Some citizens would object to the way prisoners live. I agree. American taxpayers fund this ridiculous system with more than $60 billion in expenditures each year. Locking more than 2.4 million people in prison may play well for those who advocate tough-on-crime policies. Yet in reality, these prison systems seem too much like communism. Instead of preparing offenders to live as contributory citizens, these prisons extinguish hope and perpetuate failure. The high recidivism rates validate my argument.

Prison administrators use these institutions as human warehouses. The prison system has fueled a cottage industry of prison lobbyists that advocate for escalating prison expenditures and longer sentences. Prison unions want people to serve time in prison for the obvious reason of creating more prison related jobs.

With the current economic crisis in our country, the time has come to think smarter about taxpayer expenditures. Instead of funding these absurd human resources, and giving prisoners an easier life than many citizens in society enjoy, taxpayers ought to demand a better system. I can think of strategies that would encourage more prisoners to prepare for law abiding, contributing lives upon release. To reach such an objective, taxpayers would have to let go of those misconceptions that inordinately long sentences for nonviolent offenders yields safer societies.

Those of us who made bad decisions and violated criminal laws should pay a price. For some, that price may include time in prison. Yet society should not warehouse human beings for decades. That does not serve a useful purpose. I believe in programs that would encourage prisoners to earn their freedom through useful contributions.

I am a huge believer in education programs. Through the Pell Grant, I was able to meet the costs of an undergraduate degree. I feel as though I contributed to the costs of my education because while I was studying, I worked a full-time job in prison with the nominal wage of 12 cents per hour. Besides the subsidized education, however, the taxpayer investment has enabled me to make meaningful contributions to society. My education has prepared me for employment upon release, and that employment will obliterate the chances of my recidivism. I have created a place for myself in society that will yield higher tax revenues for the system. Further, my contributions will persuade more prisoners to prepare for law-abiding lives upon release. It costs less to educate a man than to incarcerate him, and the rewards for society are infinitely higher. With more than 21 years of prison behind me, however, I believe I’ve had enough of confinement. The time is here for my release.

The post In Our Current Economic Crisis, do Prisoners Have Life Too Good? appeared first on Prison News Blog.

Through his story, Jeff described how acting responsibly resulted in his receiving a prison term of three years rather than the nine years initially threatened by the government. Jeff also discussed his $2 million restitution order and programs available that could have advanced his release date further.

Those who are in the process of responding to a federal indictment may find some value in reading of Jeff’s experiences. His story provides an example of how important it is for defendants to communicate effectively with their defense attorneys.

I’ve interviewed and written about hundreds of people, like Jeff, who are serving time for white collar crimes. In an earlier post on this Blog, I discussed the probability of criminal indictments for wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and mortgage fraud against those in the banking and financial industry as a result of the crisis in America’s financial markets. My prediction was accurate; a news headline published today that reads “Criminal Probes Likely in Financial Crisis” proved me right.

Those who will face, or who are already facing criminal indictment for white collar crime are well advised to gain a better understanding of their options as they confront the criminal justice system. Jeff’s article-and many others-are included in the Prisoner Profiles topical report series published on MichaelSantos.net, and information describing the criminal justice system and prison life is available in the Confronting Criminal Charges, Understanding Prison, and Thriving Through Confinement topical reports series also published on MichaelSantos.net.

The more an individual knows about what is to come, the better prepared they are to make effective decisions and responses.

The post Criminal Probes and Indictments for White Collar Crimes appeared first on Prison News Blog.

I’ve been incarcerated for more than 21 years, and I’ve seen this pattern before. When I began my term, in 1987, prosecutors needed to show that they were the frontline soldiers fighting Reagan’s war on drugs. Prison populations soared.

Today, the world is riled up about white collar crime, about options scandals, about fraudulent investment vehicles that improperly failed to disclose risks, about fraud of every type and magnitude. Calming the markets will require new legislation, as we’ve seen this past week with government bailouts on an unprecedented scale. A second prong of the government’s effort to restore investor confidence, however, will come in the form of federal criminal charges against professionals who never dreamed that they would suffer through the indignities of a criminal indictment or prosecution.

When prosecutors charge businessmen with white collar crimes, those professionals frequently exacerbate their problems. Rather than accepting responsiblity early and minimizing their exposure to sanctions, many cling to excuses and denials. They lie to family members, their business associates, their defense attorneys, and the government. The more lies they tell, the more costly their losses. Those who become exposed to the criminal justice system for the first time frequently fail to appreciate the magnitude of their problems.

Emerging successfully from a collison with the criminal justice system requires knowledge and advance preparation. At MichaelSantos.net, partners of mine publish information that could assist those accused of white collar crime, or anyone who may be facing criminal indictment, make better decisions. The Topical Reports and Articles posted there describe solid strategies for navigating the criminal justice system successfully.

Understanding the American system of prosecutors, criminal courts, and federal prisons is crucial in order to work effectively with defense attorneys and prepare for the possibility of serving time in a federal prison camp.

The post White Collar Prosecutions on Wall Street appeared first on Prison News Blog.