TIMELINE
1987
AGE: 23
-Arrested and taken into federal custody. Begin the journey as federal prisoner 16377-004.
-Do not understand the system at all. Allow defense attorney to advise.
-Lack of strategy, begin led rather than leading.
-No understanding of how judicial system or prison system works.
1988
AGE: 24
-Despite knowing of my guilt, proceed through lengthy trial.
-Commit perjury on the witness stand, declaring myself innocent.
-Jury convicts on all counts.
-Officer in SHU provides books on Frederick Douglass, Socrates, Nelson Mandela, Viktor Frankl, and others.
-Inspired by Biblical stories: Prodigal Son, Parable of Talents
-By reading about people who mastered crises, I learn to think differently.
-Judge imposes 45-year sentence.
1988-1995
AGE: 31
Begin life in high-security penitentiary.
— Craft three-part release plan that will carry me through first 10 years of my sentence. Focus on 1) educating myself;
2) contributing to society;
3) building support network.
— Write to universities with hopes of getting into school.
— Earn bachelor’s degree from Mercer University
· Build support network with leading penologists and focus studies on America’s prison system.
· Begin publishing about need to reform sentencing systems in ways that will incentivize excellence—allowing people to earn incrementally higher levels of liberty through merit.
1995-1997
AGE: 33
-Transition to medium-security Federal Correctional Institution.
-Hofstra University awards master’s degree.
-Publish more extensively on need for incentives in prison.
-Begin studies toward Ph.D. at University of Connecticut.
1998-2003
AGE: 39
-Transition to low-security Federal Correctional Institution,
-Open more publishing opportunities
-Earn first $1 million during 12th year in prison and become taxpayer,
-Expand support network,
-Launch series of websites on quest to bring awareness on need for reforms that will incentivize excellence,
-Publish About Prison and Profiles from Prison for an academic audience, to help more people understand why we should change how we measure justice in prison.
-By publishing, broaden support group—all in preparation for advocacy career upon release.
-Married Carole inside federal prison’s visiting room and supported her financially through earnings in prison.
-Transfer to Florence Federal Camp-
2004-2005
AGE: 41
-Publishing contract with St. Martin’s Press for Inside: Life Behind Bars in America.
-Begin developing program to teach other people in prison how to prepare for success upon release.
-Finish writing manuscript and advance book through publication, with reviews in media—leading to transfer.
2005-2006
AGE: 43
-Transition to Lompoc Camp,
-Begin writing for business, building new mentors,
-Launch publish company to bring more books to market,
-Write on need for incentives, launch new websites, including PrisonNewsBlog.com to bring more awareness to system.
2006-2011
AGE: 47
-Transition to Taft Camp,
-Begin ghostwriting books for others,
-Publishing on new websites
-Publishing with university professors and preparing for career,
-Stanford Law School relationship,
-Partner with Justin Paperny
-Career preparation
2012
AGE: 48
-Transition to Atwater Camp
– Prepare for release
-Marathons
2013
AGE: 49
-Halfway house / Home Confinement
-Real Estate investments
-San Francisco State University
-Architecture of Incarceration
-UC Berkeley and Stanford
-Judicial panels
– Finish with BOP
2014
AGE: 50
-University professor
-UC Hastings Law Review
-Building Prison Professors
-Learning about internet and technology
-Newport Beach move
2015
AGE: 51
-Rental properties
-Robina Institute: University of Minnesota Law School
-Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference
-DOJ Contract
2016
AGE: 52
-Guam and Saipan for DOJ
-US Probation
-US Judiciary
-Washington State Department of Corrections
-California Department of Corrections
-Bureau of Prisons
-Timeshare Compliance
-·Pacific Healthcare
2017
AGE: 53
-Real estate development
-FCC Victorville
-Publishing and speaking on need for incentives
2018
AGE: 54
-Real estate development
-FCC Florence
-First Step Act passes
-Litigation on Costa Rica Investment
2019
AGE: 55
-Litigation: Lost year
-Rebuilding
-Digital products
2020
AGE: 56
-CDCR Expansion
-Digital products
2021
AGE: 57
-Digital products
-First Step Act expansion
2022
AGE: 58
-Digital products
-Bureau of Prisons expansion
-North Central Region
-Subject Matter Experts
-Advocacy for work release programs
2023
AGE: 59
-Expand relationship with BOP,
-Clarify the Nonprofit’s mission, with legal opinion,
-Create mechanism to profile the impact we’re having,
-Launch Prison Professors Talent
