With more than 80,000 people entering federal prison each year, and more than that awaiting trial or sentencing, is it any wonder that there are many first-time offenders who are anxious and full of questions and doubts?
You may be wondering:
• What will the Federal Prison be like?
• Will I be safe?
• What should I do to prepare?
I spent more than five years in federal prison, and from my experience, I want to share with you what actions you can take NOW, before going to jail, that will help your transition from the outer world to the inner life.
1) Power of attorney
The first thing to do is choose someone, usually a family member or close friend, and give them power of attorney over your affairs. This person can make decisions for you while you are in prison.
Things like calling creditors and managing bank accounts on your behalf, selling items / properties in your name, etc. This is really important and very easy. You fill out a simple form, have the selected person accompany you to a notary public, and you both sign.
2) Create a will
The second thing to do, if you haven’t already done so, is create a simple will and, again, notarize it. Don’t panic, I’m not suggesting that you can’t get out of prison alive, however it is very important to have a will in case something happens to you in prison. One place to find the necessary forms inexpensively is US Legal Forms Find them at: http://www.uslegalforms.com.
3) Accumulated cash
Another important action to take is to store some cash that you can use during your time in prison to purchase some of the necessary items, such as food, clothing, stamps, emails, and phone calls through your police station account.
Keep in mind that you will want between $ 1,000 and $ 2,000 of spending money for each year you spend in prison. Use this as your guide.
4) Talk to your employer
Wherever you work, it’s also important to talk to your employer about the possibility of you coming back when you leave. Nothing feels better than getting out of prison knowing you have a job waiting for you.
5) Prepare yourself mentally
Another suggestion I have for you is that you start mentally preparing yourself for your transition from freedom to prison. There is a wonderful book that you should consider reading, even if you take it out of the library. It’s called: We’re All Doing Time: A Guide to Break Free by Bo Lozoff. Another is Man’s Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankel.
Both books will give you insight into how to manage mentally, physically, and emotionally while incarcerated.
Conclution
The key to surviving and thriving in prison is being proactive – take action now to make sure your time inside is as smooth and easy as possible. Following these five steps will help you feel less anxious because you have prepared yourself for a smooth transition.