The appeal "huckster" can be heard quite often, but many do not know what or, rather, whom this word means. Who are the hucksters, and why are they called that?

Who is a huckster

Huckster is a slang word originating from the criminal world. In Russia, this concept began to be used in the dashing 90s, when small business was developing. An unmeasured number of hucksters then divorced, since everyone wanted to sell something, do their own thing and get a considerable profit from it. There are many meanings of the word "huckster", since the concept is vague, but several basic ones can be distinguished.

• Illegal merchant, buyer of stolen goods. Engaged in the sale of weapons and other prohibited items on
• Drug dealer. In general, this value is very close to the first, since a drug dealer may well sell weapons, but very often drug dealers are called just dealers. A good example in the movies is Jay and Silent Bob.
• In some cases, the huckster is just a very greedy, unpleasant merchant, eager to catch a profit at any cost. The word has an offensive and derogatory meaning. Most often, these hucksters have very few buyers.

The meaning of the word "huckster" in prison

Move on. We have already figured out who a free huckster is. The meaning of the word in prison is somewhat distorted. In places not so remote, all merchants are generally called that. What they trade does not matter, the word "huckster" is applied to any dealer. Of course, it is difficult to find weapons and drugs in prison (but perhaps now prisoners have much more opportunities and a much more open connection with the will). But ordinary goods such as tea, cigarettes, hygiene items are in high demand. In prison, ordinary money is practically worthless, so most often there is a barter exchange: goods for goods. This is the kind of trade that hucksters do.

Drug dealers who have flown from the outside are not treated very well in prison. According to thieves, it is understood that when you sell drugs, you destroy someone else's life and health for money, so you need to give drugs. The meaning of the word "huckster" has undergone changes, but retained its essence.

There is some kind of dark humor in this - in the “Stops” section, which is about interesting places and sights, publish a story about life in prison. Well, where else to put it, on the other hand? In their life journey, no one seeks to make such a stop, but many have to, and these are not only villains and bandits. Our interlocutor Alexei (name changed) is neither a thief nor a murderer, nor a rapist nor a swindler. A young Russian guy who, as it happened, has been serving a term in one of the Russian colonies on a strict regime for the fourth year already. About how he lives behind bars and whether there is any benefit from such a life, he told the “Passenger” - by the way, risking his own safety.

Connection with will, or 15 days for "VKontaktik"

Of course, we are forbidden to conduct correspondence on the network. If one of the employees finds out about this interview, I will be waiting for 15 days in the ShIZO (penaltyapprox. "Passenger" ) and a serious raid in order to pick up all the "extra". After all, we should not have access to the Internet and mobile communications at all. For calls, you can use the machine, now they are in every barracks - it's called Zonatelecom. You draw up a card (you can virtually from the outside, the main thing is to have a pincode) and call, but only those numbers that are indicated in the application are available, and it must first be certified. Plus letters and dates. You can use only these tools, but why, when there are phones and smartphones? Of course, the situation with mobile communication in camps around the country is different, but to one degree or another it is available everywhere. And this is not only a convenience, but also a business.

We are not obliged to keep under constant supervision 24 hours a day, no guards will be enough for this. This is possible when kept in cells, but not in camps. But mass events - trips to the dining room, divorce, etc. - are under the control of employees. In addition, they go around all the facilities (shops, detachments, any places of work) several times a day, plus they regularly conduct searches, planned and optional. So, when using the phone, you need to be alert. Ideally, watch the entrance through the window. There are special people in the detachments for this who, for cigarettes or something like that, “sit on the chip” all day long. When an employee approaches, you immediately hide the phone - not in your pocket, of course, but where they can’t find it in the event of a raid. For this, triggers are being prepared (caches -approx. "Passenger" ) in advance.

Life in the zone: expectations and reality

It's definitely not like in the movies. I myself thought that I would have to fight from the first day. When I was coming here, I mentally prepared myself, but it turned out that I didn’t need to. So far, he has seriously swung only once, the rest - in sports sparring. Oh, well, I also beat a rooster with a stick, but that's for the cause. Quite the opposite, you can't fight. Yes, it all depends on the situation, but there is a risk of running into a showdown with thieves - for lawlessness. Here, any measures must be justified and approved. When I had to fight, I was sure that the person would not go anywhere to endure it, everything was honest. And if you know that someone will go to thieves or garbage, it's better to just calm down. I generally do not like to resolve conflicts by force, but I confess that sometimes I want to when I get tired of everything and everyone. If the garbage finds out about the collision, they will not investigate, but, most likely, they will send both of them to the ShIZO, and who needs it? And it's not even about the conditions in the ShIZO, what's the difference, 15 days from the whole term is nothing. The reason is that this is recorded in the case, and many, including me, want to leave on parole, and such records do not help at all in this.

As for the thieves, they can give a few breams, or they can be seriously beaten, it happens. They pull you up to talk, and if the conversation doesn’t make any sense, then they simply stuff you with stools and arches from beds to fractures, etc. But this is for serious reasons. Those who pull drugs in illegal ways, say, through a transmission window, or barry without permission, or gamble and do not repay debts, are at risk.

If there is no sense in the conversation, then they simply clog with stools and arches from beds to fractures.

