I keep track of my daily progress by recording my activities in a weekly planner. When this year began, I knew that we would have several events to help the time pass faster. This being an election year, my daily entries show that I’ve been following the primary elections closely. I subscribe to several news magazines to keep me current with political events, and most evenings I watch the national television news or listen to reports on NPR. This year there has been so much to follow.

As a long-term prisoner, I am especially hopeful that Barack Obama wins the White House. After the first three months of the year, his candidacy is the strongest, despite recent controversy over remarks from his former pastor. With Obama, I am convinced that America would end Bush’s war in Iraq, bring health care to all Americans, enjoy a better economy, and perhaps most important on a personal level, move toward real and meaningful prison reform.

Besides the legislation that an Obama Presidency may inspire, I’m pleased to see that the 2008 Congress has passed The Second Chance Act of 2007. According to a press release from the Bill’s sponsor, Representative Danny Davis, President Bush will sign this Bill into law at a signing ceremony on April 9, 2008. To me, this historic legislation bodes well for the possibility of programs that will enable those of us in confinement to build stronger ties to family and community. I have written an article and a speech that describes why the Second Chance Act encourages me. Readers who are interested may review those writings.

This quarter has given me several speaking opportunities as well. In mid-February I was able to travel to Bakersfield with our outreach program to speak with at-risk adolescents about the perils of criminal lifestyles. Besides that outing, I enjoyed the privilege of making presentations to audiences here at Taft Camp. In one speech, I spoke about the development of leadership skills and in another I described the Second Chance Act from a historical perspective. Speaking before large groups opens opportunities to build upon skills that will help my transition to society. I value those opportunities and devote scores of hours to preparation. For my speech on leadership I pulled information from several books that I recently read, and for my speech on the Second Chance Act I took detailed notes from many sources. After writing each speech, I practiced my delivery, devoting many hours in an effort to come across in a lucid, polished manner. Regardless of what career I pursue upon release, I am convinced that the development of effective communication skills will prove a valuable resource.

To that end, and as I outlined in my goals at the beginning of this year, I devote a significant amount of time to reading and writing each day. In the first quarter I read 12 books, each of which had a direct influence on my preparations for release. I’ve written a brief report on each book I read, and for some of those books I recorded detailed notes that will advance my writing projects.

I also spent hundreds of hours writing a new manuscript. Previously I wrote about that book with a working title 25 Years to the Door. I have written three versions of an opening sequence for that memoir. Each version had at least 15,000 words, but none satisfied me. I chucked them all. This memoir will be an important component of my release plan. Since I will not submit the manuscript for publication until I am much closer to release, I intend to continue working on the manuscript with hopes of creating a compelling memoir. I have changed the title, though, to The 45-Year Gift.

My exercise has been progressing in accordance with the schedule I set. In early March, I attempted to add evening tennis games to my routine. On my second night of playing, however, I snapped the muscle in my right calf. That injury has been plaguing me since. The pain put an immediate suspension to tennis. Worse than the loss of tennis games, it stopped my ability to run on the track. The pain is too severe. Fortunately, I’ve been able to exercise by running on the elliptical machine and exercise with the stair climber; as long as there is no heavy impact, I’m able to keep up with my goal of logging more than 40 miles each week, and more than seven hours of weekly exercise. My weight remains constant between 173 and 176 pounds.

In light of the Second Chance Act, I expect release to a halfway house no later than August of 2012. Release could possibly come as early as 2011, depending on a decision from the parole board. If Obama wins the Presidency, I anticipate prison reform could result in my release as soon as 2010. Because of these developments, my wife and I have had to make adjustments to our plans for my release.

Carole graduates from nursing school in May. Our original plans had been for her to continue advancing her professional credentials, however, as a consequence of my anticipated earlier release, Carole and I have decided that we should change those plans. Rather than continuing with another year of schooling, Carole will sit for the board exams to provide her with nationally recognized nursing credentials, followed by relocation to Kern County. That way, she can begin working and contributing to a savings plan that will help my transition to society. Her relocation will ease her commute for weekly visits as well.

I am immensely proud of both Carole and our daughter Nichole. Together we have set a plan in place, and this June Nichole will graduate one year ahead of schedule from high school while Carole brings more stability to our family with her nursing degree. We’re all enthusiastic about the opportunities we will open through the remainder of 2008 and beyond. The hefty monetary fine I received at sentencing in 1988 expired during the month of March, so Carole and I are free to make progress toward our financial security. Life is really moving forward in meaningful ways as I finish these final years in confinement.

Although I expect legislative changes that could advance my release date, the bottom line is that I have nearly 21 years of imprisonment behind me. I am moving closer to home, and I feel better than ever. The support I receive from so many is a blessing, and for that I am grateful.

The post First Quarter Report, Taft Prison Camp 2008 appeared first on Prison News Blog.

