Hello! My name is Christian D. Shelton I am 45 yrs. old I am currently held at USP Thomson /Low Mailing address:
Christian Shelton #12557-027 PO Box 1002 Thomson, Ill 61285
I have been incarcerated since 11/19/2012 for firearm and marijuana offenses. What led me to prison was a lack of education, poverty, terrible role models, drug use and drug addiction, and a lack of respect for the law and authority; Yet what I have found to be the greatest contributor to criminal behavior is mental issues that are now just being addressed by the BOP. I have a projected release date for the early part of 2030 with up to a year of halfway housing. I have a low-security status. Currently, I am ineligible for any time credit because of my firearm offenses, yet I still take full advantage of the programs provided because I see the immediate and long-term benefits of the programs. I am learning about who I am and what is that I want out of life. Education and learning have become an integral part of my daily journey. For the past 5 years of my incarceration, I have been a tutor for the GED program and I have been more of a student than a teacher. The men I have worked with have helped me to see many of my own flaws that can be directly tied to my lack of education. So what brought me to want to be a part of the Prison Professors Talent endeavor started long before I attended one of Michael’s speeches. In my first year of incarceration while in the Allen County Jail a guy by the man of Bill would come to the block through the chaplain’s office and come and see me and would always talk about reading and he would bring books one of the books he gave me was one called the University of Success and the main thing I got out of the book was how do I view success it can not be none other view but my own then map a plan for that success, at the time I did not take it seriously, I only wanted to get out and get back to my life as usual. One thing Bill use to say was “Wisdom is wasted on the old and youth on the young. I began to see that I must learn from others their failures and successes. So I started to study people beginning with myself. Fast forward 9 years Michael came to Pekin/FCI and gave a beautiful presentation but what stuck with me out of that was when he said that he need our help, I have seen that as an opportunity. I wanted to be a part of whatever it was that he was offering. I talked to the principal of the Education department and my boss who at the time was Ms. Warner and I asked her to allow me to facilitate the program of Prison Professors but there were some roadblocks that she would have to get past first. Then one day I have seen a post on the computer here at Thomson about the man who had a road map for a guy just like me so here I am and ready to continue my journey in an even more meaningful way. Since my arrest, I have not used any illegal or prohibited substance, I have completed several substance abuse classes and psychology classes, like Thinking for a Change and Trauma classes. I see the importance of the law and authority, law and authority help gauge and direct one’s actions. I use my time to read and learn new things and I have found a great interest in politics. I will end this post with something I have found to be my gauge for the past 7 yrs., am I better today than I was yesterday? Yes!
