Honour amongst thieves
It’s a little known fact that there is a code of honour amongst jailed criminals; a code which, although not formally acknowledged, prevails in prisons around the world. The code recognizes behaviour perceived as brave, courageous, and honourable within the world of the convict and rewards such behaviour with gifts, respect and other acts. Standing up for the rights of another prisoner, refusing to be bowed by debasing or inhuman punishment: such things are the subjects of the code, and stories of prisoners prevailing against prison guards are legion.

Some years ago this code was unexpectedly brought into the open when the international journal of prison officers – Gaolers Today – ran a competition to identify acts of honour within the worldwide prison community. Although aimed at prison officers, such magazines circulate freely within many jails and are the subject of some fascination by prisoners. Consequently a large number of phone votes were cast by convicts.

Amongst the acts cited were tales of convicts defending weaker prisoners or jailers against unprovoked attack, convicts protesting against conditions in older, crowded jails, and convicts accepting punishments on behalf of others.

The story which received the largest number of votes was of a convicted murderer in an Alabama prison who was instructed to clean out a drainage sump as punishment for damaging prison property. The sump was filled with a years-old fetid mixture of rotting rubbish and mud, and overrun with rats. Despite being threatened with ever-worsening punishments the prisoner refused to get into the sump without breathing apparatus, proper protective clothing and safety procedures being in place. He ended up in solitary confinement for several months rather than accept the punishment. All convicts have access to a jail lawyer, and the convict in question complained. Working in the sump without protective equipment was clearly in breach of numerous health and safety laws, and the case eventually lead to the prison guard involved being sacked, exposing a pattern of abusive behaviour amongst staff, and ultimately improving conditions in the prison for all other prisoners.

It was clear to the editor of Gaolers Today that the outcome of the vote had been swung by the votes of prisoners themselves and eventually the competition was cancelled. However the journal reported the events under the headline “Cons pick US con’s sump shun.”
(Smale is stuffed, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 10:58, 7 replies)

The least that can be said
is that you really made an effort.

So that's what I'll say.

"You really made an effort"
( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 11:07, closed)

methinks too much of an effort
So I'll click for the effort
(CactusZack Shaved his coin purse on, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 13:24, closed)

"An enthralling romp" Paul Ross, Daily Mirror

( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 13:37, closed)

Ohhhhh
YES
( elgordo, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 13:46, closed)

I iz impressed
Clickeroo for oo.
(Stiltzkin, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 14:32, closed)

Very good
In keeping with this weeks' Q, this is a young Chateau Mouton-Rothschild of QOTW puns - obvious from first glance that it is a red wine, but a perfectly constructed and finely balanced example. Furthermore, while it is still delicious today, it could perhaps benefit from a little more ageing to take away some faint tannic notes (Gaoler's Today?!)

*Click*
( Scrumper, Mon 1 Aug 2011, 23:01, closed)

^what all these mongs said^

( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 2 Aug 2011, 10:45, closed)