September 29, 2014
Guidance Through Federal Prison
Yesterday I spoke with a soon to be prisoner. The man with whom I spoke is named Richard. He made it clear in about 3 seconds that he was seeking guidance through federal prison. In the coming weeks Richard will be self-surrenderding to Lompoc Camp. Richard is understandably uneasy about what is to come. Lompoc Prison Camp is easy to acclimate to, I told him, though it is natural if the first few days feel long and troubling.
I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with Richard and tried to ease his anxieties. I also helped ease his concerns about getting through the 18-month sentence he was scheduled to serve. As had been the case with me when I arrived, Richard didn't have any idea of how much time he would have to serve in prison. He was expecting to serve all 18 months. When I told him that my sentence had been the same length, but that with good time and halfway house placement, I was serving less than 13 months, I boosted his spirits. If he adjusts well in prison, and has a series of productive team meetings, he would likely serve the same time.
Prisoners who surrender to prison can do themselves and their families a great service by talking with someone who has experienced the system before they self-surrender. Those are the most troublesome months. It's one thing to receive advice from the criminal defense attorney, but as Richard and so many others have found out, the defense attorneys don't have the requisite knowledge or experience to discuss the intricacies of prison life. The anxieties that precede confinement can feel paralyzing. I know. Seeking expert and honest guidance through federal prison is an essential requirement to thriving through the system. Without such guidance, I know, prisoners drift, and spend their days in an endless fog of doubt and misery.
As I wrote in Lessons From Prison, before self-surrendering, I sought therapy with double cheeseburgers, chocolate shakes and cigarettes. In-N-Out Burger was my second home! Others turn to vices like liquor or drugs. That's not the way to prepare for such an important journey. Richard's nerves were shattered when he called, and his wife and children were struggling as well. My own mother was distraught with the same worry in the months preceding my confinement. I look forward to working with Richard and his family to create a plan before his surrender, while in prison, through the halfway house, and supervised release.
Consulting with someone who can offer guidance through federal prison is one way that soon to be prisoners can prepare, and I really recommend it. Reading about prison can help, but there's no substitute for the wisdom that can come through conversation. If you were going to climb Mt. Everest, would you want to read about the journey or talk with someone who conquered it? Call me. I can help.
Justin Paperny
