From binge‑watching shows like Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black to watching gritty prison documentaries, you’ve probably formed a mental picture of what inmates can snag behind bars. Yet the reality is far wilder than the typical shower‑shoes‑and‑candy‑bars scenario. Below, we explore the 10 strangest things you can find inside prison, ranging from culinary curiosities to improvised weaponry – and yes, the focus keyword is right here, because we love a good surprise.
10 Strangest Things Inside Prison Walls
10 Baby Clams and Oysters
Believe it or not, some federal facilities actually stock smoked oysters and baby clams on their commissary shelves. These maritime treats are served either as a sophisticated tapas‑style bite or even raw, mirroring culinary trends from around the globe. While oysters are typically reserved for upscale restaurants, here they sit beside canned sardines and salmon, making them a surprisingly upscale indulgence for inmates.
Picture a group of prisoners swapping baby clams for popcorn during a movie night – the aroma alone would raise eyebrows. The notion of oysters lingering in a cell sounds both luxurious and a little off‑putting; the scent could easily become a point of contention among cellmates. Still, the availability of such seafood, even extending to octopus in some locations, suggests that prison fare can sometimes outshine the standard, bland menu.
9 Knitting Needles
It may sound absurd, but several correctional institutions have embraced a program called “Knitting Behind Bars.” Spearheaded by Lynn Zwerling and a dedicated crew of volunteers, this initiative took half a decade to launch and now thrives, offering inmates a calming, creative outlet.
Knitting sessions run for two hours each week, providing participants with a chance to practice etiquette, exchange ideas, and bond with both fellow inmates and the women teaching them. The rules are strict: no cursing, no name‑calling, and a level of decorum that sometimes even leads inmates to skip dinner just to attend. The program’s success highlights how a simple craft can foster rehabilitation and a sense of community.
8 Waist Trimmers
At a particular federal prison, waist trimmers and tummy belts are sold for roughly $10 each. These compression garments promise a slimmer silhouette by squeezing the midsection, though health experts caution that they don’t truly promote weight loss. They’re listed under “recreational items” alongside weight‑lifting gloves and wrist bands, indicating a modest fitness market within the facility.
Given the access to seafood delicacies like baby clams, it’s understandable why some inmates might also seek a way to stay trim. While the trimmers won’t replace a balanced diet, they at least offer a visual boost, and, unlike the non‑existent Spanx offerings, they’re actually available for purchase.
7 Mustache Scissors
In a Georgia jail, prisoners can buy a pair of mustache scissors or a beard trimmer for about $8. Though they may appear as a luxury given the meager wages—ranging from $0.12 to $0.40 per hour—the tools are essential for maintaining personal grooming standards mandated by prison regulations.
Maintaining a neat beard or mustache isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a rule compliance issue that can prevent violations and avoid conflict with fellow inmates. While the scissors seem modest, they echo the hipster‑culture obsession with grooming accessories, raising questions about safety and the potential for such tools to be misused.
6 Prison Gift Shop
Yes, some prisons operate full‑blown gift shops that cater to tourists and inmates alike. The merchandise mirrors typical souvenir fare: hoodies, keychains, and coffee mugs emblazoned with prison branding. These shops often sit adjacent to facilities notorious for violence, solitary confinement, and other harsh conditions.
For example, Huntsville, Texas, offers shot glasses and tees proudly declaring “Property of Texas Prison System,” while Angola in Louisiana runs a publicly accessible golf course where visitors can purchase golf balls and even “dog collars” that reference the prison’s isolation reputation. The juxtaposition of tourism and incarceration is both bizarre and telling.
5 A Spork (Spoon‑Fork)
Commissaries frequently stock the humble spork, a hybrid utensil that provides a dash of joy amid the monotony of prison meals. While it may seem trivial, the spork’s design offers both a spoon and a fork in one, giving inmates a modest culinary convenience.
Modern facilities are moving away from plastic utensils toward eco‑friendly options like the “Ecotensil,” a sturdy cardboard hybrid that can cut through foods such as tamales or eggs but is virtually impossible to weaponize. Its perforated edges allow it to break down safely if swallowed or flushed, addressing security concerns while still providing a functional tool.
4 Nunchucks
Although you won’t find nunchucks on any official commissary list, one inmate managed to fabricate his own. During a routine workshop, Lorenzo Pollard crafted a pair of makeshift karate sticks from chair legs and linen, turning a simple craft into a daring escape tool.
Pollard’s improvised weapons enabled him to fend off armed guards, shatter a glass window, and leap over multiple wire fences, earning him the nickname “Bruce Lee.” His audacious breakout underscores the lengths some will go when ingenuity meets desperation.
3 Hippy Crack
In 2017, three UK prisoners were caught inhaling nitrous oxide—popularly dubbed “laughing gas” or “hippy crack”—from balloons they filled with canisters. The video footage shows them drifting through various stages of euphoria, with one inmate even losing consciousness.
While nitrous oxide can induce a pleasant high, it also carries serious risks: hallucinations, oxygen deprivation, and potentially lethal outcomes when misused in high doses. The incident highlights how even seemingly harmless substances can become dangerous contraband.
2 Prison Wine (Hooch)
Alcohol has persisted through countless bans and restrictions, and nowhere is its resilience more evident than in prisons, where inmates concoct their own brew—commonly called “pruno” or prison wine. Made from fruit, tea, sugar, and occasionally moldy bread, this illicit liquor has a storied history dating back to the earliest days of incarceration.
Despite its health hazards, prison wine remains a staple of inmate culture, with wardens often acknowledging its presence as an unavoidable facet of prison life. The ingenuity behind pruno showcases the human drive to create comfort even in the most restrictive environments.
1 Bombs
Fine powders, such as powdered coffee creamer, can become explosive under the right conditions—a principle similar to grain silo dust explosions. In the UK, a group of inmates attempted to fashion a bomb using powdered creamer, igniting it during a “teatime experiment” that ultimately failed to fully detonate.
The incident exposed the potential danger of seemingly innocuous items turning into weapons. Though the makeshift device only produced a minor burst, it underscored the need for vigilance regarding contraband that could be weaponized, even when it appears harmless.