Mendota 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

• ✓Easier to build relationships with staff — case managers and counselors are more likely to know you personally, which can help with halfway house and home confinement recommendations
• ✓Shorter lines for commissary, phones, sick call, and laundry — daily logistics have less friction
• ✓Fewer interpersonal conflicts — smaller populations generally mean a calmer, more predictable environment
• ✓More structured environment — staff can maintain closer oversight, which often means clearer expectations and fewer surprises

Cons

• ✗Fewer program options — vocational training, education, and RDAP slots may be limited, and waitlists can be unpredictable
• ✗Less anonymity — staff and other people know your business, which can feel suffocating
• ✗Limited work assignments — fewer UNICOR slots and job options mean less flexibility in how you spend your time
• ✗Disciplinary issues are more visible — any problems stand out quickly in a smaller population