The program in which I was participating goes by the acronym TOAD, which stands for Those Outspoken Against Drugs. TOAD is an outreach program through which inmate participants at the federal prison speak to at-risk adolescents about the perils of criminal lifestyles. Leaders of the Taft Correctional Institution make TOAD available to organizations in Kern County. TOAD participants hope to help others make more responsible decisions and avoid altercations with the criminal justice system.

Mr. Andrew Griffin, a substance abuse counselor at the Taft prison, coordinates and sponsors the group of ten inmate participants in TOAD. Five other TOAD members were with me as Griff drove us from Taft to the alternative school in Bakersfield where we were scheduled to make two presentations.

During the 20-plus years I had served in prison, I rarely had an opportunity to move or travel at a pace faster than my legs could carry me. I was unprepared for the stop-and-go motions of traveling through Bakersfield streets, or the visual of city traffic speeding in opposite lanes toward our vehicle. They felt like an onslaught, as if I were under attack in the midst of a graphic video game. I had not eaten before leaving the prison camp, though I still couldn’t control the upheaval from motion sickness in my stomach. Fortunately, I moved up to the front seat where I rolled down the window and stuck my head outside to combat the nausea and vertigo. When Griff parked the van, I stepped outside, still dizzy from the ride. Then another sensation came over me. I realized that I was many miles from prison boundaries, and no one had reason to consider me as anything other than a fellow human being. They did not know I was a prisoner, though I did not feel at ease. Too much time had passed since I had walked on city streets. I felt as if my wife should have been with me, yet there I stood, on the sidewalks of Bakersfield, without her. I missed the comfort her presence brings when she is with me.

The other TOAD members and I walked into the lobby of the school, and after a few minutes of polite introduction, a school counselor escorted our group into an auditorium. Once inside, I began to feel more at ease. The institutional setting was an environment I had grown used to over the past two decades, but this time our group had a different standing. In that school, rather than prisoners being watched, we stood before the audience as contributors who were deserving of attention and respect.

Griff introduced us, then each TOAD member spoke for between 15 and 20 minutes, describing the decisions we had made that led us to prison. Students and teachers alike listened intently, appreciating the insight we were providing into the consequences of criminal behavior. We not only told of our own experiences, but we performed a skit to show how the behavior of reckless adolescence could lead to criminal prosecution and lengthy prison terms. We spoke about prison life and expressed the importance of education. Our objective was to help the members of our audience see the value of their schooling, and the reasons why they should avoid criminal lifestyles.

Following our second presentation, we piled back into the van and buckled up for the long drive back to the prison camp in Taft. I felt more settled on the drive back and could take in the surroundings more easily. Griff described the growth of Bakersfield while I tried to process all the action outside the vehicle. Life was moving at a much faster pace than anything I had known since 1987. I didn’t realize how conditioned I had become to prison. The only peace I saw was a man who seemed to be enjoying himself while fishing alone on the bank of a lake.

I don’t know whether administrators will grant me the privilege of stepping into society again, as I am scheduled to serve about five more years before release, but as I settled back into the camp I realized the value of TOAD. It offers a great experience, one that benefits both society and participants. TOAD helped our audience by providing valuable information, and it gave long-term prisoners like me a glimpse of the world to which we were striving to return. Those interested in coordinating a visit from TOAD should contact Mr. Andrew Griffin, Substance Abuse Coordinator at Taft Correctional Institution.

The post Those Outspoken Against Drugs appeared first on Prison News Blog.

Besides the monthly field outings, the TOAD group meets each Monday afternoon to discuss the strategies for growth. Counselor Griffin and the other TOAD members have charged me with the responsibility of coordinating the one-hour meeting scheduled for Monday, November 5, 2007. In preparation for that meeting, I asked each TOAD member to be ready to describe the most influential book that he has read and tell the group how that book has influenced his life. My purpose in requesting each individual to share such information was to encourage the members to think about hope and self- empowerment. Frequently, when those of us in prison discuss our personal backgrounds, we spend too much time painting a picture of despair. The at-risk adolescents who listen to TOAD presentations have no shortage of struggle in their young lives. Many come from broken homes and live in neighborhoods filled with gang influences, drugs, and criminal lifestyles. They sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation of TOAD members descriptions. Yet I am convinced that providing audiences with strategies for building hope and self-empowerment, TOAD members can inspire the youngsters to make better decisions.

I intend to open the Monday meeting with a discussion on the importance of goals. I will discuss how goals relate to success and invite the other TOAD members to interact in the discussion. To provide one example of the importance I place on goal setting, I will read the 2 November Blog entry I wrote on the subject. Following that discussion, I will talk about Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. That book has been influential in my life and I want to explain the ways that I incorporate those habits in my preparations for release. Then I will ask each TOAD member to discuss his book of choice. Finally, I will conclude the 1-hour meeting with a discussion of how delivering a message of hope can help our audiences and TOAD participants focus on success. I encourage those who have questions or comments on TOAD to post them here, or write me directly at Taft Camp.