Concepts, of course, live, but they are needed to maintain internal order, otherwise there will be just chaos. If the actions do not have consequences, then the convicts will begin to substitute each other with their actions and complicate their lives. So there are snoops, and roosters (including "opened ones"), and rats - but these categories appeared long before the appearance of concepts and Russian prisons in general. Snoops usually either tend to “stick” to someone, behave like this all the time in life, or pay for their own stupidity - debts. Roosters are mostly rapists, pedophiles, perverts, everything is clear here. And than open hatred for them, let them clean the toilets and sweep the streets. There are those who are unlucky - they “extinguished”, that is, chifir with a rooster. Or they took a cigarette from him, or shook hands, or touched someone's penis, or in some other way. Well, it's your own fault, you have to keep an eye on such things. Rats and bitches choose their own path, and this should not be allowed to remain without consequences. And all this is determined here, in captivity. That is, no one traces your previous biography at large, and in prison you always have a chance to live like a human being (unless you are a pedophile). The rest is best left to yourself. For example, it's technically possible to fuck a cock, but I think that the desire to fuck another man in the ass is homosexual in itself, so I don't do it myself.

About the camp authorities

As for how they break about coming to the camp: now there is no such thing here. You either accept the rules and get settled, or, if you deny it, you end up in a ShIZO. Although this is nonsense compared to the past. They can, of course, give bream sometimes, but the employees are also updated, the old-school cruel bosses are leaving. In general, camps in this area were broken 6-7 years ago. Before that, there was an “acceptance” when they fucked right away so that they understood where they got into. But then the situation was different: drugs, booze, tracksuits for everyday life, everyone put a dick. With the new government, everything has become stricter in terms of the regime, but at the same time without tinnyness from the administration.

They address convicts mainly as you, although there are exceptions. Some are very serious about this and are always on you with the convicts, but these are isolated cases. The authorities (that is, the administration - majors, lieutenant colonels, colonels) are quite arrogant in relation to the majority of prisoners. And in general, they prefer to communicate with prisoners through the caretakers, and they often use this for their own purposes. Those who are lower in rank - the keymen (they are also security guards), some commanders of the detachments - they behave simpler. Here it’s how it will turn out, with everyone it’s different - with someone it’s just on you, but with someone it’s completely familiar. Over time, they have something like a professional deformation - they become like prisoners, only in uniform.

Occupational Deformation: Guards look like convicts, only in uniform.

About red and black zones. Roughly speaking, they differ in that on the Reds, the real power is in the hands of the garbage, and on the Blacks, the thieves determine the orders. My zone is red, that is, the main thing is to observe the regime or the laws of common sense. Although there are thieves here, and they have their own weight: they solve some conflicts between prisoners, they monitor the general game and the observance of unofficial laws and rules. Another thing is that they are all tied up with garbage and, if necessary, solve problems together, because both of them want to live in comfort.

About the camp hierarchy

Each facility in the zone has a responsible convict and a responsible officer. Formally, such convicts (goats, caretakers, hillocks) are not endowed with power, but in fact they have both privileges and power. They are closer to the staff than the rest, often communicate with the head of the colony and his deputies. In addition to bonuses, they bear responsibility and obligations, including financial ones. So, all repairs are carried out at the expense of convicts, the administration is not inclined to spend money on this. There were many scandals related to these things, I will not go into details ... And how the goat / supply manager / hillock will organize the work process and the financial flow is his concern. As well as the situation at the facility. I myself, although not a goat, invested in repairs at my jobs. It is simply necessary to do something, but you do something for yourself, for a more comfortable existence. For example, I perform in a club, play the guitar, we have a full-fledged team here, we have all the instruments, but where would these instruments and equipment come from? We brought everything ourselves or those who worked here before. Something from home, friends or relatives bought something. And if nothing is being repaired or brought in, then the administration will definitely notice this. And either directly indicate this to the supply manager, or simply remove him and put another one.

Day after day

A typical day depends on whether you work or not. If you sit all day in the detachment, then there is little variety: you go outside for checks, visit the canteen, sometimes a bathhouse, a library or a gym. The rest of the time - reading, sleeping, watching TV, sorting out relationships, playing games, hanging on the Internet, whoever is in what much. I work, so I don’t go to the detachment so much, mostly in the morning and in the evening. I live in lighter conditions of detention, I sleep on a single-tiered shkonar and not in a huge section, but in a small cabin with a TV. At 6 in the morning we were already standing with the whole detachment on the street - such exercises, or morning formation. Then the usual morning chores - wash up, go to breakfast or cook something for yourself in the food room (“kisharka”). Then - either a divorce and a job, or a morning check. My job is not dusty, I'm in the volunteer fire department. Sometimes training alarms, sometimes repairs, but mostly I go about my business: reading, sports, chess, etc. Plus - lunch and another check. In the evening, in the detachment, you can watch TV (I didn’t do it in the wild, but somehow it turns out by itself), but it’s better to watch something from a flash drive, if there is one. If I don't go to work, I spend time at the club: rehearsals or anything else: books, sports, coffee, stupid things. The choice is not so great.

Holidays in the zone are celebrated, but not too varied. On your birthday - chifir, tea, coffee and sweets. On New Year's Eve, the lights out are usually shifted, you can sit for up to an hour or two, make salads. Everything is almost as usual, only without alcohol and adventures, so there is nothing to talk about.

Notable events are, as a rule, someone's failures. Only yesterday someone strangled himself because of debts.

