On The Lighter Side

At the correctional facility where I work, they call the inmates "fish" when they are being transferred to another facility or maybe going to court for their trials. I guess it comes from being linked up together with the handcuffs they use in a row, like a "fish line". Before they can walk the inmates anywhere in the corridor, the deputies have to make sure that all the hallways are clear.

One morning, typical court day [on a weekday], this was heard on the radio:

Custody: "South and North Control, "fishes" walking from unit 1 to Intake." [meaning inmates are coming from unit 1 to walk toward the holding area before they get loaded to the designated buses that will take them to court].

South Control: "Clear"

North Control: "Clear"

Overheard from one of the nurses working that same shift inside the medical clinic: "I thought the "fishes" are supposed to swim, not walk... :)