Returning From Prison

Friends and family have changed
Sometimes they are not prepared to accept you back into their lives, even though you think they are. These are some of the real-life situations that you are likely to experience. In most cases, you are essentially autonomous. There might be short term acceptance, but in reality, you will eventually be on your own. Your success in the free world depends on getting a support system right away, or the chances of you returning to prison are highly inevitable.

What happens next when you are on the streets all depends on you. Do you desire to be there or do you have a chip on your shoulder, thinking society owes you? Is there an attitude problem? Did you develop some skills while in prison, or get some education that will make you marketable? When you apply for a job, and it asks if you have ever committed a crime, will you be honest, or will you lie? Will you take any job just to get yourself back into society or will you hold out for the better position? Are you ready for the halfway house’s constant monitoring and harassment at the job? Will your employer accept the halfway house calling there five times a day to see if you are present? These are all real situations that you will have to deal with right away.

You will face real conflicts as you return to society, and people can be unforgiving. There are a lot of haters in this world, and they don’t want you to succeed. They believe that once you have committed a crime you should be locked up forever. Success also depends on what type of crime you committed. Drug offenses and non-violent crimes usually have the least repercussions in society. That doesn’t mean you will get what you want but the potential for success is higher. If you are a sex-offender of any sort, society sees you as real scum. Murderers are also scrutinized in today’s world. Despite having good intentions of becoming productive and changing your life, most people don’t want anything to do with you because you are assumed to be a risk.

When you are out looking for a job the question is whether to tell the truth, or be quiet. If you are in a halfway- house, the truth is inevitable. They will constantly check on you at work. Your parole officer will also come out there, but he will try to be a little more discreet as he wants you to remain employed. He knows the recidivism rate is high, and he needs successful parolees or supervised-release clients. Nowadays, it’s getting harder and harder to lie about your past. There are databases full of information about everything, and people are willing to pay to check you out. The standard background-check goes anywhere from five to 10 years with seven years being the norm. If you’ve spent over seven years in prison the odds of them finding out you are an offender are unlikely. It’s different if you are seeking a sensitive position. Certain employers will check you out inside and out. Some are even doing fingerprint comparison–checks, and when they do that it’s time to come clean – tell them you are an offender or you will never get the job.

Psychologically, you are on your own. Most people in today’s world cannot comprehend, or even imagine what you have been through. The things you have seen or experienced while in prison are hard for the average person to understand. It all depends on what kind of prison you were at to actually say what you have seen or experienced. The normal things are the fights, shakedowns, homosexual acts, and constant searches of either your cell or person. Your life is regulated while your inside and it takes a minute to get readjusted again when you are free. You have to support yourself now, and the meals, clothing, medical attention, are not provided anymore. It might shock you to see that the prices from when you went in have increased so dramatically, and the wage you receive depresses you as you can’t afford minimal living requirements. Don’t let it get you down, just keep on going-- the first year is the toughest. The dope man or crime buddies are eager to see if you want back in the game and will try to reclaim you.

The key to success is to never give up and have a positive outlook as their will be more negative days then positive… that’s why you should never have that first drink or drug. Let’s face it; if you were a drug addict or alcoholic, and you try either again, it is just a matter of time before you are in trouble again, and more than likely locked up with a longer bit this time. Remember the more times you get locked up the easier it is to put you away-- and put you away for longer each time. One thing about being in prison is it seems that you don’t age mentally when you are inside. Even though you are physically older, you are not mentally older, (and I can’t explain why it’s like this—I can only speak from my experiences, as well as talking to, and interviewing other inmates.

The key to staying free and becoming successful comes around year five. Why do I say that? Well, it’s from interviewing successful inmates and viewing my own situation--year five is the make or break year. If you have been successfully employed, drug free, and have interaction with positive and supportive influences you are on the road to success. Sure, you’ll be going through a few relationships, and it’s hard to find someone positive; being your old self they are boring and dull. This is the realization that you have to accept in your life.

You might even have to move and change locations in order to be successful, so you are not around negative influences. Just remember that where ever you go the same people are there, and are waiting for you if you want them back in your life. You must now have fun on the same basis as an alcoholic or drug addict that is free of substances. It’s the only way for you to succeed. Success is only going to happen if you work at it. Nothing comes free. Remember; because you’re a felon you have to work this program for the rest of your life in order to succeed. This is a hard reality to look at, but never give up—time goes by a lot faster here than it does inside prison.

Parole or Supervised Release
Parole or supervised release is something we all have to endure. Each state controls its own prison system, and imposes its own rules and regulations. In the federal system there are very few parolees left, (and it’s now called supervised release, but it’s the same thing). Your supervisor can make your life uncomfortable, but that only really happens if he believes you are up to no good, or need more supervision. When you are first released you have different phases to go through, and each time you go through one with no incident your life gets a little easier. The parole officer hopes you are the model inmate being released, but in reality that doesn’t happen all the time. It’s up to you to do the right thing if you want to succeed. In reality, parole is just like prison--keeping you on your toes, and influencing you to do the right thing. It’s a pain in the butt, however, when you compare the two, freedom is a much better choice then being locked up.

If you did or tried to do the right thing in prison then doing or trying to do the right thing outside is the same. Trying to beat the system inside or out has the same consequences and you could end up going back in again. Parole is an extension of prison, and you’re still doing time. When you have the opportunity to be free with a little bit of inconvenience it’s a much better choice than being locked up, alone again, without your family. The agent in charge of you will make random house checks at anytime he feels like it, and it’s usually after you get home or he’s in the neighborhood. He is not there to bust you, but to make sure you are doing the right thing. It’s intrusive, but you’ll get used to it—same as in jail when they shake your cell down all the time—and if there is nothing there then you don’t have anything to worry about.

Just remember your visiting days and when you had to be stripped searched, and realize a home visit is nothing. If you want to succeed in life then do whatever it takes to get the government to release you from the commitment that you owe them. It’s tough, but millions of inmates have succeeded and you are one of them.