Control at Pensacola Federal Prison Camp
While driving to my daughter’s school yesterday for a Halloween parade, I received a call. The gentlemen on the other side of the phone was a former insurance broker. He had just been released from Pensacola Federal Prison Camp. After pleading guilty to insurance and wire fraud he was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison.
Pensacola Federal Prison Camp
For the better part of 11 minutes, I listened as he talked about his experience through Pensacola Federal Prison Camp.
I was sympathetic to his situation. What frustrated me was his description of life in federal prison. He spoke frequently about his frustrations with staff and other prisoners. Then he lamented that 300 monthly phone minutes was not enough and he should’ve been able to visit in federal prison more frequently. He continued that he found the food in federal prison to be terrible. He also expected staff to be more accommodating to his educational requests.
“You seem upset about issues you cannot control. Walk me through how you handled issues you could control?” I asked.
“You are helpless in that environment. I didn’t break the rules, didn’t use an iPhone like so many others and I did my job. Was I rewarded? No. What a waste of time. You should hire me as a prison consultant to tell people what federal prison is really like,” he went on.
In time I believe this white collar defendant will recognize the opportunity he squandered at Pensacola federal prison camp. I have no question that upon his surrender to federal prison he began associating with people who helped him buy into the myth that there is nothing one can do in a federal prison camp.
Because of that poor initial adjustment in federal prison, he created some bad habits and routines that in the end proved too difficult to break. In my experience, and more importantly to the experience of our federal prison consulting clients, a successful federal prison routine demands focusing on what one can control. Federal prisoners can control their attitude, what time they wake, how they choose to communicate with their family and much more we write about in our books and courses.
Prison consulting clients of ours can control the gratitude and appreciation they feel for all that they have left, rather than obsess about all they’ve lost or what is out of their control.
Pensacola Federal Prison Camp
Had I spoken with this white collar defendant before his surrender to Pensacola Federal Prison Camp, I would’ve expressed these same thoughts to him. But even if I did, there is no guarantee he would’ve followed my lead. Our team has the process and the experience to help, but the onus is on the defendant to implement the plan.
Still, I wish I had the chance to help him before he surrendered to Pensacola Federal Prison Camp. Now because of the time he wasted in federal prison his adjustment to life on federal probation will be harder than it should be for him and his family.
Justin Paperny
P.S. If you are after a different adjustment in federal prison, schedule a call here.
I couldn’t agree more. Maintaining a positive attitude, regardless of your situation, is vital in succeeding. A prison sentence can be an opportunity to reevaluate and redirect your life. Take advantage of Justin’s advice and experience.
How do you get that through at 18 yrs old the District Attorney failed to remove warrants from record so instead of spending 6 months in shock camp, he ended up spending 3 yrears in a medium correction facility. Now he is out and has ptsd and has broke the law again (no surprise). Now with ptsd and counseling that are 1 a month(ridiculous) my son is literally losing his mind know he is going back in to prison. Where do we get the help he needs?? It is very sad that no one cares.
I’ll add that from my time in prison, I didn’t really see programs that were beneficial to inmates’ recovery. The drug program RADAP was ongoing, though their no proof the philosophy will work for those in need. In my opinion, the federal prisons spend the money given to them on staff raises and overstaffing. Where are inmates supposed to get the help they need, because the federal system to rehabilitate – at FPC Pensacola – is non-existent.