“Shanks”, inside prison that’s what they call knives. I don’t know where the term originated, but that’s what they call it. I have seen them made out of all kinds of materials. The most bizarre was layered cellophane from cigarette packs. The layers were melted together into a knife and sharpened. I have seen them made out of wood, glass, plastic, and steel. Some are manufactured in the maintenance departments, but most are just made in their cells or dormitories.

Most fights don’t come down to using this much force. But some use them to intimidate others. Most prisoners aren’t prepared mentally to kill another. In the higher security prisons where a lot of the prisoners are already doing life in prison, there is a bigger chance that violence will occur. They are already doing life and just don’t care.

Sometimes the individual is forced into a position where they have to use force to protect themselves. Sometimes it’s kill or be killed (or raped). Especially the younger naive prisoners. They are preyed upon in prison. Teenagers (some under aged, tried as an adult) are placed in with the toughest and most violent criminals. Left to fend for themselves. They can’t leave or go someplace safe. They have to deal with it all alone.

Shanks are usually hidden someplace where they can be gotten at short notice because they never know when they’re going to need it.

Any time they’re used it’s always intense. Sometimes they use duct tape and tape the shank to their hand so that they can’t drop it and have it used against them.

Sometimes the fight is arranged and both parties knows to bring one, but usually it isn’t.

The good news is usually prisoners are only wounded. But there are quite a few fatalities as well.

As long as people fight, steal, intimidate, and kill, there will be knives where guns can’t be found. Since primitive days man has used knives of stone, sticks, and steel. In prison it’s a common thing. After all, we’re dealing with criminals.

The bad news is that some of them are our loved ones. They aren’t there to cause trouble. They just perhaps made some bad choices. And now they’ve put themselves in harm’s way. Tell them to stay to themselves as much as possible and find some people that they feel they can trust to watch their back. Not because you say so, but because it’s the smart thing to do.

I have seen first hand the deadly force of a shank, …… and it’s not a pretty sight.

Take care, ….