Hannah Riley
Prisoners have a lot of time on their hands. You’re supposed to use it to reflect on whatever crime got you there in the first place, but that probably gets really boring after the first half-hour or so. Why not make something cool instead?
People who have never been to jail don’t know a lot about what it’s really like behind bars. Reddit group r/PrisonWallet allows people to see a little of what it’s like through users sharing interesting things inmates made with limited materials they have and a lot of creativity.
You might notice we didn’t include any handmade shanks or license plates. That’s because it bums people out! Enjoy!
1. “These Are The Best Chess Figures I Ha”
2. “Carved By A Death Row Inmate Using Only A Spoon”
3. “DIY Dumbbell Made Of Old Battery’s Crafted In Jail”
4. ““Lady”, An Electric Guitar Built Illegally By An Inmate In A Pennsylvania State Prison”
5. “The Convict Cookbook, Made By Convicts At Washington State Penitentiary For Charity”
6. “Two Picture Frames Made Out Of Chip Bags An Inmate Had Given My Mom Whilst Working The Jail As A Nurse”
7. “Trained Cockroach Smuggles Cigarette Into Prison Cells, June 1938”
8. “Prisoners From Indiana Were Given Cats To Look After As Part Of A Rehabilitation Scheme. Here Is One Prisoner With A Hat He Knitted For His Cat!”
9. “The Last Supper” As Carved By An Inmate On A Jailhouse Door”
10. “Found This In A Small Town Museum Today. Made By A Prisoner In Angola Prison Out Of Match Sticks And Pebbles From Prison Grounds”
11. “Asked An Inmate To Draw His Interpretation Of The Prison System. They Are Only Allowed A Blue Pen. Color Was Done By Melting Skittles And M&ms”
12. “Prison Issued Bleach Soap Carved With A Plastic Spoon And Empty Bic Pen”
13. “Anytime You Feel Life Isn’t Nice, Remember This Brazilian Prisoner Who Dug An Escape Tunnel For 5 Years To Burst Out In A Guard Room…”
14. “A Way Prisoners Make Rose’s For Their Loved Ones Made Of Jolly Ranchers”
15. “Made Out Of Rolled Paper, Cardboard, Craft Paint, Bed Sheets, And Floor Wax (Clear Coat)”
16. “The Face Of A Guard Made With Soap By A Prisioner In Brazil. All Made With Soap Even The Eyes”
17. “Asian Prison Art Made By Liv Bao Jin, A Chinese Refugee, Made And Sold To Pay Legal Bills, 1993”
18. “Prison Lamp Made From Popsicle Sticks”
19. “Pokemon Cards Made While In Prison”
20. “The Paper Mache Heads Made By Frank Morris, John Anglin And Clarence Anglin When They Escaped Alcatraz Prison”
21. “Toilet Paper Dice”
22. “Pen Art On Prison Linen”
23. “Model Of Hms St George Made By POWs Of The Seven Years War”
24. “Hand Painted Playing Cards Made By French War Prisoners, Hampshire 1796”
25. “Table Made From Ramen Noodles And Masking Tape”
26. “Flashlight Made By Prisoner For Reading At Night”
27. “Hand Crafted Mah-Jong Set By A Japanese Prisoner Of War, WW”
28. “Prison Chess Set Made In The 1950s – Made Out Of Toilet Paper, Dried Bread & Shoe Paste”
29. “Prison Made Harley Motorcycle Sculpture”
30. “Toy Dachshund Made By A Prisoner Of War In Bristol, Gifted To A Family Near The Prison, Ww2”
