Objective: To identify those strategies used by subjects in situations perceived as stressful, and to correlate self-esteem with coping strategies. Method: Study of the descriptive correlational kind that assessed selfesteem through the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, which supports reliability and validity coefficients between .81 and .93. Furthermore, the use of coping strategies was examined by the Coping Strategies Scale Modified, EEC-M, which manages a Cronbach's alpha of .847. These tests were administered to a group of 41 people arrested in the Medium Security Penitentiary and Prison of Bucaramanga for various offenses .. Results: it is evident that the total level of self-esteem is qualitatively placed as normal according to a cutoff of 15.78 in the general scale. However, in general, social and family-home test results subscales downward trend was evident. Furthermore, frequent use and high score on the coping strategies that refer to Troubleshooting, Religion and positive reappraisal, was observed Conclusion: there are significant correlations (p <.05) of negative type between self-esteem and strategies of Waiting coping, Emotional Avoidance, Aggressive Reaction and Denial.