Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK und.) a hue-and-cry.

1904

Illus. Police News 31 Dec. 11/3: I didn’t ‘clear’ directly after the ‘screen’ (I did not leave directly after the hue-and-cry), and was near the Old Bailey when ‘the kid’ (Kirby), got his ‘time’.

2. (US prison) in pl., constr. with the, an isolation cell for psychotic prisoners with a mesh screen.

1930		C.R. Shaw Jack-Roller 104: For even a minor infraction of the rules, a prisoner would be sent to the ‘screens’ or ‘hole’.
1931–4		D. Clemmer Prison Community (1940) 335/1: screens, n. A solitary cell in prison which is enclosed by fine meshed wire netting which precludes the passing of any contraband article.

3. (US black) a television.

1972

D. Claerbaut Black Jargon in White America 78: screen n. a television set.