You’ve been sentenced. The judge has spoken. You know where you’re going, for how long, and now you’re in that strange in-between stage—waiting for the surrender date, cycling between panic and numbness. You tell yourself, I’ll deal with it when I get there.
Let me stop you right there.
That’s the same thinking that landed you in this situation—hoping things will just work out, assuming that the system will be fair, or worse, believing that since your sentence is already determined, there’s nothing more you can do.
I hear it all the time:
- “Who cares about a release plan? I’ll worry about that later.”
- “No one’s going to read it.”
- “I’ll just do my time and figure it out as I go.”
- “The system is rigged. Case managers don’t care.”
You’re right about one thing: the system is built to move people through as efficiently as possible. Case managers have one job—keep the machine running smoothly. You’re a file on their desk, one of hundreds. Their priority is not your early release, your halfway house placement, or your transition home. Their priority is keeping their job, following the rules, and checking the right boxes.
So why should you care? Because the only person who can advocate for your release is you. And without a homecoming strategy, you’re just another name in the stack—another guy hoping things will magically work out.
The Harsh Truth: No Plan, Little Halfway House
Let’s get straight to the numbers. The maximum halfway house placement under the First Step Act is 12 months. Most people assume they’ll get at least six. Wrong.
Case managers don’t hand out 12-month placements just because you ask. They approve people who make their lives easier. That means:
- You have a documented release plan that aligns with what they want to see.
- You can prove—on paper—why you’re less of a risk and more of an asset.
Here’s what happens when you show up without a homecoming strategy:
- Your case manager skims your file, sees nothing of note, and marks you down for 3-4 months in the halfway house (or less).
- You protest, thinking your “clean conduct or doing programming” will earn you more time. It won’t.
- You watch other people get 9, 10, 12 months while you sit there wondering why you’re getting out so late.
It’s not about fairness. It’s about preparation.
Never forget these are cynical people.
The Antithesis: “This Won’t Work”
Some people will read this and scoff:
- “It doesn’t matter. The BOP does what it wants.”
- “Case managers don’t read this stuff.”
- “I know a guy who got 12 months without doing anything.”
Let’s address these one by one.
“The BOP does what it wants.”
Yes and no. The system is arbitrary, bureaucratic, and frustrating. But within that bureaucracy, decisions have to be justified. A case manager can’t just say, “I like this guy, let’s give him a year.” They need something documented to support their decision. That’s where your release plan comes in.
“Case managers don’t read this stuff.”
Most don’t—unless you make it impossible to ignore. The ones who do read it are looking for clear, actionable steps. A one-page rant about how unfair your sentence is? Trash. A structured, well-thought-out homecoming strategy showing housing, employment, financial stability, and community support? That gets noticed.
“I know a guy who got 12 months without doing anything.”
Sure, and I know a guy who played scratch-offs and won a million dollars. (I really do his name was Warren; he blew all the money). That’s luck, not strategy. Do you want to gamble with your release date, or do you want to control what you can?
What a Good Release Plan Includes
A strong release plan isn’t just a wishlist. It’s a strategy. Here’s what yours needs:
1. Housing
Where are you going when you leave? Don’t just say “home.” Spell it out:
- Address
- Who lives there
- How you’ll contribute to the household
- Proof that you have a stable, crime-free environment
If you don’t have solid housing, expect a shorter halfway house placement—because they assume you’re a risk.
2. Employment
The biggest factor in early release approvals. No job? No extended halfway house.
- Do you have a written job offer?
- Are you self-employed? Show proof of income.
- Planning to start a business? Document the plan, not just ideas.
Your case manager doesn’t care about your dreams. They care about paperwork that makes them look good for approving you. Jon Gustin, former Director of halfway houses for the BOP told us, “they are concerned with their self interest. Are you a good bet?”
3. Financial Stability
Can you support yourself? If your plan is “figure it out when I get out,” you’re going to get the bare minimum halfway house time. Show a budget, proof of financial backing, plans to pay restitution—anything that proves you are a good bet for more and not less halfway house time.
4. Community Ties & Accountability
Who will keep you on track? Judges love to see community support. So do case managers.
- Letters from mentors, business contacts, or religious leaders
- Plans to engage in volunteer work
- Proof that you’re already working on life after prison before you even step foot in prison
Everything I’m Asking You to Do, I Did, Our Entire Team Did
This isn’t theory. Everything I’m asking you to do, I did. Everything I’m asking you to do, Michael Santos did—starting in 1987.
We didn’t get through this by crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. We built a homecoming strategy. We documented it. We followed through. That’s what made the difference.
And let me be clear: you are not just doing this to get out of prison earlier. You are not just doing this to get more time in the halfway house. You are doing this to prove that this experience has made you stronger, that you can take a punch and rebuild. You are doing this to show that you learned something, that you can turn this into an asset, that you are more than the worst decision you made.
This Is Not Just Throwing Words on Paper
You might be thinking, Fine, I’ll write something up.
Wrong. This is not about throwing words on a page.
Go read my first blog. That blog wasn’t impactful because of the words—I laid out a vision of who I would be moving forward. The path forward, the follow-through, made the difference.
What vision are you laying out today? Tracii laid out a vision and get 12 months in the halfway house–her success was not by accident.
The Alternative: Doing Nothing
Let’s say you ignore all of this. You surrender, serve your time, and just hope for the best. Here’s what happens:
- You get the standard 3-4 months of halfway house.
- You struggle to find a job because you didn’t plan ahead.
- You get to the halfway house and wish you were back in prison because they did not approve your job.
- You burn through savings because you’re playing catch-up.
- You show up to probation meetings with nothing to show for yourself.
- You spend the next years dealing with consequences you could have prepared for.
Contrast that with the guy who built assets while in prison, avoided non sense, documented his growth, secured a job offer, showed financial stability, and lined up a network of support. That guy gets priority.
Who Do You Want to Be?
At this point, you have a choice. You can be the guy who shrugs and says, It is what it is, or you can be the guy who takes control of what’s still within reach.
Your sentence is a fact. Your release date is still negotiable. The only question is whether you’ll do what it takes to make the most of it.
Most people won’t.
Will you?
Justin Paperny
