jailhouse snitch
Incarcerated police collaborator
A jailhouse snitch is an incarcerated person who informs on fellow inmates to authorities, typically in exchange for reduced sentences, better treatment, or other benefits.
The term carries strong contempt—snitches violate the unwritten code among prisoners and face serious consequences if discovered.
In legal contexts, jailhouse snitch testimony is notoriously unreliable, as informants have powerful incentives to fabricate or embellish: The conviction was overturned after the jailhouse snitch recanted.
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- ratRodent or informer
- rat outInform against an accomplice
- stoolieInformal police informant
- squealerOne who betrays secrets
fink · tipster · cellmate · testimony · deal · cut a deal · plea bargain · cooperator · witness · witness protection · protective custody · betrayal · warden · guards · confession · prosecutor · protection · solitary