by Justin Paperny | Dec 31, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2008 It's now six in the evening on New Year's eve, 2008, and I'm still here in the Taft Prison Camp. Although I have more than eight months of my prison term behind me, and fewer than five months of prison ahead of me, I'm…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 30, 2008 | Blog
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2008 Today is December 30, 2008, the last Tuesday of the year. It's 3:35 P.M. and I'm writing from my assigned cubicle at Taft Federal Prison Camp. At 4:00 P.M. all inmates will stand for the daily census count. In the interim,…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 29, 2008 | Blog
MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2008 Last week I received a question from Wendy, whose husband was recently sentenced to a five year prison term for conspiracy. He is currently in a county jail while he awaits designation to a federal prison. She wanted to…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 28, 2008 | Blog
Sunday, December 28, 2008 Since committing to a daily blog post, I've begun to receive feedback and questions from total strangers. At least two letters a week since Thanksgiving. I'm glad my blog is achieving its objective on helping others prepare…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 27, 2008 | Blog
Saturday, December 27, 2008 Read Your Pre-Sentencing Report Today I had breakfast with another prisoner who arrived at Taft Federal Prison Camp three weeks ago. Alex is a witty, balding, corpulent man in his late forties. Like me, he is serving time…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 26, 2008 | Blog
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2008 Justin's 12/26/08 blog is apparently lost in the mail. In the event it doesn't turn up soon, it will be rewritten.
by Justin Paperny | Dec 24, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2008 It's December 24th, a Wednesday. It's 6:30 P.M and I'm writing from the large television room. In 30 minutes or so, the weekly bingo tournament will begin. Bingo night is a big deal in prison. For many inmates, it's the…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 23, 2008 | Blog
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2008 During dinner tonight, I had a disappointing conversation with my friend, Arthur. Arthur is one year into a four year sentence for wire fraud and honest services fraud. He serves his time without a care in the world. His…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 22, 2008 | Blog
Monday, December 22, 2008 Another Day Closer To Home It's 8:00 P.M. Monday, the 22nd. I'm writing from the prison library while listening to inmates sing Christmas carols in the adjacent music room. The last few days have felt like a few weeks. I'm…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 19, 2008 | Blog
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2008 Today I learned a lesson that I would have liked to postpone. I have been in prison for eight months and as of this day, I expect to serve 150 more days. Yet, I struggle with a loss that is surprisingly deep, a loss that…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 18, 2008 | Blog
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2008 It's OK To Be Forgotten From Federal Prison During mail call my first month at Taft Camp, I felt important. My loved ones mailed torrents of cards, letters, books and magazines. The correctional officer distributing mail…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 17, 2008 | Blog
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Today, by far, was the coldest day I've experienced at Taft Camp. Temperatures hovered 35 degrees with a steady 15 mile an hour wind. The frigid conditions kept most guys inside. I also considered staying in. I was…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 16, 2008 | Blog
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Prior to engaging in criminal conduct, I knew the GLT Fund was losing significant amounts of money. My experience in the brokerage business gave Kenny and me, as well as our superiors at UBS, sufficient reason to believe…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 15, 2008 | Blog
Monday, December 15, 2004 On December 15, 2004, four years ago today, my branch manager in UBS Century City, summoned me to his office overlooking historic Los Angeles Country Club, to discuss the GLT Venture Fund. The resonance in his voice…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 14, 2008 | Blog
December 14, 2008 My college baseball coach once yelled at me, "Paperny, for a smart kid, you do some stupid f------ things." Stupidity is the perfect word to describe my actions immediately after getting fired from UBS on January 11, 2005. Upon…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 13, 2008 | Blog
Saturday, December 13, 2008 Writing blogs every day has helped me through prison. I was not a writer before the term began. I've found the activity cathartic. By committing myself to this responsibility, I hope to shed some light into the dark world…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 12, 2008 | Blog
Friday, December 12, 2008 Living Conditions At Taft Federal Prison Camp Prior to self-surrendering back in April, my mother was assiduous in trying to learn about Taft Camp. The internet, while providing volumes of information on general prison…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 11, 2008 | Blog
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2008 Growing, Learning, Thriving Through Prison Refining my time management skills has helped me grow through prison. I've been successful, in part, because I've learned to structure my days as if I'm working and exercising in…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 10, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008 As a federal prisoner at Taft Camp, I've come to learn that living in denial is a common response for white collar offenders. It seems few men want to accept that they engaged in behavior that prosecutors deemed…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 9, 2008 | Blog
