Survive Prison — Ask the Inmate
Surviving prison, mentally, physically, and with your record intact, requires a set of skills and strategies that nobody teaches you before you go in. The adjustment is enormous, and how you handle the first days and weeks sets the tone for everything that follows. This section covers the practical realities of daily life inside a correctional facility, how to navigate the social environment without becoming a target or a participant in activities that will extend your sentence, how to protect your mental health during a long sentence, what the research shows about maintaining family connections and why they matter for survival, how to use the time productively rather than letting it use you, and what the people who come out strongest have in common. The guidance here comes from someone who served 66 months in the federal system and built a business around helping the people left behind. Do the time. Do not let the time do you. See also our sections on Prison Violence, Prison Discipline, and Re-entry and Rehabilitation.
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awesome! like paradise, except you are told when to sleep, when to wake up, where to sit, when to eat, and limited contact with the outside world.
Read moreQuarantined inmates are permitted one 15-minute call per 7 days. They are locked down 24/7 except for 3 hours per week of "rec yard time" and 3 showers per week.
Read moreThis depends on where you are doing your time. 1-2 years in women's federal, you are probably in lower custody facilities. My best advice is to remain quiet, don't talk about your charge or your co-defendants and always look them in the eye when talking. No one wants to stay any longer than they have to so, most if not all are not looking to catch another charge and adding to the sentence. BUT, If there is anything of a
Read moreState prison is for all persons prosecuted and convicted by the District Attorney of a particular county within a state. These charges can range from simple theft to rape and murder. Therefore, there is a wide range of inmates in state prisons. They are assigned housing based on the crime, length of sentence, and previous criminal history. State time has hardships that fed time doesn't because of budget differences. For instance, Florida and Texas prisons do not have air conditioning.
Read moreThis depends on their custody level and the security level at the facility they are incarcerated in. Minimum security, there are no cells, you live in a barracks setting where there are 100 people in one large room and you are only there to sleep and count times. Low security, there are 2-3 man cells. They are given recreation time outside their cells for more than 10 hours a day. Medium security, there are 1-2 man cells. They
Read moreCamp is the easiest time to do, but make no mistake it is still a federal prison. But, there are no cells, no bars, no fences to speak of. The inmates live in barracks-type dormitories where there are rows of bunk beds each separated by lockers. In Miami camp (where I was for over 5 years), there are four buildings that hold 100 inmates in each building. All inmates must have a job. It's not backbreaking work, but mainly support service
Read moreIf you can survive prison, you will be changed forever. The direction of that change is completely up to the person. There must be a willingness on their part to make the necessary changes in their habits, their thinking, and what they really want in life. It's an uphill battle for sure, but victory is attainable.
Read morehe can ask to be placed in protective custody. it is extreme because it is essentially solitary confinement for his own protection.
Read moreThe Ellen Halbert Unit is a female substance abuse treatment and in-prison therapeutic community facility operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) located in Burnet TX. Halbert has the capacity to house about 600 women inmates. Programs at this facility are focused on drug and alcohol rehabilitation, as Halbert Unit is classified as a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility. Female inmates who are habitual DWI offenders will be sent here to undergo the recovery program. Support groups such as Narcotics and
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