Imprisonment is a serious test for any person who is not accustomed to a confined space and a rather specific society. It is especially cruel for first-time prisoners, that is, people serving prison sentences for the first time.
Temporary detention center, pre-trial detention center, court hearing, sentence, transfer, quarantine, settlement in the zone - at each of these stages, mistakes are possible, leading to truly catastrophic consequences. Having made one wrong action, even out of ignorance, you can end up in the caste of untouchables (“offended”), from where there is no way to join the ranks of “men”, and especially “thieves”.
About thieves in law
A thief in law is a person who is the unspoken leader of the criminal world. The concept of “thief in law” is typical only for the countries of the former USSR, especially Russia and Georgia. The title of “thief” arose back in the 1930s in the USSR, but even now, many decades later, it continues to exist.
The concept of a thief in law is inextricably linked with the underworld. A thief should be respected by lesser criminals and criminals. His authority is unshakable. They turn to him when resolving disputes and disagreements. He decides the destinies of people and is the ideological inspirer of the criminal world. In the vertical of criminal power, the thief in law occupies the highest place.
Content
In general, there are two approaches to defining the concept of “thief in law”. Some researchers of the criminal world believe that a “thief in law” is, first of all, a certain person with great authority who rules in the criminal world. This approach is known mainly “among the people”, that is, most often the average person imagines thieves in law in this way.
Another approach is that the concept of “thief in law” is considered in the context of an organized criminal community, which is partially subordinate to a thief leader. This point of view is considered by professionals from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the state, as well as experienced researchers of the criminal world. Thus, recently in 2022, Article 210 “Organization of a criminal community (criminal organization) or participation in it (it)” was introduced into the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This article precisely allows the state to fight against criminal authorities who, in fact, do not commit crimes themselves, but only lead them. Previously, another person could take the blame of the authority, but with the introduction of Article 210 into the Criminal Code, this became more difficult to do.
Both approaches have a right to life, but still the second one is more accurate. This conclusion can be made based on the fact that there are many “thieves”, and although they differ in the level of authority, it is difficult to single out an undisputed leader among them.
General rules of behavior for newcomers in prison
It is better to devote the first few days to studying the prison rules and not communicating with anyone unless absolutely necessary. The exception is the actual observer, to whom questions can and should be asked. This is regarded positively: a person wants to live calmly, in compliance with unwritten rules.
First of all, you need to remember the main postulates:
- Do not communicate with the person until you find out his status.
It is not particularly customary to shake hands in prisons, especially with strangers. What if it turns out that this person is offended? In principle, it is not customary to communicate with them: you cannot touch, sit at the same table, or use common objects. You can give something to the offended person out of mercy or in exchange for a favor, but you can no longer touch this thing. People of this “suit” are obliged to report their status themselves, so that a stranger does not inadvertently mistake them for thieves or peasants.
- Don't trust anyone.
It happens that other prisoners themselves get into their souls in order to have fun and lead the first mover to some kind of “jamb.” This is a sign of bad taste; there is no need to be frank. You can even inform the observer about this, because the intrusive interlocutor may turn out to be a “mother hen,” that is, a secret informant for law enforcement agencies or prison administration.
- Don't take someone else's.
Taking something that belongs to someone else without permission is strictly prohibited - this is theft from one’s own people, that is, ratting. Remember: there is nothing “nobody’s” in prison! If you need something (cigarettes, tea), ask the supervisor to allocate a little from the common fund (common property). But it will have to be returned at least in the same amount!
- Talk less about sex.
One mention of oral sex can turn an honest man into an offended one. Therefore, it is generally better not to talk about your own sexual preferences and experience.
- Don't isolate yourself.
This is the opposite side of the coin: if you don't answer questions and communicate with basically no one, it can be seen as arrogance. And in general, withdrawing into oneself, and even in such conditions, is detrimental to the psyche.
- Don't gamble.
Even if you were known as a poker master in the wild, under no circumstances sit down to play with the inmates for fun. It’s not a fact that they will play with you fairly, and card losses are not forgiven. If you cannot repay the debt or fulfill the wish of the winner, you will automatically become offended. It’s easy to refuse – a simple “I don’t want” is enough.
- Share.
Today you received a package, and soon it will be gone. Contribute something to the common fund, share it with others - humanity is valued everywhere, especially where it is in short supply. Tomorrow they will help you.
- Know how to defend your own position.
Be polite, but not submissive. Try not to enter into conflicts, much less initiate them. Everyone wants to live in peace, with a minimum of problems. However, if they specifically “attack” you, demand that you do some work (for example, cleaning a cell out of turn), or extort money, cigarettes or food, you need to fight back. If you are right, the rest of the convicts will stand up for you, you can call the observer as an arbitrator.
- Accept gifts carefully.
You should not accept gifts from other housemates until you are sure that this is being done for friendly reasons (and this is definitely impossible to figure out in the first days). Otherwise, in return they will demand some kind of service from you (clean the camera, wash the dishes, wash the clothes instead of the “giver”), and before you know it, you will turn into a “six” (a low-respected errand servant).
Story
The origins of the phenomenon are usually found in pre-revolutionary Russia. Even at the beginning of the 18th century, organized criminal groups with their own rules and guidelines appeared in the Russian Empire. In addition, unspoken leaders-thieves appeared there (a striking example is Vanka-Cain).
