May 30, 2026: Teaching Self-Directed Preparation

As we continue advancing the mission of Prison Professors, I want to become more intentional about explaining how our work differs from many other well-intentioned reentry organizations.

Many organizations focus on the hardships people experience in prison and the need for society to provide second chances. People in prison will likely face real hardships when they return to society, because barriers after release are real. Criminal convictions bring collateral consequences that can follow a person for life.

At Prison Professors, however, we want to offer a more empowering message, showing the importance of self-directed learning and preparation.

We teach people to live in the world as it exists, not as we wish it would be. In my experience, the world is not particularly welcoming to people with criminal backgrounds. Employers, lenders, licensing boards, landlords, and many others may judge a person by the worst decision of his life. 

A person may feel that he deserves a second chance, but those feelings don’t matter much. Just because “feels” like he deserves a second chance doesn’t mean he will get a second chance. In the real world, a person should focus on giving value, or making himself invaluable in the marketplace, regardless of background.

Preparation creates opportunities.

That belief shapes everything we do at Prison Professors. We want people in prison to understand the importance of self-directed learning. We want them to see themselves as the leaders of their own preparations. Each person should become his own professor, writing a curriculum that helps him overcome the challenges, complications, and collateral consequences of a criminal conviction.

That work begins with documenting the journey.

When a person reads, writes, reflects, sets goals, builds a release plan, writes book reports, and memorializes daily progress, that person creates a record. The record can help others understand more than the criminal charge. It can show growth, discipline, accountability, and a commitment to building a better future.

We want members of our community to see the results that can follow for people who prepare. We also want them to understand that they should begin preparing immediately, regardless of what stage of the journey they’re in.

This weekend, I began drafting a new series of blogs and lessons that I hope will both teach and inspire members of our community. These lessons will focus on the practical steps people can take to build a stronger record, develop new skills, and prepare for opportunities that may open in the future.

I plan to start publishing those lessons tomorrow on our blog.

Our message is simple: We cannot control every obstacle, but we can control how we prepare. Through self-directed learning, personal accountability, and consistent documentation, every person can begin building a record that shows readiness for a better life.