Wesley Snipes -- Some Advice On Going to Prison - Forbes

Actor Wesley Snipes is scheduled to report on December 9thto the Federal Correctional Institute McKean in Lewis Run, PA. Not a place you want to be checking into around the holidays…or any time for that matter.

While Snipes has a lot on his mind, there are things that go through one’s mind prior to going to prison that few think of…so I’ll give you some insight:

1) What to wear on Prison Day? Snipes should hit WalMart and buy some gray sweat pants and a gray sweatshirt (no logo or print). He might even pickup a cheap Timex runner’s watch. Chances are the Bureau of Prisons will allow these clothes on the “inside”. Some folks show up in their best duds (don’t know who they are trying to impress), which are taken away and sent home in a box. Not a pretty sight for those still at home.

2) What about my pets? Whereas a spouse or children have an ability to care for themselves or have others check in, pets are a different story. You can’t in good conscience drop the dog or cat off at the pound for fear of them facing a death sentence as a result of your own felony. Find a good friend to keep Fido until you get home…hopefully he will remember you. If you have fish, well they are not as fortunate.

3) Who is going to provide the ride to prison? Since there is no long term parking at the prison, Snipes will have to get a one way ride. A limousine is tacky but a good friend should do the trick. You can talk about old times and your driver can relay back to the family that you were in good spirits when you left the vehicle (or they can lie in the event you weren’t).

4) How do I let people know I arrived okay? I don’t know about you but when I go on a long trip, my family and friends want to know that I made it to my destination safely….even if the destination is prison! The administrative people at the prison will usually let you make a phone call once you are all checked in. After that, you will have to get a phone account set up with a limited number of minutes to call friends and family each month….Con Telephone!

5) What to do on the first day in prison? Snipes has put off going to prison for a while for one simple reason….he’s scared! Everyone cries on the first night and the other inmates are pretty understanding of this ritual. You don’t eat much and the shock of prison is so overwhelming that the first moments haunt you for years. The smell, the fear and the noise all make an indelible mark on one’s soul. The best advice is to stay to one’s self, and learn from the other inmates. They have all been in the same situation and are more helpful than the prison staff at making you feel welcome.

In time, Snipes will emerge from prison and the media will be all over him to tell them “what it was like”. The truth is that it is one day of terrible shock followed by a few years of boredom. Snipes will tell us all the same thing a few years from now.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterpavlo/2010/12/07/wesley-snipes-some-advice-on-going-to-prison/