Accidents happen, but I don’t remember anything good. Notable events are, as a rule, someone's failures. Only yesterday someone strangled himself because of debts. This happens, in my memory they have already hung themselves a couple of times, all because of debts, usually gaming ones. People sit down to play, having no money to pay, but the excitement takes its toll. They jumped twice from a window on the third floor (there is simply no higher), but without a fatal outcome - they simply broke. One due to debts, the other, it seems, just a cap drip. One died of stomach cancer, was taken out of the zone just a few hours before death. Before that, they were taken out for treatment, but something was not treated right. Well, on trifles, it happens that goats get into trouble, this is also interesting, but only if you cook in this mess. Garbage also gets into such situations, key keeper was caught carrying and using drugs, with the resale of selected phones. The authorities get bigger, their own security is hunting for them. For example, they got stuck in the export of building materials, in fraud with batches of phones. Yes, and the head of the prison can be arrested, I think. Anyone has something. Sometimes convicts with drugs are also on fire. Usually they come across when they share with someone - everything is free.

Since this is a strict regime, they are sitting here mainly for the sale of drugs and murders (intentional and not). 10-15 percent - the rest of the articles, there are even a few bribe-takers. As for typical categories, I'm not sure, but I'll try to highlight a few.

Blue warrior - there are enough of them, these are those who killed someone in a fight or something like that on the blue bench. Nothing interesting, many people in our country can fall into this category sooner or later.

Old bandit - those who have been in prison for 10-20 years, and maybe not so long ago, but for typical crimes of the nineties and zero years - murders, banditry, possession of weapons, kidnappings, etc. Many of them are interesting to talk to. In general, you somehow expect that a bandit can be immediately distinguished, but in reality everything is not so. Ordinary people, often even intelligent ones.

An ordinary Tajik - someone for robbery or murder, but mostly for manipulating heroin, this is their topic. Everyone, as a rule, did not know anything, they were asked to keep them or take them away, and other nonsense.

Best of all in prison for those who have been in prison since their youth and do not know another life.

A pensioner - old people are also sitting, they are trying to shove them into a bunch in one detachment, such as a nursing home for the disabled.

Drug addicts and hucksters can be conditionally divided into “old-school heroin addicts” and “pepsicol New Ageers”, well, that’s right, it’s easy to laugh. There are many people who are imprisoned for murder, but if they hadn't been imprisoned, someday they would have been imprisoned for drugs.

But - I repeat - in general, your article for the life here means nothing (if it is not rape). People are all different, and here everyone also behaves differently, which is why it is customary to look at actions, and not at the past.

Best of all in prison for those who have been in prison since their youth and do not particularly know another life. So there's really nothing to compare with. They develop all the necessary qualities for a successful life in prison - their own special morality, in which the one who achieves his goal by any means is at his best. And if we talk about the warehouse of character, then it would be best for a calm person who understands that there is no point in rushing anywhere. Too cheerful and sociable can quickly find comrades, or they can get into an uncomfortable position - say too much, fall for a provocation. Some are too nervous and worried, it is especially difficult for such people in the zone. Others see their emotions and add fuel to the fire, tease, purely for fun. But it is seriously difficult to communicate with such sufferers, because they are trying to explain all their worries to you, but who needs it? Here, everyone has their own problems. Aggressive characters also will not benefit from their character, conflicts have consequences. It is best to stay calm and act according to the situation, not to hope for a miracle, so as not to be upset. Certainly you should not think about justice, it should not be sought in prison. If you seek the truth in prison, you will be quickly besieged.

What are the convicts talking about

Everyone is talking about the same thing - who cares what, well, the news of the zone, of course, are discussed. As for give a damn - I'm not strong in it, somehow I live normally without it. So all the most common things come to mind: bunk, shlenka, dalnyak, office, rat. Fuck knows, I'm not too interested, and there is no strong need. For those who are interested, I recommend finding a dictionary, there are some, I read it myself. I remember being surprised at the existence of a verb that means “to jump out of a car on the move”, I don’t remember the word itself. It used to be a really separate language. Here is one more observation: already during the term, I often met the word “zashkvar”, “zashkvarit” on the Internet, but in the zone or in the pre-trial detention center I never heard it at all, literally zero times. We use the word "quench" here. If something is extinguished, then no one, except for roosters, can touch this object, this is understandable.

I have never heard the words “zashkvar”, “zashkvarit” in the zone or in the pre-trial detention center.

Another stereotype about prison life is tattoos. Yes, it is. They beat, and they beat everything in a row, it all depends on the desire and on the skills. As for themes and plots - somewhere, maybe in a different way, but with us - hit whatever you want, within reason. The application technique is the same as in the wild, only home-made machines. It’s easy to do, I’ll assemble it myself without any problems: a motor (for example, from a drive), a body from a regular handle, a frame made of wood, aluminum or anything, a string, a power supply or a phone charger, an adjustable resistor (optional), a pair of rubber bands, glue . All this in our time is easy to collect even in the zone. Someone hits on the prison theme: rings, a game mess, icons. I met both SS and swastikas from those who previously “denied” (in my opinion, not the best idea for a tattoo), all sorts of inscriptions “goth mit uns”, “only God be my judge” - these are all classics. Someone beats whatever comes to mind - as if at will.

Is everything in prison true or myth?

