They will lace up and remove clothing. The shirts come off to avoid the hockey fight scenario, shirt pulled over head and upper arms rendering them somewhat defenseless. When the area you are working becomes eerily quiet and that spidey sense starts tingling…. it’s time to get ready for trouble.

Now, if an inmate is wanting to fight you then he may just “steal on you” or sucker punch you. Some will just posture and puff themselves up like peacocks letting everyone in the block know how bad they are. Others will not give you verbal cues and will let you know thru body language.

Well the first thing I notice is literally like Mick said you will feel a change in the area. The other inmates will feel it too. The biggest sign is the reactions of other inmates whether it eggs the inmate on or the other inmates are picking up on the same thing they all tend to converge to an area, look towards it, or there is a steady silence leading up to a fight of any kind. When looking at the inmate I have seen the fist clinch and relaxing. I also regularly have seen them clinch their jaw muscles. They tend to directly face or square up before hand while watching their target/opponent. Then there is the look in the eyes that locked on look of an animal hunting prey. The physical preparation I have seen is they will throw off clothing (not sure why). Putting on boots or lacing shoes or boots up. Wearing workout gloves in the lock. I have seen guys place petroleum jelly on their face when asked the guys usually say it makes it so they don’t get cut when they get hit because the punches slide off their faces. Carrying a weapon is a good indicator. A group of guys watching me as a look out is a dead giveaway that something is going on be it a fight or what not. I notice people get needy before fights. If a lazy good for nothing is asking you to get him a mop or wants to help you or need supplies that’s a good time to go do a round. Most of the time when you get back the good for nothing gave up and is lying on his rack again. Really it is just spotting or feeling something out of the norm. Once you understand that you will too have the C.O. sense and can shoot handcuffs out of your wrist…. Wait what.

Much of it will come with experience. You will sense a tension in the air. It’s hard to explain. It’s a combination of many small things. Watch how the inmates are acting around one or more particular inmate, listen to inmate chatter,If you watch the senior Officers you would think that they are relaxed but you can be sure like a spider on a web they “Feel” the smallest change in the atmosphere around them.

I’m new to this forum, and I’m loving the topics that I’m finding, and all the information that I’m getting for questions I’ve been wondering; however, there’s one that I couldn’t find, even on other forums. I’ve been working at the county jail for about a month and a half now (absolutely loving the experience, law enforcement has been my dream since I was a young child), and I was wondering what you guys look for as signs that an inmate is about to, or is looking to fight?
My sergeant told me a few tips, such as removing extra clothes, or using an inmate-crafted rope to tie their shoes on (all inmates here basically wear flip flops, unless they are workers). Other officers have told me to also watch their hands, such as if they keep clenching and unclenching their fists. Any other tips and signs are greatly appreciated!