could also recognize my shoes or boots if they were stolen. The assistant unit manager saw this and told the STG (security threat group) officer to write me up for gang affiliation if I didn’t remove the strings. Sense of individuality destroyed. All in all, you are trained for the same purpose: to get out and work. Contribute to society. Be a benefit of society. Not a criminal. Nobody wants your criminal ass near them! Work, school, religion, pacifism. Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Oh, yes, school. If you don’t have a GED or high school diploma, you will be made to go to GED classes. If you refuse, you’ll receive a write-up for missing school. You can’t deny education there. Well, you can. And you can also sit in segregation for being a fuckin’ rebel. They also offer trade classes in some prisons as well as some college courses. Both serve the obvious purpose of furthering your progress within society. Better education, better job, right?

Now, another important part of prisons: entertainment. Yes, entertainment. From basketball to television, entertainment is one of THE most important tools in maintaining control in prisons. If there were nothing to do other than sit and think, we might actually realize the logical fallacies of our social system. In every sense, entertainment domesticates prisoners. From the media spewing bullshit and narcissistic Kardashian news on the TV to the satisfaction of achieving a ringer in horseshoes. When you have things to do, you can occupy your mind. You can vent. If you’re having a rough day, you can go shoot some hoops to alleviate some stress. I know I did. Or maybe your relationship with someone on the outside is deteriorating. Lifting some weights might solve that. Why rage against that which oppresses you when you could be playing volleyball? I don’t necessarily believe this to be some big conspiracy to liquidate the minds of prisoners via entertainment, but I do believe those in charge provide these things so that we ourselves remain tame, to an extent. When a dorm would act up, COs would take the television. People might wild out for a while but once they realized they would NOT get the TV back until they do as they’re told, at some point, they’re going to comply. Personally, I say fuck it. Smash the TVs. Tear down the goals. Burn the books. If that’s what it takes to free our minds and begin thinking outside of the system, then so be it. Although these things make time far easier, without them, I believe there would truly be a collapse of our prison system.

Since we’re already there, let’s focus on technology. On a very practical sense, without diving into the hierarchies developed or the exploitation involved in producing technology, or the domesticating nature of technology, technology is the only way to maintain this system of imprisonment. You cannot create bars without iron or other metals. Walls without cement, bricks, metal, etc. You cannot keep us in without fences, razor wire, electric wire, and whatever else. You cannot prevent a riot without tasers, guns, gas, shields, armor, etc. All these things are only capable through the production and use of technology. With that comes the hierarchical, coercive social structures that maintain the prisons. Technology benefits all, right? Keeps us down. Keeps the oppressors safe? Hell, we can even watch The Walking Dead and shit in toilets! Civilization, what ever would we do without you?

The focus of this essay is on domestication. Although I’ve not used the term as much as I thought I would’ve, domestication is clearly the underlying intention of prisons. When they’re not domesticating and pushing conformity on inmates, it domesticates the populace with the threat of imprisonment should they not follow the laws. Act out of hand and lose your freedom. And the fact that so many advocate it is just an example of our brainwashing system and the complacency that furthers our spiral into demise. Simple question: how would you like it? To be in an extremely oppressive, violent, and manipulative environment? Think. I’d venture as far to say that prisons don’t reduce crime nor make life safer. Those who conform continue on progressing in society. Those who don’t go back. They further their knowledge of crime. It is a cycle. It’s an intentional set up to domesticate us. When you get out, if you’re on parole or probation (mandatory in my state upon release), you best behave. All it takes is one charge, one joint, one curfew broken, to possibly end you back in prison. You WILL obey and do what we want or you WILL be in prison. Is that okay with us? Is it okay with YOU? Is it okay that we use such extreme levels of force and coercion to maintain control? Your false sense of security is not worth another individual’s life. So long as there are laws, they will be broken. The state benefits whether you break the laws or not. If you don’t, you’re a stand-up citizen. Congratulations! If you disobey (and get caught), you’ll be subjected to the extreme processes of the justice system. If you do happen to make it out, you best do right! By the way, we’ll keep extorting you for money while on parole / probation. Refuse, and you’ll go back. Logic, right? Here’s some more logic that the state loves: ~ Let’s give these guys felonies. Maybe that’ll teach them. They have to work to pay us our fees for oppressing them but damn, they have felonies! Employers don’t like felons. I mean we did, after all, do a wonderful job at painting criminals as undesirable pieces of shit. Oh, well. Fuck it, it’s on them. Either way, we win. In prison or out here, we’ll make money somehow off of them. Fuck yeah! Government! Justice! ~

I ask you to question this system. It is inherently coercive. It is exploitative. It is essential to the maintenance of society. People are broken just so that they can better serve society’s needs. But I must say, fuck society! And on a grander scale, fuck civilization! To hell with authority. Damn your labor and your oppressive, abusive behavior. It’s time to reject this broken system. To us, it’s broken. To those in the system, it is perfected. It requires our degradation and they benefit from it.

As an Anarcho-primitivist. As someone who genuinely hates authority, law enforcement, and governance of any sort, I say this: Tear it the fuck down. If you seek freedom, then reject all institutions and all authority. If you are currently or possibly going to be a victim of the justice system, remember all this. Remember what it does to you. Revolt against ANY oppressive entity and for fucks sake, let’s act a fool and party on the graves of the oppressors and dance on the ashes of civilization. I say, destroy that which seeks to destroy you.

Live Wild. Live Free.

~Higen Dark (Primal) , to the Wild!