Coleman Medium FCI

Pre-Surrender Checklist

• •Bring your contact list and release plan
• •Close out work and professional obligations
• •Set up power of attorney and financial access
• •Handle all medical preparations
• •Choose one primary point of contact
• •Prepare your family for phone and visitation limits
• •Pack only what the facility allows
• •Arrange transportation and surrender details
• •Form a reading list before you arrive
• •Know which programs are actually offered

Helpful Resources

Pros

• ✓More programs, more UNICOR slots, more work assignments — you have options, and options matter when building a case for early release and earning First Step Act credits
• ✓More anonymity — in a bigger population, you can find your circle, keep your head down, and move through your sentence with more privacy
• ✓Better facility infrastructure — larger institutions tend to have more recreation options, better libraries, and more comprehensive medical services
• ✓Easier for families to visit — larger facilities tend to be near bigger cities with better airport and hotel access

Cons

• ✗Longer wait times for everything — commissary, phones, medical, laundry, and program enrollment all take longer when thousands of people are competing for the same resources
• ✗Program waitlists can stretch months — RDAP in particular can have significant delays at high-population facilities
• ✗More interpersonal conflict — more people means more personalities, more tension, and more situations you need to navigate carefully
• ✗Staff may not know you personally, which can work against you when it comes to halfway house recommendations or resolving issues quickly