25 Years Inside the Federal System — What I Learned About America’s Prisons & Why Reform Can’t Wait
I spent 25 years in federal prison. There are five security levels: minimum, low, medium, high, and administrative max (ADX). I never made it to a minimum. Beyond those, there are two behavior management programs — the Special Management Unit (SMU) and the Communication Management Unit (CMU). I was never in the CMU, which mostly houses terrorists and individuals tied to organizations the U.S. is actively at war with. When I was inside, that meant Al-Qaeda, Taliban, and ISIS operatives, along with members of The Order and other organized subversive groups.
The United States has some of the harshest sentencing laws in the world. Out of about 9 billion people globally, roughly 8 million are incarcerated — and 2 million of them are here in the U.S. That means we hold 25% of the world’s prison population but make up only 4% of its people. We also have the world’s highest recidivism rate: about 63% return to prison within two years of release.
In my experience, there’s almost nothing in federal prison that prepares you for life afterward. The mental rewiring needed to survive inside is often destructive outside. Without real prison and criminal justice reform, we’ll keep producing men who are institutionalized and struggling to function in a free society.
I’m here to answer real questions — about doing time, helping incarcerated loved ones, and navigating the legal maze. I’ve spent years helping men file appeals, briefs, and motions, and I understand how district, circuit, and Supreme Court rulings differ — and why federal law can contradict itself. If you’re seeking clarity about the system or someone caught in it, I’m here to help
I spent 25 years in federal prison — mostly in medium and high-security facilities, with some time in the SMU and lows. I write about incarceration, reentry, and the realities of America’s justice system, offering firsthand insight and guidance for those affected by it.
#PrisonReform #CriminalJusticeReform
