After being found guilty or pleading guilty for the crime, the court announces a sentence for the accused based on the severity of the crime and other factors involved. Several courts take different mitigating factors into consideration such as the age of the offender, degree of responsibility, circumstances, whether he is a first-time offender, whether a weapon was involved, etc. After considering everything, the culprit is put behind bars for a certain period of time.
There are several kinds of sentences from which the court may consider one for the guilty:
- A conditional or absolute discharge (this one is only allowed for less serious offenses)
- A fine (this could be combined with imprisonment or probation)
- A suspended sentence along with probation
- A conditional sentence (a sentence of fewer than two years)
- Imprisonment ( For most serious cases)
Being sentenced with a custodial sentence could feel overwhelming, especially if you are not aware of the criminal justice system and what goes on in prison. But a little preparation beforehand can help you feel a lot relaxed and educated about your sentencing and you would be ready to face the challenges before they come.
There sure are a huge number of myths that go on about prisons and jails. But we are here to cut through all the misinformation and present you with the basic facts.
Educate Yourself Beforehand
Keeping yourself educated about prisons and the criminal justice system as its whole will always come in handy when you are preparing for imprisonment. You can also consult a knowledgeable advisor or a person who has actually spent some time in prison to get the perspective of how life is going to be inside.
Books are also a great idea for reading about prison and getting an insight into everything that goes on there. To avoid getting scared or getting your hopes up with false promises, you should always take your information from credible sources.
Educating yourself enough will be useful in helping you make good decisions in prison.
Get Yourself in Good Physical Shape
If you are being placed at a camp with minimum security or at a low-security federal prison, then it may not be important for you to learn how to fight but if the case is reversed and you are being kept at a high-security prison then it would be in your best interest to hire a personal trainer who can teach you to fight and can help you get you in your best shape.
You need to be tough or at least look tough if you are going to a high-security prison. We are not implying that you could get into a fight there but being prepared can never hurt. Also, to avoid any chances of such circumstances, we advise avoiding conflict at all costs.
Violence remains a major concern in prison and it is possible for you to get hurt. It may not be a good idea to fight with other prison mates but it’s best to be prepared if any situation gets out of hand.
Find Your Purpose
Being imprisoned means you are going to have a lot of free time on your hands and to make sure you are getting the best of that, you need to find your purpose. There are a lot of positive activities that go on in prison, these activities can also help you improve your chances of release. From college correspondence courses, writing, exercising, to teaching, you can find your passion and do something for your own good.
Get Your Finances In Order
Before going to prison, you can consult and decide to appoint someone who can manage your money while you are away. It could be your spouse, a friend, parents, siblings, or some hire. You may want to give them power of attorney to withdraw money from your account in case something comes up. You can also ask them to send you money regularly as per your budget.
