Peter J Haslinger-Earning Freedom

Author of Book: Michael Santos
Date Read:

Book Report

Title: Earning Freedom
Author: Michael Santos

Why did I chose to read this book?

I just had to read this book. Here is a man who had to spend a quarter century in prison for a non violent offense. Selling cocaine. And he went above and beyond expectations rehabilitating himself. The BOP didn’t rehabilitate him, he did. And he had to do every single day of his sentence never receiving any type of relief. I had to read about how he did it. What kept him going and why he kept going. He never let the system get to him. This book was truly amazing and had me fist pumping the air at times. I was rooting for him.

What did I learn from this book?

1. You need to accept responsibility for your actions.
You have to be accountable for your actions. That’s first and foremost. Yes we get way to much time. Yes we should be able to earn incentives for things we do to invest in ourselves and our future. Yes we should be able to earn more freedom. But first in order for us to move forward from our past. From our drug addictions. From our old way of thinking. We have to accept that we did something wrong. We have to see the need for ways to contribute back to society to help others. Once you truly accept accountability for our actions we can move forward from the past and work on the future.

2. You will face challenges.

While we are incarcerated we are going to come upon road blocks after road blocks. We are going to come across individuals who don’t want to see us succeed. To me this prepares me for the outside world. It teaches me how to overcome obstacles and how to readjust my plan.

3. The need to readjust.

There is going to be several circumstances that just wont go according to plan. Maybe we want to take a class but they don’t offer it at the prison we are at. Or not enough people want to participate in that class. Maybe we want to have a specific job that will be in the same field as what we plan on working in when released but no positions are open. Programs shut down. Lockdowns happen etc, etc, etc. Be ready to readjust your plan according to your current circumstances.

4. Build your support system.

Find mentors. Stay in touch with people that are released that you know are going home to stay. Continue to keep adding people to your support system. I could not believe the size of the support system Michael built. And the caliber of the type of people he had as mentors in his support system. Other people in your support system will bring you more like minded people on board with what you need.

5. Stick to the Plan.

No matter what you come against do not waver from the overall plan. Do not let the man get to you. Stand up for your beliefs and your rights. But do it without costing any type of a diversion to the staff.

How will this book influence my reentry?

This book motivated me and it also showed me I’m on the right track. I just need to stay the course. Continue to readjust my plan as my time evolves. I also want to be part of the prison reform that Michael is leading. I need to be the change that we need to the people of society to see. And that is exactly what I’m going to do.