By Brian Palmer
Slate
PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania judge released accused child molester Jerry Sandusky on $100,000 bail on Monday. The decision keeps Sandusky out of the reach of prison inmates, who have a reputation for attacking child molesters. Are molesters really the most reviled people in prison?
Yes. In the social hierarchy of prison inmates, mob kingpins, accomplished bank robbers, and cop killers tend to get the most respect. Convicts who have committed crimes against children, especially sexual abuse, are hated, harassed, and abused. Many inmates refer to molesters as “dirty” prisoners, and some insist that assaulting or killing them represents a service to society. But a convict’s crime plays only a small role in his social status and safety. Most jailhouse assaults happen because the victim violated prison norms, not because of the crime he committed on the outside. Those who steal tobacco, disrespect the members of an opposing gang, or snitch are in for a much rougher ride than the average molester.
Prisoners use a couple of tricks to identify dirty inmates. They may ask new arrivals for their “jacket,” which refers to the paperwork—including information on laws violated—that some states issue to each prisoner. In the absence of such documentation, the inmates rely on rumors or the occasional clue. Transfers from other prisons who arrive with signs of physical trauma, for example, are frequently suspected of being dirty. According to inmate accounts, correctional officers sometimes mention that the transfer was “marked” at his old facility, meaning there was a hit put on him.
Full Story: Are Child Molesters Really the Most Hated People in Prison?