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2008 It's noon on Tuesday, the 9th of December, and I'm writing from the prison library. At 2:30 P.M. I'll continue mentoring two inmates preparing for their GED exam in February. While waiting, I figured I'd knock out my…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 8, 2008 | Blog
Monday, December 8, 2008 SIS Lieutenant In Federal Prison I just returned to my assigned cubicle after walking the track with my friend, John. John had a tough day. Immediately following the 4:00 PM. standing count, he was paged to Camp Control. No…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 7, 2008 | Blog
Sunday, December 7, 2008 SHU Or Hole In Federal Prison Prison camp isn't exciting enough for some inmates. "Camp Snoopy", as Taft is often called, doesn't provide the drama many crave and desire. Rather than focus on goals that will prepare them for…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 6, 2008 | Blog
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008 My Journal From Federal Prison I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'm unable to accept everything about prison. I truly believed seven-plus months into my confinement that my loneliness would dissipate as the…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 5, 2008 | Blog
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2008 It's December 5th, a Friday. On Wednesday and Thursday I covered the first two prongs of the fraud triangle: pressure and rationalization. Today I will discuss the third prong, opportunity. Shortly after joining Kenny at…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 4, 2008 | Blog
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2008 Today's blog posting covers the second prong of the fraud triangle: rationalization. In my case, rationalization was the easiest. Since I felt as if I were being cheated out of commissions, it only seemed fair that I took…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 3, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008 It's Wednesday, December 3, 2008. I had the privilege of working for three of the top financial firms in the world: Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns and UBS. Ironically, my happiest moments were when I was working for Crowell…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 2, 2008 | Blog
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008 Remembering Baseball From Federal Prison It's Tuesday, December 2, 2008. Playing baseball was the highlight of my youth. Through baseball, I learned virtues that should have remained with me throughout my life. Good…
by Justin Paperny | Dec 1, 2008 | Blog
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2008 Life In Federal Prison Transit For the first month or two at Taft Federal Prison Camp, I was extremely reticent about my personal affairs. I was also mildly affable with inmates and most everyone knew. I had zero interest in…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 30, 2008 | Blog
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2008 It's November 30, the last Sunday in November. While at USC, I remember studying about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I don't remember details. Essentially, Maslow, a Harvard psychologist, outlined motivation platforms for…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 29, 2008 | Blog
Saturday, November 29th, 2008 Peculiarities Of Federal Prison Life Prison can seem a little weird. In the beginning, the habits and mannerisms of some people kind of made me cringe. Now that I've been locked inside the boundaries of Taft Camp for…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 28, 2008 | Blog
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2008 Visiting At Taft Federal Prison Camp It's 7 P.M. on November 28th. I've returned to my assigned cubicle after reading in the quiet room. Moments ago, the compound was closed and inmates were instructed to return to their…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 27, 2008 | Blog
Thursday, November 27th, 2008 Happy Thanksgiving! Although I am here for 7 months, I haven't adjusted to holidays in prison. I presumed when I self-surrendered in April that I'd grow more comfortable as the holidays passed. Today is the first…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 26, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008 The Federal Prison Hustle It's November 26th, a Wednesday. I underestimated the cost of living in prison. I self-surrendered to Taft on April 28th with $400 and expected those funds to cover my expenses for 2 months. I…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 25, 2008 | Blog
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2008 Why I Say Thank You From Federal Prison It's Tuesday, November 25, 2008. I read a terrific article in the USA Today Life section by Kim Painter. The article addressed gratitude and the effect that thanking people has on…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 24, 2008 | Blog
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008 AT 01:29AM Why I Run In Federal Prison It's 8:00 P.M. on Monday, November 24, 2008 and I'm winding down from a laborious day. Last week presented confinement and writing obstacles I hadn't faced in a while. I'm pleased a…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 22, 2008 | Blog
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2008 Writer's Block From Federal Prison It's Saturday evening, the 22nd of November. I've been bothered since this past Wednesday because I made a commitment to myself to write a daily blog. I haven't been able to live up to…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 18, 2008 | Blog
