Orange is a common color used in jails and prisons to identify inmates who have committed certain types of crimes or violations. The use of colored uniforms serves an important purpose in correctional facilities – to quickly visually identify the status and threat level posed by incarcerated individuals. Understanding what orange means can provide critical context in these environments.
Orange Means the Inmate Committed a Crime in Jail/Prison
Many jails and prisons use orange jumpsuits specifically to designate inmates who have committed additional crimes or violations while incarcerated. This is in contrast to the standard beige, blue, or striped uniforms worn by general population inmates who have not misbehaved behind bars.
So if you see an inmate in orange, it means they have likely assaulted other inmates, been caught with contraband, disobeyed orders, or engaged in other prohibited activities since being jailed. Essentially, the orange color warns guards and other inmates that this person represents an elevated risk.
Some examples of infractions that can cause an incarcerated person to be put in orange include:
- Assaulting a corrections officer or fellow inmate
- Possession of drugs or weapons
- Leading or participating in riots
- Escape attempts
- Repeated disobedience or disrespect towards guards
Individuals who commit severe rule violations are often moved to solitary confinement. But those who commit less serious offenses while incarcerated may be punished by having to wear the brightly-colored orange uniform for a period of time – sometimes months or years if further issues persist.
Orange as a Safety Precaution
In addition to marking inmates who misbehave, orange jumpsuits serve an important safety purpose. Prisons can be volatile environments where violence or unrest can break out without warning. The distinctive orange coloration allows guards to quickly spot potential troublemakers in these situations.
If a fight breaks out or an area of the facility goes into lockdown, staff need to be able to immediately visually identify inmates who pose a heightened threat based on their conduct while incarcerated. This allows guards to respond appropriately to contain disruptive or assaultive individuals.
So orange uniforms are an important mechanism to maintain control and enforce order when tensions run high. Guards have the ability to pick out and isolate disciplined inmates wearing orange in the event of an incident.
Pre-Trial Inmates May Wear Orange
While most jails reserve orange for sentenced inmates who act up, some facilities also require pre-trial detainees to wear orange jumpsuits. So seeing orange does not necessarily mean the person has been convicted or gotten into trouble behind bars.
Jails that put all incoming inmates in orange typically do so because:
- They have limited clothing supplies and orange is the most available
- To deter smuggling of contraband during outside courtroom transfers
- To instantly identify the pre-trial population separate from sentenced offenders
However, putting pre-trial detainees in orange jumpsuits can negatively impact their case. Studies show that defendants dressed in orange before conviction are perceived as more dangerous and guilty-looking.
What Other Colors Mean
While orange is the most common color used to designate problematic inmates, some facilities may use other uniform colors to signify different classifications:
- Red – Highly dangerous or violent inmates. This signals maximum threat level.
- Yellow – Known gang affiliation. Used to separate rival gang members.
- Green – designated for inmates on work details who often are lower risk
- Blue – Indicates general population inmates who follow the rules and have privileges.
- Black and white stripes – Traditional uniform for sentenced inmates who have not caused trouble in jail/prison.
Certain shades like pink are also sometimes used for offenses like sexual assault or child crimes to shame the incarcerated person and make them easily identifiable to other inmates and guards.
Origin of Orange Prison Jumpsuits
While the color orange now universally symbolizes a problematic incarcerated individual, this developed relatively recently in the history of U.S. prisons.
In the early 20th century, inmate uniforms were predominantly black and white stripes or simply the clothes they were arrested in. The introduction of orange jumpsuits began in the 1950s with the Federal Bureau of Prisons using them for high visibility during outside work details.
The California Department of Corrections adopted orange jumpsuits in the late 1960s as their standard uniform to increase inmate visibility after several escape attempts. Orange was also selected to dehumanize and take away individuality of prisoners.
By the 1970s, nearly all correctional facilities had shifted to orange jumpsuits to help control inmates. The garish color made escape difficult and enabled quick identification by guards if prisoners became unruly.
Media portrayals such as the 1970s TV show “Kojak” and movies like “Halloween” and “The Longest Yard” further cemented orange as the color representing incarceration in the public imagination.
Why Orange is Effective
Research has shown that the color orange has psychological properties that make it effective for the prison environment. Studies find that people perceive orange as:
- Attention-grabbing – grabs focus in peripheral vision
- Uplifting – stimulates mental activity and socialization
- Annoying – causes irritation with prolonged exposure
- Loud – advances visibly towards the viewer
This combination allows orange to serve the purposes of inmate control in jails and prisons. The highly visible color identifies problems without being overly depressing but grows tiring with continuous wear. This discourages long-term misbehavior.