You can often hear that money, drugs, and alcohol are quite affordable in the zone. In general, this is true, again depending on where. Money is not a problem now, before it had to be dragged in, hidden, but now all calculations are electronic - you start a qiwi wallet and that's it. If there is Internet, then you translate yourself, if not, you call home and ask to translate. There are also plenty of sharpeners, you need to cut them with something, naturally they swindle them, but it’s not that they are directly hunted, it seems that convicts don’t cut each other. They make alcohol themselves, they make mash, they make moonshine, I don’t do this, it’s too troublesome, and if they find it, I’ll have to go to the ShIZO, but I don’t want to drink that much. Drugs are not exactly there, rather they are. Sometimes someone gets involved with them, sometimes with hashish, sometimes with heroin. Not very often, these are personal initiatives, and moreover, they do not always add a deadline for this, although this also happens. But the risk is still not justified. I had a chance to get drunk during the term - several times with candies with THC from California, smoked Garika once and ate several nutmegs once. But I do not aspire to this, and the last time was a long time ago. This is not at all the same as in the wild. The environment here is, to put it mildly, gloomy and depressing, and when you are tipsy, paranoia and all that prevails. Well, fuck him, he didn’t get caught and that’s good.

How time has changed me

I have more time. I spend it on sports, self-development, reading. Plus, I box, learn languages, do music, even juggle a little, so I learned something, this is definitely a positive side. In terms of spiritual change, it's hard to say. Maybe I've calmed down. Perhaps now I care less about the opinions of others. It seems like I know what I want from life, and there are some plans, but it will all be clear when I am free. He must have become more patient. But it’s like with appearance - when you see yourself in the mirror every day, it’s not so easy to notice how you have changed in a few years, so I see myself and my thoughts every day, and it’s not for me to judge how I have changed or not.

And the fact that correctional colonies do not correct anyone is a fact, nothing is being done for this in our country, this is only punishment. Everything ultimately depends on you. If you want to change your life, then you will correct in yourself what you consider necessary, and if you are only able to complain about circumstances, then nothing will help you.

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Those people who are sitting in places of deprivation of liberty today were among us yesterday. These are someone's brothers, husbands, children and fathers. And not all of them are thugs, maniacs, murderers and rapists. I do not undertake to justify them, yes - these are not angels, but mere mortal sinners like all of us. And who did not sin - did he live? Spit in their direction, those who are sinless.

Tomorrow they will return to us, to our families, to become our neighbors, colleagues, friends or enemies. How did we meet them, and which of us will take their place there?

None of us are immune.

Do not renounce the sum and the prison!

Appreciate freedom - this is the most precious thing a Human has, love it, cherish it, every minute, every moment enjoy it, maybe it will be your last. Now freedom has been given to man from birth as a gift, he does not think about the fact that millions of people gave their lives for it. And only having lost freedom, a person understands its value, when even the word itself will delight you.

This sweet word is Freedom.

Be law abiding citizens. Read and respect the criminal code. Know your rights and responsibilities.

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

Ninety percent of all crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Hence the conclusion: do not drink or use drugs!

Everyone breaks the law, but not everyone goes to jail. Some are lucky so far, others decide the issue on the spot. It is better to give an extra hundred to a guard or district policeman than to give tens of thousands to a judge and prosecutor.

Solve the issue during the preliminary proceedings, no matter what it costs you.

Don't take it to court!

If, nevertheless, you were “closed”, i.e. arrested, the main thing is not to panic and not lose heart. You are not the first, you are not the last.

And people live in prison.

If you have been placed in a temporary detention facility, you should not shout “you have no right”, demand to show a warrant for arrest or demand a phone number to call a lawyer. TDF workers will never accept you without supporting documents. And they don't care about the rest. Ruining their mood is not worse for yourself. Fulfill all their requirements silently, with dignity, even when they examine your underwear and you stand in front of them in what your mother gave birth to. Do not try to please them, coax and promise them anything, little depends on them.

Try not to anger them!

Here the door of the cell is opened in front of you. Calm down, no one will kill you, the same people as you are sitting there, it’s just that they were not brought in an hour, not a day, not two before you. When the door slams behind you, try not to look frightened, loudly, but without shouting, say “general hello”, it’s not customary to shake hands with those you don’t know, remember this once and for all, below I will explain why? All the attention of the “hut” (cell) will be directed to you, if experienced prisoners are sitting there, they will invite you, point to a free place. They will ask, what is your name, where did you come from and why? Answer briefly, but not unequivocally, do not spread too much.

And remember three rules: three NOT

Do not trust, do not fear, do not ask!

If a measure of restraint arrest is chosen for you, consider that by 80 - 90% you will receive a term. Therefore, it is better not to console yourself with the thought that you are not here for long. Do not despair, all the great people whom history remembers have gone through this test and, perhaps, thanks to them, they have achieved success. From the first minutes, as you put yourself to the cellmates, so they will treat you until the end of the term. And remember, any term has one thing, but a very good property, it becomes smaller every day, so they say: the sooner you sit down, the sooner you leave.

You will be kept in the temporary detention center for several days - until the stage in the pre-trial detention center (pre-trial detention center). The first fright has already passed, if not, pull yourself together. Don't try to be the first to make contact with the inmates, but don't push anyone away either - keep your distance. Listen more, look at them. With some of them, fate will bring you together for many years. Usually in the TDF, first-timers are kept separately from those who have already served time. But among them there will definitely be those who once “communicated” with former prisoners. So they teach the first lesson - how to behave in the "hut":

Lesson 1: Do not give you a reason to reprimand either people in uniform or people in robes.

Lesson 2: Don't refuse to do what everyone else is doing and don't do what no one is doing.

Lesson 3: Only fools are not afraid of anything, a normal person must be afraid.

But some fight him, others give up.

Fear only God.