The post Taft Prisoners Contributing to the Lives of Others appeared first on Prison News Blog.

I have been in the Taft prison camp for more than three months now. By far, this prison camp offers the best living conditions that I’ve ever experienced since my confinement began in 1987. Some of the prisoners complain, of course, but complaining seems to be a part of confinement. Wherever I have been, prisoners complain. I can understand it, as the people with whom I share space have not experienced as much as I have. They miss their families and communities, and confinement under any kind of circumstances is difficult. Since I have known so much worse, I can say that I wake every morning with enthusiasm and gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon me.

During the three months that I have been at Taft Camp, I’ve been very busy. My primary work has been the completion of two new Web sites that I’ve been instrumental in designing. One of the Web sites is called PrisonSuccess.com, and the other Web site is called PrisonAdvice.com. These sites have different purposes from each other, and from my primary site at MichaeISantos.net. I’m optimistic about the opportunities that will open because of my work on these projects.

I designed PrisonSuccess.com in response to a project that I began with my friend Lee Nobmann, of Golden State Lumber. While we were confined together at Lompoc Camp, Lee and I frequently discussed the need for programs that would encourage more offenders to use their time wisely. Together we published two books, one for at-risk adolescents and another to encourage prisoners to step up and accept responsibility for their lives. PrisonSuccess.com has become a component of the Step Up program that Lee’s company sponsored.

Through PrisonSuccess.com, we offer an opportunity for any prisoner to open his own Web site. PrisonSuccess will become a social networking site prisoners may use to document their efforts to grow and prepare for success. This Web project is completely free of charge to all prisoners who sign up to participate. They may post articles, short stories, resumes, goals, book reports, journals and photographs on their personal sites. My hopes are to encourage hundreds, and then thousands of prisoners to participate in this project. I am convinced that those who begin to document their commitment to succeed will have a better chance of overcoming the obstacles that are certain to follow confinement.

The other site I designed, PrisonAdvice.com, will offer content to help people who anticipate a problem with the criminal justice system. Through that Web site, I will publish content regularly that helps others under some of the complexities that accompany prosecution and time in prison. I have written the initial content for PrisonAdvice.com, and I will continue writing profiles of other prisoners and articles during these remaining years that I expect to serve. PrisonAdvice.com differs from MichaelSantos.net because I will use the new site to focus on the prison system rather than on my own journey through confinement. For stories or articles that relate to my own adjustment, I will continue to use my personal Web site at MichaelSantos.net.

I am enthusiastic about these new Web site opportunities because they allow me to continue publishing useful information for people who are in need. Over these remaining years that I expect to serve, I will add significant amounts of content to all of my Web sites. Through this work, I hope to build both a brand and a platform that may help me launch a career as a speaker and consultant for those looking for information about overcoming adversity.

Besides the Web site projects, I’ve also completed my first series of courses with Taft Community College. At Taft Camp, and at the adjacent low-security Taft Correctional Institution, inmates are authorized to study independently with the local college. We have a computer lab with Microsoft programs. I recently completed a course that helped me understand Word and Excel. Previously I had studied courses in both electronic spreadsheets and word processing, but I have never used these popular Microsoft programs. The knowledge I have gained will be helpful upon my release. In fact, it is helpful right now as I am able to use what I have learned to better communicate my needs to Carole.

I’m also participating in the Toastmasters club. While I was confined at USP Atlanta, much earlier during my sentence, I was instrumental in bringing the Toastmasters club to that institution. I really enjoyed participating, as it brought me experience in the art of public speaking. We’re building a vibrant club with the population here at Taft, and I look forward to continuing my participation. This past week I delivered a 30 minute speech that I called Thriving Through Adversity. I spoke without notes, adhering to the following outline: Introduction, describing my own experiences (3 minutes); Values, and Goals, describing the importance of clearly defining both values and goals in order to succeed (8 minutes); Strategies, describing the seven habits that Stephen Covey described in his bestselling book (15 minutes); Benefits, describing the ways these patterns lead to success and happiness (3 minutes); and Conclusion, in which I challenge those in the audience to use this same pattern to succeed.

Another group with which I have signed up to participate at Taft is called T.O.A.D., which is an acronym for Those Outspoken Against Drugs. This group uses inmates at the camp to travel into nearby communities for the purpose of speaking to at-risk adolescents. The TOAD group has been active for several years, and I look forward to the next opportunity to speak with troubled youth. My hopes are that I can help some make better decisions than I made when I was a younger man. My exercise routine continues. I am able to workout regularly. We do not have free weights at this facility, but that is not a problem for me. I am running at least 40 miles each week, and strength training with push ups and dips. We also have several high-quality machines for aerobic training, and the weather is superb. Now that the hot months have passed, I must say that Taft has the best weather that I’ve ever experienced. It’s sunny every day, with low levels of humidity. I really am grateful to be serving my time here.

