Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US prison) pertaining to prison; often the defining n. is only implied, e.g. put on state-o v., to put on prison clothing, where ‘clothing’ is implied; cit. 1960 De Roo refers to a prison vehicle.

[1909		‘The Lang. of Crooks’ in Wash. Post 20 June 4/2: [paraphrasing J. Sullivan] State is the tobacco furnished to prisoners by the state].
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 209/1: State-o. (P) Variant of State [i.e. ‘Supplied (to convicts) by the state, as cheap tobacco, soap, towels, clothing, etc.’].
1958		Life 28 Apr. 69: It griped me to have to put on ‘state-o’ or official clothes [W&F].
1960		E. De Roo Big Rumble 97: The State-O comes in for service every week like a clock. They fill the rear hubcap with tidbits and sticks of tea for Big Tony. That’s how he gets orders out.
1960		I. Freeman Out of the Burning (1961) 199: I had served as long as the average state-o bum and made an adjustment better than almost any.

(US prison/Und.) a state prison.

1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1994		Boston Globe (MA) 7 June 19/4: Gerry Indelicato, the thief/forger/liar who was elevated to [...] the presidency of Bridgwater State College (Prison).

(US Und.) a prisoner who is seen as overly friendly with the authorities.

1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 92: Juleson was a notorious state man. He had a yellow pencil behind his ear, and a bunch of keys hooked to his belt.
1992		Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 34: Auxiliary Cop also State Con An inmate who conducts himself in such a manner to appear more like an employee of the prison than a prisoner. These inmates may hold jobs of minor authority over other prisoners, be in charge of certain supplies or fraternize with guards.

a former prisoner.

(US) a prison sentence.

1992

B. Gifford Night People 67: Lots of boys been on low-payin’ state holidays find it [i.e. sodomy] suits ’em.

(US Und.) a public lavatory.

1909		L.W. Payne Jr ‘Word-List From East Alabama’ in DN III:v 375: state-house, n. Privy, water-closet.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

(US) used of one who has been brought up in institutions.

1976		M. Braly False Starts 3: I was not entirely state-raised, the term we use to characterize those held in institutions (orphanages, foster homes, reform schools) from their earliest years.
1992		Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 29: State Raised Originally, an inmate who had been in and out of prison all his life, serving the majority of his teen years and young adulthood in institutions. The definition has since expanded to include any inmate who relies solely on the prison for existence. [...] An inmate who never misses a prison meal or is always wearing new state-issue prison clothing is referred to as state raised in jest by his friends. (Archaic: found a home).
1995		Coolio ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ 🎵 I can’t live a normal life, / I was raised by the state So I gotta be down with the ’hood team.
2001		(con. 1975–6) E. Little Steel Toes 19: You know I’m state-raised [...] when the fuck am I supposed to of had any pussy.
2018		W. Kramer Hard Stuff 198: [Y]oung men who were state-raised, and who viewed time on the streets as a temporary interlude.

(US und.) to turn state’s evidence, to inform against one’s crime partners.

2016

Jeezy ‘U Kno It’ 🎵 Main man turned state, bitch I knew it.