White Collar Advice Blog
How One Defendant Avoided Charges—And Why I Didn’t
On April 28, 2005, two FBI agents knocked on my door in Studio City. I wasn’t ready. I thought I could wing
Why Most People Waste Their Sentence—and What Montaigne Would Tell Them to Do Instead
I watched it happen over and over at Taft Federal Prison Camp: people arrived anxious, made a few calls home, got their
7 Components of a Credible Release Plan
This one-page guide helps you prepare a persuasive release plan aligned with the May 28, 2025 BOP directive. Your file—not the policy—determines
The BOP Memo on Home Confinement: Why the File—Not the Policy—Determines Who Goes Home
This webinar reflects the insight we’ve shared in dozens of posts, webinars, and training calls—including five recent blogs on the subject. All
Why the BOP Should Close Camps and Expand Home Confinement
I’ve lost count of how many people have told me they earned their time credits, stayed out of trouble, completed their programs,
Why the BOP Memo Reflects a Shift Michael Santos Saw Coming 10 Years Ago
The new directive, signed by Director William Marshall III, instructs case managers to prioritize home confinement for individuals who qualify under the
The White Collar Advice blog helps people under investigation or facing federal sentencing understand the system, avoid mistakes that lead to longer sentences or tougher prison placements, and prepare for prison and reentry.
People under federal investigation, facing sentencing, or preparing for prison who want to build a documented record that shows they are different from the government’s one-sided version of events. Family members who want to understand the process and help a loved one prepare should read it too.
Yes. The blog is based on the combined experience of our team at White Collar Advice, including my time in the system, Michael Santos’s 26 years in federal prison, and the work we’ve done with thousands of people going through investigations, sentencing, and reentry. Everything comes from what we’ve seen and documented over many years.
These blogs teach you how to create assets that do not currently exist to influence cynical stakeholders, like a Federal Judge or Probation Officer.