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2008 AT 01:23AM It's Tuesday, November 18, 2008. I've previously written about many of the poor choices I made prior to my confinement. It's an understatement to say I lived in denial. During the years which preceded my…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 17, 2008 | Blog
Monday, November 17, 2008 It's discouraging to walk around my dorm on any given day. Actually, it's more sad than discouraging because I think many inmates have given up. They waste hours each day with ping pong, card games, television and sleeping…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 16, 2008 | Blog
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2008 AT 01:20AM I'm cautiously optimistic that President-Elect Obama and a new liberal Congress will initiate substantial prison reform. Such reform has been lacking for over two decades. I hope that his administrators will look…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 15, 2008 | Blog
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2008 AT 01:19AM How I Benefit From The 2nd Chance Act Of 2007 I'm sitting in my cube digesting the news I just received from my counselor and case manager at my team meeting. Team meetings measure an inmate's progress. Inmates…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 14, 2008 | Blog
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2008 AT 01:18AM Sleeping In Federal Prison Sleeping in Federal Prison can be a tough place to get a good night's sleep. Here at Taft Federal Prison Camp I have few options to address this issue. The camp has four dorms and each…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 13, 2008 | Blog
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2008 AT 01:15AM Television in Federal Prison Prison isn't the place to enjoy television. Here at the Taft Federal Prison Camp, I have few options to watch programs which interest me. Each housing unit keeps 6 TV sets. One of…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 12, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2008 AT 01:14AM 200 Days In Federal Prison It's Wednesday, November 12th, and I've been in federal prison for 200 days. Reaching this "milestone" is significant to me. Prisoners circle specific dates on their calendar to mark…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 11, 2008 | Blog
Thursday, November 11, 2008 My First Month As A Blogger in Federal Prison In just one month I've learned quite a bit about blogging. First, I must continue to be 100% transparent and totally open. This is not always easy. Blogging, particularly on a…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 10, 2008 | Blog
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2008 AT 01:11AM My father is 67 years old today. I've tried calling him several times to wish him happy birthday but couldn't reach him. I then learned that the phones would be down until Wednesday. My family is prepared for…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 9, 2008 | Blog
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2008 AT 01:10AM Since arriving at Taft, I've become fascinated with the criminal justice system. As a matter of fact, just about every person on this compound fascinates me. This is ironic because prior to self-surrendering, I…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 8, 2008 | Blog
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2008 AT 01:08AM As an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California, I studied psychology. More than a decade has passed since I graduated in 1997. Since then, I built a career in financial services which…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 7, 2008 | Blog
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2008 AT 01:07AM I’ve been playing close attention to the economic crisis that plagues our country. These are difficult times for millions of Americans. As I watched the early morning news today, I saw that the latest employment…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 6, 2008 | Blog
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008 AT 01:04AM Fire Drill At 1 AM in Federal Prison It's 1:30 in the morning on November 6th. Thirty minutes ago all four dorms were awakened by the over powering noise of the fire alarms which are approximately 15 feet or so…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 5, 2008 | Blog
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008 AT 12:55AM Urine Tests In Federal Prison Camp I've never had a history of substance abuse. My conviction relates to my career as a securities broker and has no relationship to drugs whatsoever. Nevertheless, during my…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 4, 2008 | Blog
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 Justin's blog was lost in the mail. I am not yet sure if he is rewriting. Tallie, Justin's mom
by Justin Paperny | Nov 3, 2008 | Blog
Monday, November 3, 2009 Why I Write This Blog From Federal Prison At mail call today, which is typically around 3:00 P.M., I received a letter from a friend I played baseball with at USC. We hadn't spoken much since graduating together in 1997. We…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 2, 2008 | Blog
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2008 A Productive Weekend in Federal Prison Today was a great day and so far has been one of my better weekends. For starters, all inmates received 100 extra phone minutes per month for November and December. We refer to it as "a…
by Justin Paperny | Nov 1, 2008 | Blog
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2008 AT 01:59AM Solomon Moore wrote a wonderful article in the October 31st issue of the New York Times. Although the election is tomorrow, the proximity of that crucial date hasn't deferred Obama from speaking honestly and…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 31, 2008 | Blog
