A few years ago, I interviewed a senior leader from the Bureau of Prisons. I reached out as part of my efforts to connect with policymakers and gather valuable insights for individuals entering the prison system. People who seek relief from a sentence should understand policy statements, which sometimes require stakeholders to determine whether a person has made an “extraordinary and compelling” adjustment..
If a person is going into the system, it would make sense to figure out the meaning of an extraordinary and compelling adjustment strategy. Ironically, when I asked the senior BOP leader to define it, he was not able to give me a clear definition–or any definition at all.
I’ll tell you how I saw that meaning while I went through my term. From my perspective, it meant that a person would have to do much more than the bare minimum—staying out of trouble and following the rules. If a person were trying to persuade influeners to grant relief (I’m talking about a judge or case manager), they would argue that the system expected people to comply with rules. In other words, complying with rules or staying out of trouble is not extraordinary. It’s not compelling. It’s just required.
So, what is extraordinary and compelling?
I’ll share my perspective
Being a “Defendant”
When someone enters the justice system, stakeholders—judges, probation officers, case managers—see only the charges or convictions. People tend to judge a person in prison for their worst decision. To persuade others to take a different view, it’s crucial to change the narrative. And to do that, they must go far beyond what’s expected. Start with a question.
- What is the best possible outcome for my future?
Most people just want to get through the time. They think, “If I can get through the term without any problems, I’ll be okay. I’ll exercise, stay quiet, and eventually go home.”
I wouldn’t call that a strategy, or a plan. It doesn’t inspire anyone to change perspectives on how they see you.
While I served my term, I knew that I hated being in prison. So an integral part of my adjustment strategy required planning. Then prioritizing. Then building tools, tactics, and resources. I had to execute the plan, and adjust when necessary.
Defining Success—Intentionally
There’s a powerful quote from Alice in Wonderland:
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”
In other words, if you don’t define success clearly, you’re just wandering. That’s what happens to most people in prison—they meander through time, waiting for it to pass.
But extraordinary individuals define success with specificity. They ask themselves:
- What will I accomplish while I’m here?
- What tools and skills do I need to build?
- How can I position myself for success after release?
- How can I build a record that shows the world who I truly am—inspiring them to view me for more than the crime I served?
Those questions can prompt a person to action. They can take incremental steps to improve. Yet they should also memorialize the efforts they’re making.
When I served my term, I trained myself to write daily. I built a record of personal growth, discipline, and intention. I wrote to build an irrefutable case that I was more than my past bad decisions. It led to unexpected support, and sometimes, from the most unlikely places.
One day, a defense attorney read about my work. It prompted her to research more, and then to connect with a U.S. Attorney on my behalf. Those two attorneys became my advocate. They read my work. It moved them to file a motion for early termination of my supervised release—without my asking. I didn’t ask. I didn’t beg. The attorneys simply saw the body of work and decided I was extraordinary and compelling. They persuaded a federal judge to agree, and together, they advanced me to liberty early.
That’s the power of documentation.
There’s a proverb that says:
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today.”
Many people wait. They say, “I’ll start next week,” or “I’ll wait until I get transferred,” or “No one cares what I write.”
But you never know who’s reading. You never know who will come across your profile, your book report, your release plan.
Start today—not because there’s a guarantee of outcome, but because there’s a guarantee of progress.
At prisonprofessorstalent.com, we’ve created a way to gamify personal development. Every time you:
- Write a book report
- Journal about your goals
- Add to your biography
- Help someone else build their profile
…you earn points. These points are visible on our dashboard. Use this tools to show why you’re the best candidate for relief. Imagine being able to say:
“I taught 30 men a class on investing while in prison. Here are their profiles. Here’s what they wrote. Here’s the proof.”
That’s extraordinary and compelling.
No Guarantees—Just Opportunity
We can’t promise that building your profile will lead to higher levels of liberty, a new job, or a changed perception. But if there’s even a 1% chance that it could help, isn’t it worth the effort?
No one can change the past, but all of us can work to influence a better future.
