I know going to prison is not easy. But here is the truth nobody wants to hear: coming home from federal prison is harder.
GOING TO FEDERAL PRISON? USE OUR NEW CALCULATOR TO ESTIMATE HOW LONG YOU WILL SERVE
Earlier this week, while I was preparing a presentation for the Navy about overcoming the lifelong collateral consequences of a felony conviction, I received a text message. It was from a former executive, home from a federal camp, and his message was blunt: “F, man. Prison was easier compared to this.”
This is someone working a job he feels is beneath him. His probation officer is breathing down his neck about restitution payments. He owes millions and wonders what the point is of making a $100 payment. He was not ready. He did not prepare. And now he is struggling in ways he never anticipated.
The Hardest Part Isn’t Always Prison—It’s Coming Home
When people reach out to me through YouTube videos or our website, the question is almost always the same: “How long will I serve?” My answer is always the same: I do not know. You can get an A. You can get a D. You can get an F.
But here is what I do know. The fixation with getting out of prison misses the bigger picture. I had a client once with a 90-day sentence. He wanted to know how to get out earlier. I told him straight: “We will get you home earlier, but we are really preparing for life after prison.” And that preparation made all the difference for the rest of his life.
A Tale of Two Returns
Let me share two very different stories about coming home from federal prison that illustrate everything I am trying to convey.
The first is that executive I mentioned. When I asked what he did all day in prison, you know what he said? Pickleball. He played pickleball, hurt his leg, and lay there for three hours because that is what happens at a camp—nobody picks you up.
He had no plan. He built nothing. He created no assets. Now his probation officer will not approve the work he wants to do. He would rather be back in the cushy camp.
The second story is Dr. Kirby Perault. Sixteen months, home in five. When he came home, his probation officer approved his job because of his documented progress and work with Prison Professors.
Why Earned Time Credits Are Only Part of the Equation
Yes, understanding earned time credits matters. We have been working on a calculator to help people estimate their release dates factoring in good time, First Step Act credits, and the drug program. On a 40-month sentence, you get 54 days a year of good time. With earned time credits, you could potentially serve significantly less.
But here is what Toni on our team—who was recently released from prison—reminds us constantly: if you are doing the work and staying out of trouble, you will continue earning credits. But they can take those credits away. Temporarily or permanently.
I think about Sean in our community. He went to the hole for 99 days because someone else in his unit had an iPhone. They punish everyone. He sat there not earning credits for something that was not his fault. That is prison.
Understanding the New Earned Time Credits Calculator
Our new calculator factors in several variables. When you have a sentence of 18 months or more, you have a team meeting every six months. You start earning at 10 days a month, then move to 15 days a month after your team meeting, capped at one year.
But the calculator does not factor in halfway house or home confinement time. That is subjective. Some people on a 40-month sentence get three months in the community. Some get ten. Your goal is to develop a comprehensive record that puts you in the best position to engineer an A—not just on credits, but on everything.
Coming Home From Federal Prison Prepared vs. Unprepared
Here is the difference between a D and an A in federal prison. A D means you get your credits and keep your good time. You can watch TV all day, do the minimum, and come home. The problem is what happens next.
An A means you built something. You created assets. You developed skills. You positioned yourself not just for earlier release, but for a successful return.
The Executive Who Wished He Was Back Inside
That executive who texted me? He could not articulate what he did in prison beyond pickleball. He could not influence his probation officer because he had nothing to show. No plan. No documentation. No evidence of progress.
When I told him all work is honorable, he pushed back. But the reality is what Michael Santos told me years ago: it is part of the journey. What you are doing today is honorable if you are working lawfully. In time, it can become better—not through happy talk, but by developing new skills. And in his case, that starts with owning why he went to prison.
Federal Prison Release Planning Starts Inside
The charities affiliated with our work are in every federal prison. Michael Santos visits prisons implementing programs and doing work that aligns with exactly what the Bureau of Prisons wants to see.
This is not about gaming the system. It is about creating assets that demonstrate change. And those assets serve multiple purposes. They can help influence a case manager to release you earlier. They can help persuade a probation officer to approve your job. They position you for success years down the road.
Building Assets That Matter
I read a book recently with my daughter called Mona’s Eyes. It is about a ten-year-old girl who temporarily loses her eyesight. Her grandfather takes her to museums every week to study famous paintings—the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo, everything. The lesson? If you lose your eyes, you will always have the memory of seeing these beautiful paintings.
The takeaway for our community is this: you need a steady routine every single week. What are you doing? What are you holding yourself accountable to? What are you creating and writing? What are you building that might influence someone down the line?
Maybe it is a timeline. Drafting your narrative. Character reference letters. Attending Alcoholics Anonymous or Gamblers Anonymous meetings. Whatever it is, you need something you can defend and put in front of people.
Because the work you do today might not help you for months or years. But someone in our community sent this message recently: “The years are here now, and I am glad I did the work way back then, when today seemed so far away.”
The Probation Interview: Your First Test After Coming Home From Federal Prison
Your probation interview is one of the most important conversations you will have. The probation officer is going to recommend how long you should serve. So what you do in that interview matters enormously.
If you pled guilty, open with this: “I accept full responsibility for my conduct. I blame no one but myself. Here is what I have been doing to make amends—not through talk, through action.”