Over the coming three months, I do not expect to enroll in more classes at Taft College. Instead, I will focus on writing more content for the new Web sites that I am developing. I also will spend time exercising, and watching CNBC. As I write this quarterly report, the market indices are approaching very high levels, and this surprises me. I subscribe to both Business Week and News Week magazines, and I read the Wall Street Journal daily. The news on the sub-prime credit fiasco suggests that millions of people soon are going to face substantially higher mortgage payments, and the credit crunch makes it unlikely that they will be able to refinance. Although the Fed cut interest rates by an unexpected 50 basis points, and the market has gone straight up since then, the economy is going to have to soften. I enjoy watching the pundits on CNBC, even if they are expecting the market indices to continue surging to new highs. My wife, Carole, continues her commitment to nursing school. We both look forward to her graduation next May, when she and her daughter will relocate to the Bakersfield area. Nichole is now an official senior in high school; she completed college-level course work over the summer in order to graduate high school one full year ahead of her class. Both Carole and I are very proud of her. She expects to enroll in a pre-med curriculum when she begins her university studies, in 2008. Beginning in October, I will initiate more regular postings of my daily activities with a Blog that Carole is activating. I encourage readers to follow my progress as I move through these final years of my confinement.

Thank you for your continuing support, and may God bless you all.

The post Thriving Through Adversity: 3rd Quarter 2007 appeared first on Prison News Blog.

Each Monday morning, at 8:30, I join between 25 and 35 other men for our chapter meetings of the Taft Camp Toastmasters Club. I have participated in Toastmasters for many years. The group exists to help its members develop strong public speaking skills. Participation is voluntary, and I am glad for the opportunity.

Last week I delivered a 30-minute speech that described the strategies I employed to advance through my first 20 years of prison. No other prisoner at Taft Camp has endured so much time in confinement, so my audience was interested. Rather than speak about the ways that incarceration extinguishes hope, through my speech I explained how various mentors influenced me to work toward a brighter future.

The mentors whom I spoke about were not people that I had actually met. Instead, I spoke about Socrates, Aristotle, and Sun Tzu. I discovered those teachers through an anthology called A Treasury of Philosophy that I read in 1987, while I was awaiting trial at the Pierce County Jail. By reading the works of those ancient philosophers, I discovered the strength I would need to carry me through the many years that I expected to serve in confinement. Besides the ancient philosophers, I also spoke about others who convinced me that I could find meaning in my life and contribute to the world, even if I had to begin my work from inside prison boundaries.

Speaking in front of groups is a wonderful learning experience. I enjoy the challenge of writing a speech, and then spending many hours rehearsing. It is a thrill to speak without notes, and I feel a sense of energy come through me as I capture the audience’s attention. It’s important for me to deliver a message of lasting value, which is why I spend so much time preparing for every speech I deliver.

During today’s meeting, I was an observant rather than a participant. The featured speaker was a man who is serving a relatively short sentence for tax evasion. Prior to his confinement, this man led a career as the CEO of a publicly traded company. He spoke to our group about his experiences with international business. I appreciated the opportunity to listen to such a distinguished speaker.

As crazy as it may sound, living in a minimum-security prison camp offers many opportunities to grow. Our population is a microcosm of society at large. We have groups of highly educated, white collar offenders, and perhaps an equal segment of the population who struggled to adapt to the customs of legitimate society. As a long-term offender, I look for opportunities to learn from everyone I can, and contribute to the lives of those with an interest in what I have to say.

Following the morning’s Taft Toastmasters Club meeting, I attended an afternoon meeting with the Taft Camp TOAD group. TOAD is an acronym for Those Outspoken Against Drugs. The group meets in a classroom under the direction of a staff sponsor, and we discuss ideas on steps TOAD members can take to help at-risk adolescents make better decisions with their lives. Once each month, a few members of the TOAD group attend a field trip to a local school or juvenile detention facility to speak with troubled adolescents. I was recently inducted into the program so a few months may pass before I become eligible to leave the prison to speak with at-risk adolescents, but I am looking forward to that opportunity.

This evening I have more work to complete, but the work I have falls more in line with my independent projects. I am editing previous articles that I have written so that my wife, Carole, can post them on prisonsuccess.com/. In the weeks to come, I’ll write more new content. I hope to continue providing information to help readers develop a better understanding America’s prisons, the people they hold, and strategies for growing through confinement.

I welcome readers’ questions or comments through e-mail at prisonnewsblog@gmail.com, or by writing me directly here at Taft Camp.

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