In the modern understanding, thieves in law appeared in the 1930s in the USSR. At that time, there were massive repressions and exile of criminals to labor camps. The modern “world of thieves” was born in them - a culture with its own society and strict hierarchy, language (slang) and unspoken set of rules.
The world of thieves is a collective concept. The essence of the phenomenon is that some of the prisoners in the camps did not want to obey the guards and the laws of the USSR, and rejected social norms and moral principles. They were replaced by an unspoken set of “thieves’ concepts”, according to which the prisoners lived. Around these concepts a world of thieves and thieves in law emerged.
Key positions of thieves' concepts include: rejection of social principles, rejection of cooperation with the authorities and the police in any form, abandonment of family, lack of political views. In addition, according to thieves' concepts, every thief must keep his word and fulfill his promises.
Modernity
Thieves in law continue to exist today. They hold their events (so-called “gatherings”) under the guise of “weddings,” “funerals,” and other events. In exceptional cases, they can gather in the forest, at a safe house and in other places.
In the 1990s, there were an order of magnitude more thieves in law than now - more than 1,000 people, while in 2022 there were just over 400. The least number of them was in the period from 2003 to 2010, since then there were massive " purges” by law enforcement agencies, as well as many died at the hands of competitors.
Over the past two decades, the world of thieves has changed somewhat. Among the thieves there are also people who have never served a prison sentence. If previously the key factor in the coronation of a thief was his authority and actions (including the number of “walkers”), now money decides a lot.
Thieves in law mainly live in the CIS - Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine. In some cases, they live abroad, most often in Madrid, Berlin, and New York. It is worth noting that foreign thieves in law organize criminal groups abroad (Russian mafia), which most often maintain contact with Russian thieves and criminals.
Coronation procedure
A thief must undergo a formal coronation procedure. It takes place at a meeting of thieves, and they try to find out as much information as possible about the candidate - through word of mouth (even in prisons), active thieves are notified that so-and-so wants to become a thief. If none of the thieves are against it (a good reason is the flaws that were noticed in the candidate), then a meeting is held, at which there must be two guarantors. They propose a candidate to the most experienced thief. The latter “crowns” the thief at a general meeting.
Security officers
Security officers, for example, of supermarkets are not very respected either. At the same time, they don’t seem to be cops, so they are not sent to the “red” zones. But if a security guard catches a shoplifter, he calls the police, which means he is collaborating with the Reds.
The situation is different with bodyguards. Unless they are former law enforcement officers, place in the prison hierarchy is determined solely by behavior and personal qualities.
Recently there has been liberalization in this regard. Naturally, the supermarket security guard has no way into the thieves' elite, but if he behaves correctly, he has every chance of serving his time as a normal man. As a rule, he is not charged for working outside.
Tattoos
During coronation, the candidate’s body must be examined for tattoos. In the criminal world, a tattoo can say a lot about a person, including his merits or shortcomings before the “brothers”. The most famous tattoos of thieves in law are rings on their hands, an image of a crown, stars on the shoulders and knees, crosses and shoulder straps.
Professions for which they can be charged in the zone
When entering a pre-trial detention center or zone, a person, especially an unprepared one, has to undergo a series of tests and pass a severe exam from experienced inmates.
Some professions are considered respected or neutral, while others are immediately capable of relegating a newcomer to the foot of the prison hierarchy.
How they live
According to the concepts of thieves, they are obliged to live modestly and give up luxury, their own real estate, and so on. After the status of a thief has become possible to buy for money, this rule is broken. "Authorities" drive expensive cars, buy large cottages and live in luxury. In addition, they are now interfering in politics and business.
Crime bosses
Every thief is an authority, but not every authority is a thief. The line between the concepts is difficult to discern, but it exists.
Deputies and government officials
Once upon a time, before the collapse of the USSR, the right thieves hated everything connected with the Soviet regime. They denied everything red, and the words “Komsomol member” and “communist” were curse words.
Particularly strict rules reigned in the “youngsters,” that is, in colonies for minors. The right guy shouldn't have smoked Prima (she's wearing a red pack), and if a mother came to see her son in a red sweater, he should have refused the date indignantly.
The USSR and its paraphernalia have long since sunk into oblivion, but hatred of all people who in one way or another personify the regime remains. The parliament or any civil service automatically closes the door to the thieves' elite in front of the inmate.
So if a lawyer has never worked in law enforcement (then he sits in the “red” zone) and helps convicts in drawing up all kinds of petitions and other legal issues, he is guaranteed not to be touched. Moreover: they will “warm” him with cigarettes, tea, food and in every possible way protect him from showdowns. For example, lawyer Dmitry Yakubovsky sat with honor and comfort.
How “authorities” are broken
Back in the USSR, closed prisons were built (White Swan, Black Dolphin, etc.), in which guards “extracted” testimony from prisoners. There was almost no monitoring of the activities of law enforcement officers, and terrible rumors circulate about such places of deprivation of liberty: torture, cruel conditions of detention in solitary confinement, etc. Usually, thieves in law were “broken” in order to lower their authority before the lads. This is happening now - in a pre-trial detention center, a thief in law can be given a torture chamber only because he is a thief in law and he must endure all the bullying of the administration. It is extremely rare, but it happens that a criminal authority is deliberately raped in the anus and deliberately disseminates this information among prisoners. Such a person can no longer be an authority “in terms of concepts.”
