5. Three Part Plan

While living in that cell, I lost a great deal. The ill-gotten gains I’d earned had vanished, and I lost the woman in my life. I didn’t know how to process the reality that a federal judge had sentenced me to serve multiple decades in prison.

By thinking about the changed circumstances in my life, I went through a wide range of emotions. I heard about the concept of “good-time credits,” but I didn’t know what they meant, nor did I know what I’d have to do to get the credits. For that reason, I didn't have a good understanding of how much time I’d spend away from society.

We never know when or where we’re going to get information that will change the way that we think. Reading the Bible and other books while in solitary helped me think about steps I could take to make amends. They gave me a reason to look ahead. Even if I had to spend thousands of days in prison, I began to believe that with a good plan, I could get a better outcome. Building anything good starts with an idea, and then a plan.

To develop that plan, I first had to consider what the best possible outcome would look like.

• How did I want to live when I reached the other side of my sentence?
• What would I need to do while confined to prepare for that life?
• What immediate steps could I begin to take?

I began by thinking about the people who would have influence over my life in the future. While still in solitary confinement, I considered the people who would make decisions affecting my life throughout the sentence. That led me to contemplate future interactions with wardens and other prison staff. I considered the probation officers who would supervise me after release. I also thought about executive clemency and how the U.S. Pardon Attorney might view a request for a commutation.

• What would I want those people to know?
• What could I begin doing to influence their assessment of me?
• What would those people think of me?

Further, I expected to face difficulty finding work once I got out. If an employer knew about my criminal record and the years I served, getting a job would be difficult. I needed to build a new story—one that would give people reasons to see me as something other than my criminal record. Thinking about their perspectives helped me organize a three-part plan:

1. Educate myself. I believed an education would improve my skills and give others a reason to consider what I could contribute.
2. Contribute to society in meaningful, measurable ways. I wanted to use my time to produce work that could help other people.
3. Build a strong coalition of support. If people came to know my work and believed in my preparation, their support could help others see possibilities for my future.

Before I transferred from solitary confinement to a federal prison, I had a three-pronged strategy I would use as a compass. It would help me find direction, connecting daily decisions with the future that I wanted to build. In my book Earning Freedom: Conquering a 45-Year Prison Term, I offer details on how my plan helped me climb through the challenges of confinement.

Over the years, I earned an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree. I became a published author. I corresponded with people who helped me understand the world beyond prison and challenged me to improve the quality of my work. I kept records of the steps I took, building an account that I could return to and share as opportunities developed.

Experience taught me how to expect obstacles, but always to advance my plan. Like anyone else in prison, I had to live with many disruptions that were beyond my control. Yet sustained work brought progress, and that progress helped me rebuild confidence. The three-part plan helped me immensely.

I completed my prison sentence in August 2013. Preparation through all those years helped me recalibrate and rebuild.