What is Protective Custody?

Protective custody is when prisons separate some inmates from the general population to keep them safe. The inmates in protective custody are at risk of attack, exploitation, or worse, from other inmates. Prison officials put them in separate housing areas to prevent this.

Why Some Inmates Need Protection

Certain types of inmates face more danger from other prisoners. Snitches, ex-gang members, sex offenders, former law enforcement, and those who are young, weak, LGBT, or have enemies inside are common targets. They’re more likely to get beaten, stabbed, raped, extorted for money and contraband, or even killed.

How Protective Custody Works

In protective custody units, vulnerable prisoners live apart from the general population. These special housing blocks or buildings only hold other protective custody cases. There’s much tighter security and less freedom of movement.

Inmates in “PC” have limited time out of cells and restricted activities, programs, yard time, and privileges. They go to the chow and clinic and make separate visits. It’s like being locked down 23 hours a day in some spots.

You gotta prove you need protective custody to get in. Prisons are careful about giving it out since some try to fake their way in for a more leisurely ride. Officials make you show legit, verified safety concerns, not just paranoia or trying to avoid problems you started.

Life in Protective Custody

Doing Time in PC

The protective custody routine gets bland and lonely. You’re cooped up in your cell most of the day. Rec time, programs, and work are bare bones if they exist. If you’re lucky, it’s a lot of sitting on your bunk with books, radio, and TV.

Interaction with others is slim. You see the small crew on your tier or block. Friendships and conversations are limited. COs keep close tabs on you at all times. It can get claustrophobic and isolating if you’re not good at staying busy solo. Some go stir-crazy.

Is PC Safer?

PC is generally safer from attacks but still has dangers. You’re around other at-risk inmates who may have issues. People feud and fight in PC, too, on a smaller scale. There might be a PC shot caller running things.

Gangs sometimes have members fake their way into PC to attack certain inmates hiding there. Crooked guards may set up a “PC” inmate to get it. And if you need to leave the unit for medical, court, or transfer, there’s a chance of getting jumped by a GP. PC is safer than GP, but not 100%.

Downsides of Protective Custody

The Stigma Problem

PC cases face stigma and scorn from other inmates and even staff sometimes. They get labeled rats, chomos, snitches, cowards. It’s seen as weak and unmanly to “check-in” to custody instead of handling your problems.

This stigma can make it harder to transfer out of PC later. Other inmates will still view you suspiciously, and COs may give you a more challenging time. It can follow you and affect your whole bid.

Lack of Programs and Privileges

The biggest complaint about PC is missing out on prison programs, jobs, activities, and privileges. PC units are often barren and have few opportunities. You’ll likely have less or no access to:

• Educational classes
• Vocational training
• Drug and alcohol treatment
• Mental health programs
• Library and Law Library
• Job assignments
• Visits and phone calls
• Commissary and packages
• Yard and gym equipment
• TV, digital music players

This stuff helps pass the time and provides productive outlets. Without it, PC time feels even more deadening and pointless to many. It’s trading some suffering for other kinds.

Lockdown Conditions

Protective custody blocks are frequently locked down for long stretches due to fights, searches, staff shortages, or just as SOP. This means being in the cell 24/7, no activities, no tier time, and sometimes no showers. It’s like being in the hole.

Some prisons always keep PC on virtual lockdown status with brief breaks. It gets old fast for those who can’t keep themselves occupied. Limited mental health treatment makes this setup even harder.

Leaving Protective Custody

Risks of Returning to GP

Checking out of PC to return to the general population is a considerable risk. Unless your safety situation changes, you’ll have all the same dangers and enemies waiting.

Plus, the PC stigma may bring extra haters trying to target you now. You gotta be ready to scrap and watch your back even more. Lots of dudes get smashed up going back to the line.

Transferring to New Prisons

The better move is usually transferring to a whole new prison or state system if you want out of PC. This gives a fresh start where people are less likely to know your history.

However, transfers take forever and involve jumping through many hoops. The new place is not guaranteed to be that different, and PC inmates are usually limited to transferring to other PC units anyway.

Riding Out Your Bid in PC

Most PC inmates resign themselves to staying in custody for their whole sentence. It sucks, but it beats getting jumped, pimped or whacked in GP. You just try to work your program in the limited ways you can.

Some PC prisoners prefer the low-key solo lifestyle after a while. You adapt and make the best of it. Get your GED, stay sane, and wait for your release date.

Final Thoughts

Protective custody is a necessary evil to keep some inmates safe. But it’s a bleak, boring, lonely way to spend your time and has significant drawbacks. Vulnerable prisoners are stuck between getting got in Genpop or rotting away in PC.

The system needs better solutions for separating vulnerable inmates without totally isolating and limiting them. More nuanced classification, special programming, safer housing setups, and anti-violence initiatives could improve things.

But as long as prison stays violent and harsh, protective custody will remain a grim reality. It’s an uncomfortable trade-off with severe costs either way. PC can save lives, but it deadens them, too.

See Also: What is Cell Block 1?