If it has come to the stage of the pre-trial detention center, consider that you have already received a term. Again, don't be discouraged. Set yourself up for several months of being in a closed space in the company of a dozen, two thousand people like you, I repeat people like you. In correctional institutions of all types, everything is arranged according to the principle of a conveyor belt, some leave - others take their place, but so that a part of the prisoners remains, which passes on the new arrivals the rules of the internal order, the rules of the hostel, so that there are no deviations from the norm. Here you need to listen and remember everything and everything. Moreover, for the first three days you are considered a guest, you are looked after, they explain, show, help you. Then you get in line. And here everything will depend on how you learned the basics of prisoner life ...

Now some advice to the relatives and friends of the prisoner. Being in prison, a person undergoes a reassessment of values. The institution of the family again takes the first place: parents, brothers, sisters, wife, children. And only then does a person remember his friends, or rather drinking companions. A person understands how wrong he was in their choice. From the first days, try to do everything in order: firstly, he felt that he was not abandoned in trouble, that they think about him and do everything to help him. Secondly, hire a good, REPEAT GOOD LAWYER. HIS SERVICES ARE EXPENSIVE, BUT BARGAINING IS NOT APPROPRIATE HERE. THROUGH THE LAWYER YOU WILL BE CONSTANTLY IN THE KNOWN OF ALL THE CASES. THIRD, PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH FOOD AND HERE'S HOW.

Of course, they provide food in correctional facilities and no one dies of hunger here, but ... Transfers from home are not just something tasty. This is a constant reminder: we love you, we remember, we are waiting, and this is more important than cutlets and sausages. Speaking of sausage: she then needs to pamper her protégé regularly. At first, it is advisable to give him transmissions daily. To save time, hand over everything in its original packaging:

• black tea - this is for chifir (prisoner cognac) - 1 pack;
• refined sugar - 1 kg;
• sweets - 300 gr;
• gingerbread - 0.5 kg;
• dry milk - 0.5 kg;
• condensed milk - 1 can;
• stew - 1 can;
• fast food - a couple of packs;
• cigarettes - 2-3 packs.

If something is homemade, then in disposable dishes. Send him a spoon, a cup, a mug.

Personal hygiene products are a must, and not only in prison. Send him: a set of white bed linen, two towels, toothpaste, a brush, soap (household and toilet), a pair of disposable machines, a pair of family shorts, socks, T-shirts, a black shirt and trousers (now this color will be the most fashionable for his entire life). ), bath slates. If it's winter outside, make adjustments. Yes, a handkerchief, toilet paper, a pen, a notebook and newspapers are a must.

Please note that your ward is not alone in the cell and he will have to share with his cellmates, and they, in turn, will share with him. The more often you remember him, the better your attitude towards him will be. But do not overdo it so that it is not within your budget, otherwise he will feel guilty towards you. And then the cellmates will look askance at him out of envy.

With the permission of the investigator, visits are allowed in the pre-trial detention center, albeit short-term, but still. So take every opportunity to meet and talk. Now dates for a prisoner become a holiday that they look forward to, counting the days.

Let's go back to the camera. You have already begun to get used to it, the fear has passed, you have looked closely at people - people of different character, age, occupation before the arrest. The days flowed measuredly up and down and the day passed. There are 24 hours in a day: you sleep 8 of them, 2 hours are spent on checks, eating, etc. What to do with the remaining 14 hours? You can, of course, listen to the stories of cellmates about their adventures "escapes". But take care of your soul, body and mind.

According to my personal experience in the wild, very few people think about the soul, about the eternal, about God. Because there are too many temptations, everyone is running, there is no time to even think where? What for? In prison, you stop, look back and realize that you ran to the wrong place, with the wrong one, and most importantly in vain. But in your heart you want to be free again and you think that now, God forbid, everything will be different. As a rule, there are believers in the cell - Muslims, Christians. You see that true believers are better than us - they have different eyes, faces and thoughts and you involuntarily reach out with him and thank God ...

In the pre-trial detention center, the total area of ​​the cell is no more than 15-20 m2, of which no more than 5 are free for walking, and this is for 15-20 people. And if you sit for 2-3 months without moving your muscles will begin to atrophy, you will be lethargic, frail. Therefore, you need to do: push-ups from the floor, squat. Shkonki (beds) in the cell are arranged so that they can be practiced on the uneven bars. In a month you will feel how your muscles are filled with strength. Then regular classes will become a habit and again, thank God.

Yes, we almost forgot that the investigation into your case is still ongoing. An investigator should come to you for interrogation. Here there is a small nuance. If, to put it mildly, unlawful methods could be used against you in the investigator's office, you were frightened, confused. Now everything will be different. You came to your senses, considered your punishments. Build a line of defense so that the interrogation protocols are written the way it really was, or the way you want, and not the way the investigator wants it.

You have received an indictment. Read it carefully several times. Each accused is given the last word. You should think over this word in such a way that it would make a positive impression on the judges. Judges are people too. Under any article, the law provides for a lower and a higher limit of the term. For example, from 8 to 12 years in prison. Task number one is to get the minimum. You must solve this problem together with a lawyer. At the trial, you must play a role according to all the laws of Stanislavsky, so that he does not exclaim I DO NOT BELIEVE. Judges should feel compassion for you, not disgust, pity, not revenge.