We invite you to use the free tools we’ve built:
- The Straight-A Guide course
- Our accountability journal
- Our book report system
- Our release plan template
The Prison Professors Talent profile platform
A few years ago, I interviewed a senior leader from the Bureau of Prisons. I reached out as part of my efforts to connect with policymakers and gather valuable insights for individuals entering the prison system. People who seek relief from a sentence should understand policy statements, which sometimes require stakeholders to determine whether a person has made an “extraordinary and compelling” adjustment..
If a person is going into the system, it would make sense to figure out the meaning of an extraordinary and compelling adjustment strategy. Ironically, when I asked the senior BOP leader to define it, he was not able to give me a clear definition–or any definition at all.
I’ll tell you how I saw that meaning while I went through my term. From my perspective, it meant that a person would have to do much more than the bare minimum—staying out of trouble and following the rules. If a person were trying to persuade influeners to grant relief (I’m talking about a judge or case manager), they would argue that the system expected people to comply with rules. In other words, complying with rules or staying out of trouble is not extraordinary. It’s not compelling. It’s just required.
So, what is extraordinary and compelling?
I’ll share my perspective
Being a “Defendant”
When someone enters the justice system, stakeholders—judges, probation officers, case managers—see only the charges or convictions. People tend to judge a person in prison for their worst decision. To persuade others to take a different view, it’s crucial to change the narrative. And to do that, they must go far beyond what’s expected. Start with a question.
- What is the best possible outcome for my future?
Most people just want to get through the time. They think, “If I can get through the term without any problems, I’ll be okay. I’ll exercise, stay quiet, and eventually go home.”
I wouldn’t call that a strategy, or a plan. It doesn’t inspire anyone to change perspectives on how they see you.
While I served my term, I knew that I hated being in prison. So an integral part of my adjustment strategy required planning. Then prioritizing. Then building tools, tactics, and resources. I had to execute the plan, and adjust when necessary.
Defining Success—Intentionally
There’s a powerful quote from Alice in Wonderland:
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”
In other words, if you don’t define success clearly, you’re just wandering. That’s what happens to most people in prison—they meander through time, waiting for it to pass.
But extraordinary individuals define success with specificity. They ask themselves:
- What will I accomplish while I’m here?
- What tools and skills do I need to build?
- How can I position myself for success after release?
- How can I build a record that shows the world who I truly am—inspiring them to view me for more than the crime I served?
Those questions can prompt a person to action. They can take incremental steps to improve. Yet they should also memorialize the efforts they’re making.
When I served my term, I trained myself to write daily. I built a record of personal growth, discipline, and intention. I wrote to build an irrefutable case that I was more than my past bad decisions. It led to unexpected support, and sometimes, from the most unlikely places.
One day, a defense attorney read about my work. It prompted her to research more, and then to connect with a U.S. Attorney on my behalf. Those two attorneys became my advocate. They read my work. It moved them to file a motion for early termination of my supervised release—without my asking. I didn’t ask. I didn’t beg. The attorneys simply saw the body of work and decided I was extraordinary and compelling. They persuaded a federal judge to agree, and together, they advanced me to liberty early.
That’s the power of documentation.
There’s a proverb that says:
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today.”
Many people wait. They say, “I’ll start next week,” or “I’ll wait until I get transferred,” or “No one cares what I write.”
But you never know who’s reading. You never know who will come across your profile, your book report, your release plan.
Start today—not because there’s a guarantee of outcome, but because there’s a guarantee of progress.
At prisonprofessorstalent.com, we’ve created a way to gamify personal development. Every time you:
- Write a book report
- Journal about your goals
- Add to your biography
- Help someone else build their profile
…you earn points. These points are visible on our dashboard. Use this tools to show why you’re the best candidate for relief. Imagine being able to say:
“I taught 30 men a class on investing while in prison. Here are their profiles. Here’s what they wrote. Here’s the proof.”
That’s extraordinary and compelling.
No Guarantees—Just Opportunity
We can’t promise that building your profile will lead to higher levels of liberty, a new job, or a changed perception. But if there’s even a 1% chance that it could help, isn’t it worth the effort?
No one can change the past, but all of us can work to influence a better future.
We invite you to use the free tools we’ve built:
- The Straight-A Guide course
- Our accountability journal
- Our book report system
- Our release plan template
The Prison Professors Talent profile platform
