# Why do prisoners "dress up" for court? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691 "2003-12-13T00:06:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/1 "2003-12-13T00:06:04Z")
Does it really make a difference (in sentencing) if a prisoner is dressed in a suit opposed to the issued jail jumpsuit? If I was sitting in the jury box… Seeing Scott Peterson in a suit would not sway me to feel sorry for him. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/2 "2003-12-13T00:20:17Z")
Because you can’t judge a book by its cover, but most people think they can. On the other hand, you can judge a poster by her posts. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/3 "2003-12-13T00:26:35Z")
It might not sway you, but having him in prison garb will most certainly hurt your opinion of him. If he looks like a prisoner, you’re more likely to think he deserved to be a prisoner. And a well-dressed man or woman always makes a better impression. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/4 "2003-12-13T00:27:44Z")
Because a prison jumpsuit gives the appearance that the defendant is guilty. That may unduly sway the jury. A suspect is presumed innocent until the prosecution proves otherwise. To give the appearance of guilt, no matter how obvious or subliminal, would be unfair. As to **Finagle’s** second part - I agree. StG ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Whistling\_Sweets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@Mr.Whistling\_Sweets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Whistling_Sweets)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/5 "2003-12-13T00:40:47Z")
I’m always surprized when they use the orange suit. BTW, I’m not convinced Scott Peterson is guilty. ---
**Author:** ![wakimika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@wakimika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakimika)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/6 "2003-12-13T01:45:23Z")
I went before a judge in Maine in the early 1980’s for traffic violations. I borrowed a nice suit, cut my hair and bought new shoes. The judge was blind. I’m not kidding. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/7 "2003-12-13T03:22:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wakimika \* > **The judge was blind. I’m not kidding.** “You can get anything you want at Alice’s Resaurant (excepting Alice)…” When I was a young punk kid I went to traffic court in upstate New York and was railroaded by a mean old judge with a hook for a hand – one of those kind that has pinchers. Now back to the OP… Don’t they often say to the witness: “Ms. Jones, is the man who attacked you in the courtroom right now? Can you point to him?” I think that it would be kind of silly asking a witness to identify the defendant if the defendant is in jail duds. ---
**Author:** ![sultana\_of\_slash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@sultana\_of\_slash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sultana_of_slash)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-prisoners-dress-up-for-court/218691/8 "2003-12-13T17:55:31Z")
I was coming out of a courtroom in Memphis one day when a prosecuting attorney grabs me by the forearm and goes, “Have you been in Courtroom 10!” “No, not my case, why?” The defendant had waited until the appropriate time to turn his head, so he could flash to the jury his brand new FUCK YOU carefully barbered into his haircut. I said, “Did he have ‘Convict Me’ on his forehead?” All on a continuum, I guess…