Why is Burnham in a different prison uniform?

The other prisoners being transported are all in gray jumpsuits at the beginning of the third episode. Burnham is in mustard yellow. I suppose it’s done for aesthetic reasons, to make her stand out on screen, but I wonder what the story behind it is. Was she in a different prison that wears yellow? Do more dangerous prisoners wear yellow?

 

Probably indicative of a Starfleet prisoner. She is wearing an arrowhead.

 

She was Starfleet, they were not.

 

Pretty much what they all said. Though I'm curious *why* the prison complex would feel it necessary to distinguish Starfleet from non-Starfleet prisoners. You'd think it would simply lead to a lot of situations like the one in the Discovery mess hall.

 

That was probably exactly the reason the writers did it. To produce angst and conflict.

 

Yes, that's the out-of-universe reason. I'm interested in exploring the in-universe reason.

 

We don't know that they came from the same complex. Burnham may have been made to "hitch a ride" with an existing shuttle run. Her transfer was unannounced and unorthodox, so...who knows?

 

The poor logic of it would just make your head explode. Better to just let it go.

 

Even though she is a convicted criminal, she is still in Starfleet.

 

Perhaps a different colour indicates length of sentance, or perhaps having her wear yellow made her stand out more so she could serve as an example to otherwise of what not to do.

 

Doesn't one normally get dishonorably discharged from the military once they are convicted of a crime?

 

Is Starfleet military?

 

I tend to think it is. Others disagree. Georgiou has a certificate from a Starfleet military academy in her ready room.

 

Remember The Dirty Dozen? All of those cons were in a military prison, and still in uniform, though they were stripped of rank.

 

To differentiate her from the other prisoners.

No matter the "practical" reason we could be told, or surmise, it's a way the writer's use to isolate her, to give focus.

 

Maybe the three others were civilians who were caught by Starfleet and were on their way to a Federation prison. Burnham happened to be the only imprisoned Starfleet officer among them.

 

The three knew some pretty odd things about Starfleet life, though...

I'm all for the "different facilities altogether" rationalization, and obviously one would need some sort of a cue on who is supposed to go where when the prisoner uniforms don't even have name tags.

Timo Saloniemi

 

Burnham is akin to a military prisoner. She was sentenced by Starfleet through a court martial rather then through the normal legal system.

Oh no, not this debate again

They are fighting in a war.