News FeedNew Prisoners Must Prepare for Release
I’ve written many articles with hopes of helping new prisoners understand effective adjustment strategies. One simple article I recommend is Master Discipline, Expect Nothing. As a prisoner begins to adjust, he must simultaneously be thinking about how he wants to emerge from confinement. Preparations for release must begin the day an individual walks inside prison boundaries.
Adjustment strategies for prison should begin with an honest self-assessment. Obviously, not all prisoners begin serving their sentences with the same skill sets, resources, personal characteristics, or interests. Many prisoners begin serving their sentences without reading or writing skills while others begin serving their sentences with advanced professional degrees and certifications. Individuals who know where they are, and who know how they want to advance, can implement strategies that will ensure they succeed. In my article on the Quadrant Theory, I describe the strategies that have guided my adjustment through more than 21 years.
Besides the individual’s own adjustment, the new prisoner ought to consider the needs of his family and community. The prisoner will adjust to his environment to varying degrees of success. Those who set plans and goals will generally make better progress than those who meander through their term in confinement without a clear sense of direction. Wives, children, parents and other loved ones, however, will struggle with worry about the new prisoner’s welfare.
Through my writings I’ve described the strategies I’ve used to nurture strong community ties in spite of the obstacles associated with confinement. New prisoners ought to realize that the prison term is much harder on those who love them. That’s why I urge new readers to understand the importance of communicating with those at home. Telephone restrictions limit conversations and distances hinder visits. Therefore, to assuage the worries of loved ones, the more a prisoner writes about his experiences, the more he can lessen the anxieties of those he loves.
Besides family, new prisoners need to think about the communities to which they will return upon release. A felony conviction coupled with a prison record may or may not damage one’s standing within specific communities. The wise prisoner will anticipate his future and set plans in motion to prepare for the challenges ahead. No value comes from living as an ostrich, with one’s head buried in the sand. New prisoners can empower themselves by leading proactive adjustments.
