If you wish to survive prison, if you wish to remain safe, escape as rapidly as possible, and have a decent life on the exterior, there is 1 rule you need to follow: do not make enemies.

You may be tempted to choose fights only to prove which you are tough, or pass the time. Don’t. If somebody attempts to choose a fight together with you, don’t back down, but do not function as the aggressor. Be recognized as a person who will defend himself, but does not pick fights.

You may be tempted to join a gang for protection, but this can be a terrible idea. Joining a gang gets you friends, but it also makes enemies of all the so-called other gangs. Worse, your gang "friends" are simply your buddies as long as you help them to commit crimes, and you will nevertheless be in the gang assuming you leave prison. If you need to go back to a life of freedom, to have a career and a happy life beyond prison, you should avoid gangs.

Don’t trash-talk others in prison either. Do not walk out of your way to be nice, but insulting people without cause doesn‘t make you appear tough, and most inmates will see by means of it. Be polite, and also quiet and reserved. Be assertive when challenged, although not aggressive.

Lastly, be nice for the guards. They write reports on your behavior, creating them a serious influence on your capability to obtain paroled as soon as achievable. Don’t be seen being a suck-up by the other inmates, but be polite on the guards, and do not disrespect them only to show off.

Above all else, you should be quiet, keep your head down and turn into out of trouble. Your objective imprisonment should be to be noticed because the powerful, silent kind: someone that does not trigger trouble, but sometimes manage trouble if you need to. Try to have only several pals, no actual enemies, no black marks on your own record that would cause you to shed privileges or be turned down for parole.