A toothbrush is something you probably don’t think about. Maybe just when you’re half-asleep in the morning. Inside prisons, though, that simple stick of plastic & bristles is a real pain for the staff. They’re also way more valuable than you might realize for the prisoners.
Beyond brushing teeth, it’s the safety & rules, as well as the creativity from people stuck behind bars, that really matter. Here’s how it all plays out.
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Key takeaways
- Learn the dangers of toothbrushes in prisons & how inmates turn them into weapons
- Read about the strict toothbrush-related rules that prisons have for inmates
- Discover how inmates break these rules
Toothbrushes and their hidden risks
You might be wondering what the big deal could be with a toothbrush. Well, it turns out the handle is the major problem, as inmates have shaved them down & snapped them off to turn them into weapons. It sounds surprising, but jagged plastic is enough to cause some serious damage.
In 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons banned wooden-handled brushes for a similar reason, as prisoners could carve the splinters into weapons. Instead, they went with rounded, all-plastic versions. While it might sound silly, these changes came after real injuries from fights inside cells.
National surveys & Justice Department reports also describe inmates turning locks, batteries, razors, and even hardened paper into weapons. California’s Department of Corrections has carried out sweeps. In a single operation, they found hundreds of improvised weapons. Toothbrushes were often among them.
Specific documented incidents
Unfortunately, the dangers of these toothbrushes aren’t mere theory, as there have been plenty of reports.
In 2014, a Philadelphia inmate attacked a guard using a carved toothbrush handle, leading to the prison banning any toothbrushes that weren’t molded in one solid piece.
A few years earlier, an inmate in California did something similar to a correctional officer, slashing his neck with a homemade weapon. It’s clearly a big problem.
Rules and regulations in practice
Sure, every prison has slightly different rules, yet there are a few similarities between a number of them. These include:
- Material bans
- Rounded shapes
- Time limits
- Regular checks
In terms of material bans, wood & metal are completely forbidden in some prisons, with only soft plastic handles being allowed. The rounded shape rules mean no sharp corners are allowed. A lot of brushes look a lot like kids’ toothbrushes.
There are also time limits, as most prisons swap them out every 30 days. This stops prisoners from being able to wear them down enough to sharpen. Finally, the regular checks allow for guards to use search kits & throw out anything that looks like prisoners have tampered with them. They have to make sure the bristles stay where they belong.
What inmates do when items are restricted
Of course, rules don’t stop people from experimenting, and inmates mostly get inventive. This includes filing handles against the floor or walls until they’ve got a point. Other prisoners have tried hardened bristles by soaking them in alcohol-based liquid, then twisting them off. They can use these like a pick.
That’s not all. Some inmates have tried sliding bits of wire inside hollow handles & turning them into tiny tools. They’ve used this to attack other prisoners or guards.
They don’t just stop at toothbrushes, either. In one case, a prisoner named Antonio Lara covered some dental floss with toothpaste to make a crude hacksaw. Then, he used this to cut through the metal bars of his cell & kill a prison rival who was showering.
Essentially, as long as there’s a way to turn something into a weapon, someone in prison has probably tried it.
Official responses to evolving tactics
Prisons have tried new tricks, too, to keep up with the inmates. Some prisons have switched to single-piece toothbrushes, as these are molded so there’s nothing to break apart. They’ve also tried forcing more frequent swaps, even two weeks in some areas. This way, the toothbrush never gets old enough to carve down.
As well as these methods, a few prisons have begun testing “straw-style” brushes made from softer material. They fall apart if you try to sharpen them. These bristles also char when you heat them, so you also can’t glue anything like razor blades on them to use as a weapon.
Speaking of razor blades, many prison ones are sliced with multiple cut points. This means you can only peel them off in tiny flakes, rather than a whole, usable blade. Along with these, prisons have also redesigned whole product lines like metal-free cleaning tools & shank-free scrubbers. Every part is bonded together.
All of this is an attempt to make everyday hygiene a little less dangerous behind bars. Who would’ve thought it could be so deadly?
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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