Integrity and Trust

What Is Integrity?

Integrity means wholeness—when your values, words, and actions are aligned. A person of integrity says what they believe and does what they say. There is no gap between their public and private behavior.

Integrity is the foundation that supports everything else in this course. Without integrity, goals become empty, relationships fail, and success is hollow. With integrity, you build a life that you—and others—can trust.

The Components of Integrity

• Honesty: Speaking truthfully, even when it's difficult
• Reliability: Doing what you say you will do
• Accountability: Taking responsibility for your actions
• Consistency: Behaving the same way whether observed or not
• Values-Aligned: Acting according to your principles

Integrity Builds Trust

Trust is earned through consistent integrity over time. Every time you:

• Keep a promise, trust grows
• Tell the truth, trust grows
• Take responsibility, trust grows
• Act consistently with your values, trust grows

Conversely, each violation of integrity damages trust—sometimes irreparably. For people with criminal histories, rebuilding trust is essential. It requires a sustained track record of integrity.

Integrity in Reentry

When you return to society, integrity will be tested constantly. Employers, family members, and community members will watch to see if your words match your actions. Your integrity—demonstrated over time—will determine whether doors open or remain closed.

This is the final lesson because integrity is where everything comes together. All the other principles—values, goals, attitude, accountability, growth—flow from and are sustained by integrity.

Course Completion

Congratulations on completing the Preparing for Success After Prison course. You now have a framework for transforming your life. But knowledge without action accomplishes nothing. The real work begins when you apply these principles daily, building the life you envision through consistent effort and integrity.