Support through Sentencing

Why Support Matters

Last week I sat in a sentencing hearing for Matt Bowyer. The courtroom was full, and an overflow room held more people. The judge paused to say it was rare to see that much support for someone at sentencing. That comment mattered. It showed how what you do from the first days of an investigation can change how the Court reads the person standing for sentence.

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What Matt Did—and Why It Works

Support does not happen by accident. Matt started the day he learned he was a target. He looked at his life, wrote honestly about how his decisions led there, and began documenting what would change. He published Recalibrate and made his plan public. By the time he reached sentencing, the work was visible and so was the network that believed in him. His guideline exposure reached about five years. The court imposed 12 months and a day. One outcome doesn’t set a template, but the lesson is clear: a steady record and a credible network can positively influence how the Court reads a case.

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Start With the Person at the Center

Family support helps, but the work begins with you. Write in plain language what led you here and what will be different now. Align your days with that statement. Invite people who know you to hold you accountable. The court can tell the difference between a record built over months and a packet assembled in the final weeks.

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Build Specific Character Letters

Character letters carry weight when they come from people giving authentic descriptions of their relationship with you. 

• Who writes: employers or supervisors, teachers, coaches, faith leaders, mentors, neighbors, and family who have known you over time.
  
  
• What belongs: how the writer knows you and for how long; concrete examples (showed up for difficult shifts, cared for a parent every week, led a youth program for two years); acknowledgment of the offense without excuses; observations of current effort and belief in future contribution; the writer’s contact information.
  
  
• What to avoid: legal arguments and sentencing recommendations. That belongs in counsel’s memorandum.

Start early so there is time to review for clarity and completeness.

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Make the record visible

Start now and keep it public. Write a plain biography that owns what happened and explains what will change. Post dated journal entries that show steady effort. Read and submit book reports that turn lessons into actions. Draft a short release plan with concrete steps for work, education, and family responsibilities. Gather specific letters from people who have seen your current conduct. Use your Profile to post each piece so counsel and the court can verify the work without guessing.

When I transitioned to a halfway house after 25 years, I brought a body of work—books, offers to work, and letters of support. That record led to more liberty than expected. On supervised release, the same record earned broad travel approval and space to build honest businesses. Documentation made the difference.

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Make Participation Real, Not Performative

Judges and probation officers look for work that shows discipline over time.

• Treatment when relevant (substance use or mental health) with dated attendance logs.
• Education and skills (GED, college, industry certificates, trades) with transcripts and certificates.
• Service (faith-based or community) with hour logs and supervisor confirmations.

Consistency over months reads differently from a late surge. Date everything as you go.

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Profiles: Publish Proof of Preparation

Use the Profiles platform on PrisonProfessors.org to show your progress—not just talk about it.

• Biography — Show your life story beyond the conviction; explain the direction you’re building toward.
• Journals — Record reflections and lessons learned; date the entries so progress is clear.
• Book Reports — Demonstrate consistent study and growth by explaining why you chose a book, what you learned, and how you’re applying it.
• Release Plan — Outline near-term goals for housing, work, and community contribution.
• Testimonials — Collect short statements from people who have watched your work and can speak to your character.

Invite a family member to act as a Profile partner so the record stays current while you focus on the day’s work.

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Key Takeaways

• Support that starts early and stays steady changes how a court reads a person at sentencing.
• Letters work when they are specific, honest, and written by people with a real vantage point.
• Program participation is about cadence over months, not last-minute activity.
• Organized documentation—built as you go—turns claims into evidence.
• Family can lower noise so the person can prepare. Courts notice who helps.
• You don’t need to hire a consultant; learn, work, and publish your progress in a Profile.

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Self-Directed Exercise

• Your network: If a judge walked into your hearing today, who would be in the room and what would each person say they’ve seen you do? Write their names and the specific conduct they could describe.
  
  
• Your record: Open your file. In one page, list what you can prove you did in the last 60 days (dates, documents). What is missing that you will add this month?
  
  

Your statement: Draft the first two paragraphs of your sentencing statement in plain language—what led here, what has changed, what work you will keep doing—and post it to your Profile.