P is for Prison Slang: Australian Lingo

Unsurprisingly, Prison slang is used primarily by criminals and detainees in correctional institutions. Many of the terms deal with criminal behavior, incarcerated life, legal cases, street life, and different types of inmates. 

Prison slang can vary depending on institution, region, and country. It can  be found in other written forms such as diaries, letters, tattoos, ballads, songs, and poems. Words from prison slang often eventually migrate into common usage, such as “snitch” and “narc”. 

Here are some examples of Australian Prison Slang :

Cellie – a cellmate

Dog – an informant

Screw – prison officer

Cockatoo – An inmate tasked with alerting other inmates that prison officers are approaching

Segro – segregation wing

I would just like to add that I know none of these terms from first hand experience.

Demystifying Australian Language