What Probation Officers Actually Want to See
Probation officers want to see a vision of why you are a candidate for leniency. They want background information—where you are from, how you were raised, what your parents did. They want to know what you have been doing while out on pretrial. They want to understand your plans moving forward.
If there are victims in your case, you identify with victims. You share what you have learned. You demonstrate growth through documentation, not just words.
Here is something important: get your narrative into the probation report. The judge at sentencing reads that report. And judges have told us they want to learn something new that was not already in the PSR. So between the probation report and sentencing, you continue to build. You create new material. You add it to your sentencing memorandum.
This is how you have an impactful 90-minute interview instead of a forgettable 15-minute one.
Family Support: The Factor Nobody Talks About
Art Beeler, a retired warden who participates in our webinars, made a point that deserves attention. The best thing families can do is help their loved ones stay positive. Positivity is not easy in prison—he is the first to acknowledge that.
But having a positive attitude about what you can do makes all the difference. And if someone in prison thinks their family is no longer supporting them? Art has picked up countless people devastated by that loss. From minimum security all the way to maximum security, losing family support destroys people.
I also want to acknowledge the arbitrary nature of the system. Mary, whose father is at Thompson Camp in Illinois, shared that 50 pictures were thrown away because they arrived in manila envelopes instead of white envelopes. Valentine’s Day cards in red envelopes? Thrown away.
Someone did something wrong at her father’s facility—they do not even know what—and now the entire unit lost privileges to go outside for 30 days. Commissary spend limited to $50. Emails limited to three per day instead of unlimited.
Her father’s response? “I am going to put my head down, write my book reports, and get through it.”
That is the mindset that matters.
Coming Home From Federal Prison Successfully: The Bottom Line
I cannot guarantee anyone an earlier release. That would be dishonest. If someone promises you that, run the other way. I recently filmed a video about a woman who was scammed for $30,000 by someone claiming they could get her loved one a pardon. Stolen from. No path to recovery.
What I can tell you is this: the work you do today—whether you are preparing for prison, inside prison, or coming home from federal prison—shapes everything that follows.
You do not create, you have nothing.
Think about the 10-10-10 framework. How will this decision affect you in 10 minutes? In 10 months? In 10 years? Federal prison release planning is not just about getting out. It is about what happens for the rest of your life.
The calculator we built estimates time served. But serving time is not the point. The point is coming home from federal prison ready to rebuild. Ready to thrive. Ready to show a probation officer, an employer, and yourself that you did not waste your time inside.
That executive texting me about preferring prison? His family is watching. Everyone’s family is watching.
The choice between a D and an A is yours to make. Choose wisely.
Best,
Justin Paperny
About the author! Justin Paperny (hey, I’m writing about myself in the third person!) is an ethics and compliance speaker and founder of White Collar Advice, a national crisis management firm that prepares individuals and companies for government investigations, sentencing, and prison. He is the author of Lessons From Prison, Ethics in Motion, and the upcoming After the Fall. His work has been featured on Dr. Phil, Netflix, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.
FAQs
What is the hardest part about coming home from federal prison?
Most people find that coming home from federal prison is actually harder than serving time. You face employment challenges, probation requirements, restitution payments, and rebuilding relationships—all while carrying the stigma of a felony conviction. Those who prepare while incarcerated have significantly better outcomes than those who do not.
How do earned time credits work in federal prison?
Earned time credits under the First Step Act allow eligible inmates to earn 10 to 15 days per month toward early release. You start at 10 days per month and progress to 15 days after team meetings. However, credits can be taken away for misconduct, even for actions you did not commit if others in your unit violate rules.
Can I get my job approved by my probation officer after release?
Yes, probation officer job approval is possible if you build a compelling case. This means creating documentation of your plans, demonstrating productive use of time in prison, and presenting a clear vision for your career. People who build assets and release plans have much higher approval rates for preferred employment.
How long will I actually serve on a federal sentence?
Actual time served depends on multiple factors including good time (54 days per year), earned time credits, RDAP completion (up to one year off), and halfway house placement. A 40-month sentence could result in significantly less time in custody, but behavior and preparation affect outcomes dramatically.
What should I do in my federal probation interview?
Start by accepting full responsibility and blaming no one but yourself. Share what you have been doing to make amends through action, not just words. Bring documentation of your background, your activities while awaiting sentencing, and your plans moving forward. Getting your narrative into the probation report helps the judge see your preparation.
How can I prepare for coming home from federal prison while still incarcerated?
Build assets every single day. Write your narrative. Document your activities. Take educational courses. Get involved with recognized programs. Create a release plan that addresses employment, housing, and restitution. The work you do inside directly impacts probation officer decisions and your ability to rebuild outside.
What happens if someone else breaks the rules and I lose my privileges?
Unfortunately, collective punishment is common in federal prison. One person with a contraband phone can send an entire unit to the SHU. Your credits can be paused even when you did nothing wrong. This is why maintaining a strong record and documented positive behavior matters—it helps your case even when circumstances are unfair.
Is federal prison release planning really that important for short sentences?
Yes. Even on a 90-day sentence, preparation matters. The sentence itself is just a timeout. What matters is the rest of your life—your employment, your relationships, your ability to move past your conviction. Those who prepare during even short sentences consistently report better outcomes than those who simply wait out their time.