When I heard my first sentence: 6 years in prison to be served in a strict regime colony. I thought that life was over. I just couldn't believe this was happening to me. But life goes on. Firstly, this is not a death sentence and not even a life sentence. I saw people who were given 25, 30 years in prison. I don't know what they were experiencing at that moment. One can only guess. But my 6 years seemed simply ridiculous to me. The guy was not yet 20 years old, he served in the army. Fight, shot and 21 years in prison. Imagine - in 6 months you will be 20 years old since you were born, and you are given 21 years in prison. Imagine his condition, the condition of his father, his mother, they have grown older, they have been waiting for their son to go home from prison for the third year now, the term is about to end. They pick up a bride for him one by one, prepare for the wedding. If you describe only this tragedy, you get a whole book. I will probably do so. And there are tens of thousands of such tragedies. You say: and the state of a mother who has lost her son, whom she will never, never marry, will not play with his children with her grandchildren? I'm not defending these people - I'm just saying that they are. They and I, including someone's son, brother, husband, father, friend, neighbor, colleague. I'm not asking you to help me sympathize. I'm just telling you I am, I'm alive, I'm a prisoner, I'm a man. Sorry for the lyrical digression. So there are no short deadlines, but even the longest deadline is getting shorter every day. And the day will come when your call will ring.

Within 10 days after receiving the verdict, you have the right to appeal it to higher authorities. And if you do not agree with the verdict, be sure to take this opportunity. All the time while the lawsuit is dragging on, you will spend in a pre-trial detention center

That's it. All points over I are placed, you are waiting for the stage to the zone. No need to fuss, terrorize the home, bring this, bring that. Go to the zone on, easy. The smaller the bag, the lighter the better. Here is an approximate minimum of things: a cup, a mug, a spoon, a toothbrush, a disposable machine, soap, a towel, bedding and underwear, black trousers, a shirt, sugar, black tea, cigarettes, matches. Everything else is superfluous. When you are brought to the zone, you will be in quarantine for the first 15-20 days. Visits are prohibited there, but transfers are allowed. They will explain everything to you, tell you, show you. Listen and remember to repeat will not depend on how you spend time in the zone.

Well, here is the zone. You will be assigned to some detachment, where you will spend the entire term, you don’t choose a barrack, they are all the same. You will be met, taken to the baroque, he will explain everything, show where you will sleep, who to contact if you have questions, and they will definitely appear. There are people in the aisle where you will sleep, they will help you at first - but ...

There is no need to rush to open your soul to anyone, be it your fellow countrymen, acquaintances and other well-wishers. First, take a closer look at what the zone breathes, figure out who is who, and with whom you are on your way. And there are many roads in the zone. And here you have only one attempt as a miner.

The contingent of the zone, and this is from 1 to 4 thousand people, is divided into suits and regions, And there are zones, black and red, The color of the zone indicates who commands the zone, the state represented by the administration or the criminal world represented by thieves in law or authorities of this world: depending on the color, certain rules of the hostel apply. I personally sat in the red zone and will talk about what I saw and experienced there. Although I heard stories of experienced convicts about cuttings in black zones and they are completely different. But as they become less and less, my advice may come in handy. For example, in the country where I was sitting, there is not a single black zone out of 11 operating zones of all containment regimes. So…

By "suits and areas" - what does it mean.

In any zone there is a position - looking after the zone. He is elected at the gangway of authoritative, so-called obshchakov, prisoners. The term of his stay in this “post” is determined by the term of his imprisonment, or at his request, or if he committed some act not worthy of his position, or if he does not cope with this “work”. All his orders - "runs" - are obligatory for all prisoners, otherwise, those who violate them are severely punished. Further, his associates, that is, those who are nearby. Then they go "at the saints", that is, those people who look after the holy places: ShIZO, quarantine, hospital. They make sure that there is no shortage of cigarettes, chifir, glucose, drugs, medicines and other trifles in these places, for this they are collecting deletions from the entire zone. They also have their own team of loyal boys.

Next comes the bartender. They keep "order" in the barracks. A lot depends on them, they are also chosen by men from their midst and his word is law. Practically, they keep order in the zone “if it weren’t for them, everyone would have cut each other within a week.” From 100 to 200 prisoners live in the barracks, in their mass from 20 to 35 years old, who have gone through and are going through such a “school” of life you will not envy. Murderers, robbers, raiders, robbery, racketeering, hooliganism, infliction of grievous bodily injuries with a fatal outcome, and so on and so forth. They must be kept in tight rein, which is what the baroque and his henchmen do, among which there are "bulls" and "torpedoes", as a frightening argument in the hands of the baroque. And here is my advice do not climb into this category of “suit” from where for good they don’t come out for the rest of your life, but do you need this?

The other suit is “non-travelers”, that is, those who go the other way, they include, “ballanders” - canteen workers “watchmen” - who stand with bandages on the doors “sneaks” - those who serve officers wash, clean, bring - give "SPPshniki" - a section for the promotion of crime prevention, a kind of voluntary squad - "goats".

Cultural traders, brigadiers, orderly clerks - this is also not your way. I was a "huckster" in the zone - earlier it was called a speculator, now a businessman, but in the zone "huckster". This word is pronounced with disdain, but without it, nowhere. There are zones without a “thief”, but there are no zones without a huckster. Each huckster has his own specialization. Some of them sell drugs, others sell food stuffs, the third one sells clothes, I traded phones, sim cards and everything related to mobile phones. I’ll tell you, I won’t envy your work, on the one hand, you are being hunted by the administration of the zone, even real money, on the other hand, each prisoner considers it his duty to deceive you. If I could return everything back now, then I wouldn’t do it and I advise you not to. But in the zone and in the criminal world as a whole, they are not laundered or washed.