Friday, October 31, 2008 Accepting The Term "Convicted Felon" Happy Halloween. It's 2:00 P.M. on the 31st and I'm writing from the Taft Prison Library. One year ago at my Halloween Office party I was feasting on bite size Snickers, M&Ms and…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 30, 2008 | Blog
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 AT 01:56AM My confinement continues to grow more and more comfortable. Events which bothered me the first month no longer register a thought. I've accepted my fate and understand I will not be home until spring of next…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 29, 2008 | Blog
It's Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Do Prisoners Have It Too Good in Federal Prison Camp? I've been in prison for six months. During that time I've lost 25 pounds and recalibrated my life. This sentence has not been nearly as much of a struggle as I…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 28, 2008 | Blog
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Upon my release in the spring of 2009, I intend to speak at universities about a variety of topics that will include the criminal justice system, and prison camps in particular. A business school in the Midwest recently…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 27, 2008 | Blog
Monday, October 27, 2008 Embracing My Term In Federal Prison Today I completed my sixth month of confinement. I remember my family and I making last minute plans to help ensure the life I was leaving behind would be kept in order until my return.…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 26, 2008 | Blog
October 26, 2008 Avoiding Quagmires in a Federal Prison Camp Higher security prisons allow prisoners to slide by with a lot of infractions. The guards are too busy trying to enforce serious rule violations and therefore disregard most of the petty…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 25, 2008 | Blog
October 25, 2008 Taking a Day Off in Federal Prison Today was an atypical Saturday. Usually I’m on the track by 7:30 A.M. preparing for my one long run of the week, which in early October increased to 15 miles. Weekends are a wonderful time to run,…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 24, 2008 | Blog
October 24, 2012 Since high school I have always paid close attention to each presidential election. For that reason I'm glad the 2008 election is a popular topic in prison. I frequently watch the NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press and CNN, which the…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 23, 2008 | Blog
October 23, 2008 Second Chance Act A little known fact about federal prison is that the prisoner, in most cases, serves less than his actual sentence. I had no information about sentencing laws when I began my journey. My judge sentenced me to 18…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 22, 2008 | Blog
October 22, 2008 Dealing With Burdens While Adjusting to Federal Prison Calling home lately is not as fun as it used to be. Naturally I’m thrilled to speak to my family and friends but news on the home front continues to weaken. I’ve developed a…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 21, 2008 | Blog
October 21, 2008 Rebuilding a Once Constructive Life Inside Federal Prison I previously wrote that I was blessed with a privileged adolescence. My parents reared my brother and me in the affluent community of Encino in Southern California. I…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 20, 2008 | Blog
October 20, 2008 When I graduated from USC in 1997 I hadn’t considered myself a stellar student. I earned mostly B’s and a few A’s. I was an athlete there. After graduation I built a career as a stockbroker. A few years later some bad decisions led…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 19, 2008 | Blog
October 19, 2008 I had been a Republican all my life. Don’t blame me; it was my parents’ fault. My earliest political memories were of the Reagan Revolution that swept the country in the 80’s. Republications were dancing in the streets with promises…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 18, 2008 | Blog
October 18, 2008 Overcoming the Unknowns of Federal Prison Camp Since I've been in prison I’ve exercised like a fanatic. My runs have increased to 50 miles a week at a 7 minute pace in 11 mile increments. The push-ups, pull-ups and abdominal…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 17, 2008 | Blog
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by Justin Paperny | Oct 16, 2008 | Blog
October 16, 2008 Conviction for Securities Fraud Standing in my cube today for the 10:30 A.M. count, I wondered if I had any real chance of avoiding prison. I realized that answer probably came on April 28, 2005, the day I interviewed with the FBI.…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 15, 2008 | Blog
Soon after arriving at Taft Camp, I realized how much I could accomplish. The opportunities are endless and for the first time in quite a while, I was eager and determined to get my life moving. I constantly repeated all the common mantras we’ve…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 14, 2008 | Blog
October 14, 2008 Goals I Set For Myself Upon Incarceration Within a few days of reporting to Taft Camp, I set a clear goal of reading at least 3 books a month. Since I was unsure what genre to read, I spent a ton of hours in the prison library…
by Justin Paperny | Oct 13, 2008 | Blog
October 13, 2008 Description of Various Daily Activities in Federal Prison It’s 7:40 in the evening at Taft Camp and I’m getting ready to go to bed. I’d like to say today was a great day but on a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 4. These low…