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I continue to feel energized by the work we’re doing to advocate for meaningful reform within the federal prison system.
Long before I concluded my sentence, I began thinking deeply about why so many people struggle after release. By my fourth or fifth year in prison, I was already writing for publication, trying to explain what I was seeing around me. People didn’t return to prison because they lacked intelligence or potential. Most struggled because they never resolved problems with substance abuse or alcoholism, which led to destructive decisions and unhealthy relationships. Others failed to overcome economic instability, leaving them vulnerable to the same pressures that brought them into the system in the first place.
Those observations shaped decades of advocacy. I’ve consistently argued that the system should incentivize excellence. People need a clear definition of success and a deliberate plan to reach it. When individuals pursue discipline, accountability, and measurable progress, the system should recognize and reward that effort.
I am a big believer in incentivizing the pursuit of excellence. We’ve all made bad decisions. But we all can work toward reconciliation. Society is better off when people work toward earning freedom through merit–at least from my perspective.
That’s why I’m grateful for the direction of current leadership within the Bureau of Prisons. The message resonates with them because it’s rooted in lived experience. The Deputy Director once served time himself. He faced real hardship after release, yet applied the lessons he learned in prison to rebuild his life, start a business, and succeed. After selling that business, he chose to dedicate his work to improving prison systems so others could follow a similar path. I admire that story because it reinforces what I’ve believed for years:
preparation changes outcomes.
Prison Professors has been fortunate to contribute to that vision. In 2025 alone, I visited more than 30 federal prison locations across the country, making presentations in prisons from California to New York, Minnesota to Florida.
As a result of those visits, more than 5,000 people are now participating in our programs. They are engaged in self-directed learning programs, and they are memorializing their journey through profiles they build and publish with us.
Looking ahead, in mid February, I’m preparing to share what I’ve learned during a 90-minute presentation at a conference for wardens of federal prisons. I’ll provide a live demonstration of our website, answer questions, and explain how the leaderboards we’re building can serve as a practical decision-making filter. The data shows who is consistently working to build a record that may advance them as a candidate for a lower security level.
While on the East Coast, I’ll also visit additional institutions to present directly to people in custody. My hope is that these visits will encourage even more participation. All of our programs are offered at no cost. Access should never be a barrier to preparation. I am scheduled to present at:
FCI Ft. Dix, New Jersey, East Side
FCI Ft. Dix, New Jersey, West Side
FCI Ft. Dix, New Jersey, Camp
FCI Fairton, New Jersey, Medium
FCI Fairton, New Jersey, Camp
FCI Petersburg, Virginia, Medium
FCI Petersburg, Virginia, Low
FCI Petersburg, Virginia, Camp
At the core of this work is a simple belief: people in prison play a central role in determining their outcomes. When individuals understand that their daily decisions, habits, and documented effort shape how they’re perceived, they begin to reclaim agency over their future. I’m grateful for every opportunity to help reinforce that message and to build systems that reward people who commit to earning their freedom.
We’re continuously making updates to our website to further these efforts.
Notice: All content on this profile was provided by the individual user. Prison Professors Charitable Corp. does not pre-screen, verify, or endorse user submissions. Views expressed here are solely those of the author.