Dennis Zeedyk-A Christian’s Guide to Prison Survival

Author of Book: David Beardsley
Date Read: January 12, 2025

Book Report

Title: A Christian’s Guide to Prison Survival
Author: David Beardsley
Date: 1/12/25
Pages: 140

I chose this book because I am a Christian, I needed to learn how to “survive” in prison and my cellmate recommended it. It was an easy read, understandable and with practical approaches & ideas.

I learned the following from this book:
1) You must maintain good mental & physical fitness. You should find a time/place to exercise your body, but you should not believe all of the horror stories you hear about prison. Avoid discussing personal grudges and do not demand money from those at home who support you.
2) Manage your legal expectations. Avoid jailhouse lawyers as they probably don’t know more than you do and will waste your time, money and mental energy. Avoid legal scams meaning that many of the various “ideas” on how to get out early are just that – ideas. Avoid sympathy seekers, people who have sad sack stories about how they were mistreated by the legal system. To be honest, most of the prisoners have been mistreated to some extent, so don’t waste your time with people who constantly complain about this. They wear you down and there is nothing that can be done about it anyways.
3) Know the rules & regulations in your prison. There is an administrative superstructure from the warden (CEO), assistant warden all the way down to the common guard. They all have a role to play and it is important to understand that rules and regulations originate at the executive level and are passed down the chain of command until they reach the prisoner level. It is important to respect their authority and show prompt obedience to their commands. When a prisoner breaks the rules, there are disciplinary procedures that take place that may involve a hearing or may just have you moved directly to the SHU (Segregated Housing Unit). On the other end of the spectrum, there are grievance procedures for the prisoner whereby he can file a formal complaint to be heard by anyone from the unit manager to the warden or Bureau of Prisons.
4) There are programs and privileges offered to the prisoners. Some of these are medical/dental, educational programs, recreational, religious and commissary privileges. Prisoners should try to take advantage of these programs to better themselves, but never forget that these programs and privileges can be taken away as punishment for prisoner misconduct.
5) Each individuall prison has its own environmental conditions such as physical characteristics which includes your living area, work station/laundry/commissary, mess hall, educational/medical facilities, recreation and the prison chapel. There are territorial boundaries associated with each prisoner’s living area and it is important to not violate these. Do not invade another prisoner’s domain without an invitation to enter, do not sit on his bed unless he says it is OK and don’t walk down the hall with your head on a swivel looking into each prisoner’s cell as you passed. I was personnally warned about this one. I did not mean anything bad about it; I was just trying to figure out which prisoner lived in each cell. The sanitary conditions are important and they appear to be taken seriously at FMC Lexington. Everyday the showers are cleaned and the hallway floors swept & mopped. Personal hygiene supplies are partly met by the prison and the rest through commissary. You can get toilet paper from the prison and are given toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving gel & a razor when you arrive. After that, you can buy more at commissary as well as soap, deodorant, etc. We are given a blanket, sheet, 5 sets of boxer shorts, 3 pants, 5 T-shirts, 3 button down shirts, socks, boots, a towel & wash rag. If we want more than that, it can be purchased at commissary. You can do laundry once a week or hire someone to do it. You get breakfast, lunch & dinner everyday. It isn’t great and there is not a lot of variety, but I am sure it meets our nutritional needs.
6) One issue might be interaction with the guards. It is important to understand that they are people too and my be suffering from job or financial stress, family/physical problems & prejudice. It is best to avoid conflicts with them, which is common sense.
7) Interaction with other inmates is an important survival technique. Some inmates may lack ambition, honor, are habitual liars, swindlers & thieves. Many may lack self-respect, lack respect for others and may be bullies. There are others who are “Jekyll & Hydes,” which means that they may be quiet, be pressured over time and then violently snap. Beware of this. Others may be loners or unapproachable. It is best to use common sense here and tread lightly. Attending a chapel service may help you meet other Christians who have been in prison for an extended period of time and can help you.
8) Some possible problems in the prison may be invasion of privacy, petty theft, gambling, homosexuality, verbal abuse, con games, obligation alley (someone gives you something & expects something back) and cliques that are separated by bullies, racists, sexual deviants, gossip mongers & stand up guys. I think these are all relatively self explanatory. I consider myself a stand-up guy and as far as I can tell, that is the people with whom I spend my time.

The following lessons will increase prospects for succes after prison:
1) By understanding the rules and regulations within a prison soon after my arrival, I will avoid any issues with guards, making it less likely to get written up (get a shot) or have to go to the SHU (Special Housing Unit). Not having any issues like getting a shot or going to the SHU will increase my likelihood of getting out out ASAP.
2) Understanding the types of inmates within the prison will help me to navigate the day-to-day tasks without getting caught in any issues or getting in a fight, which also helps me increase the likelihood of an earlier release.
3) Lastly, learning about all of the above gives me more confidence as I begin my four-year (two-year term after GT & FSA credits) term at FCU Lexington as I am now more knowledgeable and comfortable with all that goes on in a prison.