Will anyone want to read about how I spend one day in prison, from the moment my eyes open until I close them again to sleep? I hope so. Today I finished one of the final edits of a new manuscript that describes my 8,344th day. It was not an extraordinary day, but a typical [...]
Today’s blog is from Carole I frequently hear from people who write to gripe about “all the privileges” prisoners have. They send messages through e-mail and leave comments on Michael’s published articles and blogs. Their perceptions are terribly inaccurate. The derogatory messages used to upset me, but after nearly a decade I’ve come to realize that Americans’ misperceptions about prisons [...]
I have numerous insights about growing through prison that I would like to share with newer prisoners. One of those lessons concerns contraband. In the beginning, men surrender to camp with all kinds of resolutions about not breaking any prison rules. Then a few months pass by and they become comfortably numb, forgetting where they [...]
It’s easy for a man to say he’s going to change his life in positive ways upon imprisonment. Really changing, though, is something else. Positive change does not happen by accident. It is a personal choice that requires the right attitude, commitment, and discipline. Anicasio Muñoz (who goes by Nick), didn’t begin his term with the intention of changing [...]
Today I heard of a new federal prison that is about to open in the small town of Mendota, California. The medium-security federal correctional institution will confine more than 1,100 people and another 100 prisoners will serve time in an adjacent minimum-security camp. FCI Mendota, from my understanding, is west of Fresno in a farming [...]
Alex O posted a wonderful comment on an article I wrote that I titled They’re Prison Guards, Not Correctional Officers. I’ve written so many articles over the years that I can’t remember every sentence, but I remember writing that article because a reader once berated me for not respecting prison guards by calling them correctional [...]
I recently received an inquiry from the family member of another prisoner who wanted me to recommend reading material that would help newly-released prisoners. Specifically, the family member requested that I recommend literature that might help an individual overcome the challenges awaiting his release. People who don’t have experience living in prison for several years [...]
Last Thursday I participated in an inmate-advisory meeting that included several other prisoners, Associate Warden Wofford, and Case Manager Oliver. This new group is called the Quality of Life Group, and we’ll meet together once every month. Our first meeting went well; both AW Wofford and Ms. Oliver responded to suggestions with interest. The group participants provide [...]
I spent most of the day working on the front material for my new manuscript, My 8,344th Day in Prison, a book in which I describe a typical day for me at this stage of my journey. Yesterday I gave the manuscript my first full edit and I sent out the package for Carole to update. The [...]
Guards took Art to the hole (SHU) today. They caught him cutting in line in the chow hall. I was surprised to hear that Art would be so foolish; he’s been at Taft Camp for longer than two years and, frankly, should have known better. I expect that he will serve between two and three [...]