Additionally, orange differs enough from most human skin tones that the jumpsuits create a visual separation between guards and inmates. This further reinforces institutional authority and the lack of individuality among the incarcerated population.
Psychological Effects on Inmates
Despite the usefulness for prison staff, orange jumpsuits can have negative psychological effects on inmates forced to wear them for longer periods.
Studies show being isolated in solitary orange uniforms reduces social engagement, causes anxiety, and heightens aggression. Some critics argue it may actually provoke the types of behavioral problems it is meant to curb.
There are also concerns that orange jumpsuits attach social stigma and dehumanization in a way that makes reintegration after release more difficult. Some Systems have begun shifting away from orange uniforms for these reasons.
Orange in Pop Culture
Orange prison uniforms are widely recognized in movies, TV shows, and other media as representations of incarceration and criminality. The striking visual creates an instant association for audiences.
Some of the most memorable orange jumpsuit portrayals include:
- Alex DeLarge in “A Clockwork Orange” – Ultraviolent young gang leader undergoing aversion therapy in prison
- Tony Montana in “Scarface” – Cocaine kingpin busted after a raid on his mansion
- The inmates in “Orange is the New Black” – Group of women in a minimum-security federal prison
- Homer Simpson in “The Simpsons” – Wears orange jumpsuit after getting arrested for refusing to take a sobriety test
- Bruce Wayne in “Batman Begins” – Thrown in an Asian prison pit as part of his training to become Batman
- Clyde Shelton in “Law Abiding Citizen” – Seeks vengeance against the justice system from behind bars
The cultural familiarity of the orange jumpsuit across decades speaks to its power as visual shorthand. It immediately tells audiences someone is incarcerated without needing any other context.
Real-World Use of Orange
Beyond TV and movies, orange jumpsuits are universally recognized in the real world as attire signaling criminal incarceration. They are most often seen in the following circumstances:
- Prison transfers – Inmates wear orange during transportation between facilities or court.
- Recreation time – Some prisons require orange even during yard time or gym access.
- Solitary confinement – Isolated inmates often wear “pumpkin suits” with closed fronts and no undergarments.
- High profile cases – Orange jumpsuits used when transporting terrorists or famous prisoners.
The distinct look makes escape extremely difficult. It also publicly marks the wearer as someone who has been deemed criminal and dangerous by the justice system.
Notable Orange Jumpsuit Moments
Orange prison uniforms have created some iconic moments when worn by infamous inmates or political prisoners:
- Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber”, being led away in an orange jumpsuit after his arrest in 1996.
- Lee Harvey Oswald being shot while wearing orange during a prisoner transfer after assassinating JFK.
- Charles Manson in a notorious orange prison photo giving a deranged stare after the murder of Sharon Tate.
- Paris Hilton wearing an orange jumpsuit in jail after violating probation on a DUI charge.
- Music producer Phil Spector in an orange prison suit after being convicted of murdering an actress.
The unforgettable orange jumpsuit images match the level of notoriety for these infamous inmates. The colorful uniforms make them stand out in the collective public memory.
Recent Moves Away From Orange Jumpsuits
While still widely used in jails and prisons, there has been some recent movement away from orange jumpsuits by progressive facilities:
- LA County facilities switched inmates to blue or green scrubs to reduce stigma.
- The Oregon Department of Corrections allows inmates to wear blue jeans and shirts.
- Some European prisons have adopted casual street clothes to normalize environments.
- Advocates argue reducing harshness facilitates rehabilitation and reentry.
However, many argue orange jumpsuits are still optimal for order and control in dangerous, volatile correctional settings. The benefits for visibility and psychological impact make wholesale elimination unlikely in the near future.
Conclusion
The signature orange jumpsuit remains a ubiquitous symbol of incarceration in jails, prisons, and pop culture. While some facilities are updating inmate uniforms, orange continues serving important functions for visibility, control, and discipline.
The next time you see that striking orange color in the prison yard, know that it signifies an inmate who did something while behind bars to merit increased supervision. And when watching your favorite crime thriller, seeing the orange-clad character likely means their criminal behavior has caught up with them.
So while we may eventually see less of the iconic prison uniform in real life, it will remain recognizable for years to come as the color of incarceration across TV/film and in the public imagination.