I am a huckster and that says it all.

The third suit is separated. The most despicable - "roosters" most often become them even in "youngsters", where, as I heard, there is real lawlessness. The most brutal criminals, oddly enough, are children - teenagers under 16 years old. In a strict regime of lawlessness, no one will forcibly “lower” you only if you yourself do not want it and this is not welcome. Then there are those who sit for the rape of minors - this category is not particularly respected among prisoners and in the wild too. Next come the "rats" - those who steal from their own. In general, in the zone, no one has the right to take anything without “good”, even if this thing lies unattended, chop it up on your nose. Next come the “rinsed” - these are those who, knowing that they are separated, shake hands with them, drink or eat with them from the same cup, smoke one cigarette with him, etc. The next category is “balabols”, i.e., who promised do something and didn't. This is about serious things. For example, they did not repay the card debt on time. When not a very serious question, they write out to him that he is “not solid”, but they do not separate what does separated mean? They even have their own place in the toilet, this applies to them the words "your place is near the bucket." There are no comments here.

He is also a man in Africa. The whole zone rests on the man. In any zone there is an industrial zone, where there are various workshops. You can choose according to your liking and ability. Here you will have some pluses. At first, the time does not pass noticeably, and secondly, you will always be full, dressed, shod. No matter what salary, for which they buy goods in the store, or buy after the call. Welders, electricians, turners, construction workers, finishers, tailors are especially valued. If you do not know how, you have the opportunity to learn, especially for free. My advice is be a man.

Well, I have listed you the main categories into which the contingent of the zone is divided, the choice is yours. In general, I would formulate the golden rule of life in the colony as follows. Live in such a way that you don't interfere with others' lives, but don't let them interfere with your life either. Prison is the perfect place to take care of your body, soul and mind.

I have already mentioned sports. For example: you were given 6 years in prison. Half a year has already passed. You have already mastered, looked closely. In any zone there is a sports ground an hour in the morning an hour in the evening in 5-6 months you will not recognize yourself. As for the mind, in each zone there is a library, I don’t know about the others, but where I sat there was a good choice. Remember the book is the source of knowledge. As for me, I was engaged in the study of the Koran. Praise be to Allah, there were good teachers in the zone who were trained in the best madrasas in the world, were imams of large mosques and even cities. With this, I combined classes for the mind and soul.

To be continued.

The word often used in criminal circles is "huckster". In this article, we will analyze this word in detail, give several options for definitions and consider the scope of its use.

Etymology

Presumably, the word comes from the Turkic "profit" or the Kyrgyz baryš ( trip, hike). And also some believe that it is somehow connected with the Russian word "gift".

The concept of "huckster" appeared in the criminal environment during the Soviet Union. Then hucksters were called people who were condemned for speculation. And in Soviet times, a speculator was called an entrepreneur who bought things and sold them for his own profit. That is, this is a person who uses circumstances for his own selfish purposes.

Historically, a huckster is a status that cannot be proud of. The word is negative.

Lexical meaning

The explanatory dictionary of Efremova says that a huckster is someone who buys and resells things. The word is also used as a swear word. Such an appeal does not imply a respectful and good attitude towards the interlocutor.

The meaning of the word "huckster" in the dictionary of Dahl Vladimir Ivanovich is interpreted simply and briefly. The meaning itself does not differ from the one we outlined above. A huckster is a person who is engaged in speculation (the definition of a speculator was given at the beginning of the article). In the same dictionary are also synonyms for the word: dealer, shuttle, huckster.

Often a huckster does his business not alone, there is a whole network for reselling, transporting, buying goods. If the things that the huckster sells have the status of illegal, or simply there is a criminal liability for the sale of such things, then the huckster is covered, most likely, by the people who are at the head of the pyramid and ensure the safety and security of the goods, and he is just "bottom " in this thread.

The use of the word in a criminal environment

In thieves' jargon, a huckster is a buyer of stolen goods. As a rule, this is a dishonest and greedy person. Today, the word refers to drug dealers. Or, if we are talking about places of deprivation of liberty, this is a person, a cellmate, who sells tea and cigarettes among "his own".

About 650,000 Russians are serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty - according to this indicator, our country ranks second in the world after the United States. Despite this, the Russian penitentiary system remains rather closed: not much is known about the life of prisoners. RIA Novosti recorded a monologue of one of the prisoners - the author of the Podval Telegram channel, who wished to remain anonymous.

About the camp

I am still very young. An ordinary guy from a typical family, he studied engineering at a technical school, there was a year left. Almost as soon as the "opportunity" to go to prison on a strict regime appeared, I immediately "took advantage" of it. I am serving my sentence not far from Moscow. It doesn't matter what they call me - "prisoner", "convict", "prisoner". Nothing changes: as I sat, so I sit.

My story is one of indiscretion, even stupidity. She did not do without drugs. Almost half of the prisoners - with article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, manufacture, processing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues." - Approx. ed.). No wonder it is called "folk". Instead of treating drug addicts, they are imprisoned for many years.

Camps are divided into "red" and "black". In the "Reds" power is in the hands of the administration: telephones and "free" things are allowed only to "close ones". Senseless violence is practiced there: for example, a sewer hatch is welded to scrap to make a kind of shovel, and they are sent to "catch snowflakes".

