Objects Made by Prisoners In The U.S.
Objects Made By Prisoners in the U.S.
Read Introduction
The United States is home to the world’s largest prison population with nearly 2.5 million incarcerated people. Severe restrictions limit what inmates have access to. Yet it is human nature to invent as a form of perseverance. The objects in this collection were made by inmates in prisons across the United States to improve the quality of their daily life.
Electrical Water Heater
Made from a piece of appliance cord, pen clip, razor blade, rubber bands, and a plastic utensil. Soledad State Prison
Pens
A pen’s outer case is removed by prison officials so that inmates can’t melt down the plastic to make a weapon. This leaves just the inkwell, which is difficult to hold. These pens were wrapped with paper and string in order to make them easier to use.
Pelican Bay State Prison
Tattoo Pen
Made from a pen, a needle and melted plastic.
Soledad State Prison
Pair of Miniature Handmade Dice
Made from bread. The white coloring comes from natural molding, and the black dots are made with a felt tip pen. Since they are considered contraband, the dice are made small so that they are easier to conceal from prison guards.
Prison-Issued Fingertip Toothbrush
The fingertip toothbrush is distributed in prisons because of concern that inmates will fashion weapons out of hard handle toothbrushes.
Handmade Toothbrush
To make this contraband toothbrush, a commissary order form was rolled up and wrapped in plastic wrap, then tied to the brush head with white thread.
Weightlifting Glove
Hand-knit with the addition of materials from towels and denim.
Soledad State Prison
Religious Pendants
Handmade from string and occasionally plastic.
San Quentin State Prison
Escapulario
Pendant with names of inmate’s family members.
Soledad State Prison
Watch Band
Made from leather and beads.
San Quentin State Prison
Carved soap bar.
Postcard
All items on loan from the collections of Stefan Ruiz and Gordon Stevenson
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