How Do I Define Success in Prison?

I’ve been in the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Florence, Colorado for two weeks. The rules are counter-intuitive but simple enough to follow once learned. The Correctional Officers (COs) provide little guidance. The best source of information on how things work is other inmates.

It is time to implement my plan for success in prison. I am thankful I had five weeks to prepare before I self-surrendered to the FPC, and I can measure the likelihood of success now that I’m here. Originally, I made a promise to remain upbeat and positive. I cannot change the fact that I’m in prison, but I can conquer the experience with positivity. It will show through in my interactions with administrators, COs, other inmates, and my wife when I call and write home.

My plan of attack is to take part in First Step Act (FSA) classes and earn credit towards time off my sentence. Next, it’s learning to be a model prisoner and with no mistakes, I can earn fifteen days off my stretch per month. The opportunity is genuine and requires one thing - don’t get into trouble. Simple enough, I think.

Of course, I’ve learned that a significant part of this experience at this camp is working. I am waiting for my medical clearance to get a prison job. The rule is straightforward - everyone works at the camp. Okay, I will do my job and earn FSA credit to shorten my sentence. Simple enough. I stand a chance to come home much earlier than expected.

The question remains, “How Do I Define Success in Prison?” Let me tackle it directly. My goal has never changed and remains uppermost in my mind. I want to save my marriage. That is the number one objective I have while at FPC. The resources I am employing are daily writing and weekly phone calls. I avoid complaining and blaming, I take responsibility for my thoughts and actions, and focus only on the positive. I believe my darling wife carries the hardest part of the prison experience. It is not fair but must be dealt with constructively and creatively.

The writing has included the expected love letters, and in addition, we pick a book to read and I write a book report each week. We compare notes on the phone. We stay connected and learn something new about ourselves. It is part of maintaining our relationship while apart.

The phone calls are limited to fifteen minutes and monitored, but it’s the only game in town at the camp. So we adapt and use the tools available to keep our marriage alive. An important part of the prison experience is to come back home better than before. But how?

My wife and I joked before I surrendered that this would be the Fed Club Fat Farm, and now that I’m here, it is a terrific idea. This is the opportunity for me to lose weight. When the FPC track is available, I walk five miles per day. My wife will be proud of me when I return home lighter, clean, and sober.

I will keep a daily journal and email home to share with my wife. We want to stay connected and grow as a couple. We can use this experience for this purpose. My journaling efforts keep us together.

I am never fooled by the tough job my lovely wife is caring for our household. She is doing the heavy lifting, and my job is to use every opportunity to return home at the earliest possible time. This has been our mission by design since the beginning, and now that I’m at the camp, I will execute our plan immediately. Follow along with our progress and learn how we save our marriage.