In the "blacks", in addition to the administration, there are "thieves". You can find everything: phones, game consoles, laptops, alcohol and even drugs. Our camp was like this for about five years. Most of the zone did not visit the dining room: every day they grilled kebabs, went anywhere, in a word, "ford-walk". There was also a separate hut where they made moonshine.

But after the change of leadership, "tightening the screws" began. Among the employees, everyone who once even had a suspended criminal record was fired. The riot police began to arrive. CCTV cameras were installed everywhere. Hand luggage is banned - transparent bags are issued. For alcohol, you can get to the isolation ward for 150 days, and for drugs - for 300 with the possibility of extending the term. We stopped walking alone and without a "wash" (razor blades).

RIA Novosti / Alexander Kryazhev

About money and spending

Being in prison is not as cheap as it seems at first glance. First, the services of a lawyer: from 500 rubles to several million. Secondly, parcels and transfers: every two months - at least five thousand, excluding the cost of cigarettes. Thirdly, you need to pay for long dates. Fourth, spending on improving housing conditions.

Each prisoner has his own account in the accounting department, which "travels" along with the personal file. Pensions, salaries and transfers from friends and relatives come there, it is used for shopping at a local store and paying fines for violations. Restriction - nine and a half thousand rubles a month. Sometimes they pay for the services of a photographer to send pictures to their relatives: they usually shoot near the church, this is the most beautiful place in the camp.

In the barracks, there is constant spending on cleaning and tea, sweets and cigarettes for those sufferers who end up in quarantine, isolation or hospital. Therefore, it has its own "tax system": every month we donate money to a common bag, which is located in the "thieves" corner in each barracks. The amount is set individually in the first week. Usually it is a thousand rubles. About three thousand are taken from small drug dealers. Those who got caught for rape pay extra to not be touched.

There are also "voluntary-compulsory" fees: for the transport of prohibited items and for mobile communications from those who have a telephone - 500 rubles each.

Most of the transfers go through online wallets, which almost everyone has: a mobile number is enough. Cryptocurrency is not used - too complicated. Sometimes the sums are sent to prisons for especially dangerous criminals, for example, to the Vladimir Central.

The phone itself is a separate expense item. It gets in three ways: through employees, driving cars and "stuffing", therefore it costs twice as much as at large. The hunt for means of communication is always going on. For the phone, you can not only lose large sums from the Internet account linked to the number, but also end up in an isolation cell for 15 days and receive the status of a "malicious violator" - up to eight years of additional supervision.

About earnings

Honored by various craftsmen. Some prisoners need a rosary, backgammon, chess, paintings. Others - legal support in writing appeals and cassation complaints. The third is phone repair or charging. For all these services, prisoners are willing to pay each other. It is not customary to set fixed prices, and everyone thanks in their own way.

Some especially eloquent ones find “correspondence students” - girls who are ready to wait for them and transfer money to them. Keeping your attention when you're behind bars is a talent, so you can't say it's a mass phenomenon. There were also cases of marriages with new acquaintances in the zone. When two lonely hearts find each other, no fences can stop them.

A separate gold mine for the common fund is games. For each game they pay, regardless of winning or losing, about 15 rubles. Most often they play dice, cards and backgammon. Chess and backgammon are allowed, cards are not, but they are easy to hide. The lucky ones get on the unlucky ones with money, and their winnings can approach the six-figure sum.

I don't play myself: it's not mine. I earn in other ways: passive income from investments made is about ten thousand per month. Before the seizure of the phone, I tried to trade on Forex, but I did not have time to follow all the fundamental events and news and gave up. I can’t play on the exchange: either there is no necessary “free coin”, or the site slows down, or registration with a photo is needed.

Now I'm learning cryptocurrencies. I invest in interesting and long-term projects. I'm saving up for an airbag, which will do more good when I'm free. I don’t have income from blogging yet: readability is unstable.

RIA Novosti / Vitaly Ankov

In a penal colony in Primorsky Krai

About castes, time and escape

The only thing that is more or less preserved from prison stereotypes is caste. These are "thieves" (with privileges), "goats" (occupying administrative positions like a librarian and collaborating with the administration), "muzhiks" (ordinary prisoners), "wool" (service personnel) and "roosters" (lower caste).

Basically, they are all from dysfunctional families and godforsaken places where young people have nothing to do. In the absence of options to “break out into people,” they use alcohol and drugs, and this leads to sad consequences.

The main enemy in prison is time. His ideal "killer" is a phone with mobile Internet, a window to the big world. But after total checks, the phones were confiscated, and life in the barracks became monotonous.

About future

At the moment when they put handcuffs on my hands, it seemed that this was a misunderstanding, because this could not happen to me. All the plans for the future, which I was building a few minutes ago, have changed dramatically.

At first, I clung to the last threads: I expected that at the first trial they would be released on bail or house arrest. In the pre-trial detention center, I hoped that the judge's verdict would be in my favor, the maximum would be a suspended sentence. But, alas, there are practically no acquittals, and the article was heavy.

I got here through my own fault, for my stupidity. But once here, I found out what my real price is in the eyes of the environment without the "candy wrappers" in the form of a social position and a good job. I was left naked. Of all the relatives and friends, there are only a few people who are still worried about me and support me in every possible way. I don't know what I would do without them.

Most likely, I will not continue my studies. Firstly, with a criminal record they may not be taken back, and secondly, radio engineering is not mine. I want to work in information technology. If I can, I'll learn the basics right here in prison. Luckily, you still have access to the internet.