A prison is not a pretty place. Anyone would be afraid walking into one especially the first time. You can say that it is one of life’s turning points and most would not dream of experiencing the same situation twice. Prisons or jails vary and some will say it’s like walking into a dangerous and foreign land. So if you committed a white collar crime and was sent to prison, you need to prepare and improve your odds against any situation. It wouldn’t hurt to prepare and know some tips on how to survive in prison or county jail as a white collar criminal.
Learning how to survive in prison or county jail as a white collar criminal is easy. You only need to be mindful of some things. The first thing to do is to settle down and accept your situation. You’re in prison and denial won’t change it. The best thing to do is settle in your bunk and adjust to the rules and schedule. You would have about seventeen conscious hours to eat meals, do work, and spend time on activities. Remember not to accept any gifts from fellow prisoners as they can use these as leverage against you. Decline in a polite manner and keep a low profile.
Respect other people and be polite. Don’t touch or take anyone’s things without permission and apologize if you offend anyone. Follow rules and stay nondescript. Don’t be arrogant and cut in lines or get hostile towards anyone. Respect your fellow prisoners and the guards. Show respect. They will most likely respect you in return if you will do this.
Be mindful of the people you spend time with. Stay within visible and public areas while you’re at it too. Be careful of what you will share and remember that you are with different kinds of people with different backgrounds and cultures. Do not talk about unnecessary things or worse, gossip and rant on anyone. You may make an enemy and it will make your stay difficult. Do not be indebted to anyone. However, if you find yourself owing someone, be sure to repay in kind as soon as possible.
Keep your mind and body moving, and do not waste your day staring at the television or gossiping around. Read books and enhance your knowledge. You can have your friends and family give you books or you can check on the law library available inside. Meditate and keep your head clear and sharp. You should also follow a workout routine to keep your body healthy. You can do it with a fellow inmate if he is up to it. This will make you strong and make your time more productive. It is best to have goals even in prison.
Keep a low profile, ensure your safety and keep out of trouble. This is how to survive in prison or county jail as a white collar criminal. Jails or prisons vary so you should be adaptable. Learn to read people and situations. Don’t let yourself be bullied but at the same time, don’t cause trouble that will make your stay longer or more difficult.
While it is important that you do the right things while inside prison, there are actually ways to increase your survival before you get incarcerated. For one, it would be ideal to visit your trusted healthcare provider before you enter prison or jail. Have your eyes checked, as well as your teeth, at the healthcare facility you regularly go to. Although it might take time, undergoing a thorough checkup should be beneficial as well. Why should you do all these? Well, as anyone would expect, healthcare inside prison is rather limited – in terms of both coverage and quality.
Aside from getting yourself checked for any medical condition (and ensuring that you’re at least in good shape), you should also spend time training for what’s to come. Granted that there are individuals who aren’t given enough time to prepare before being incarcerated, if you’re among the lucky ones who do have time, then you shouldn’t think twice about learning how to fight. Attend a few classes or have someone you know teach you firsthand. The practical nature of attacking someone (and defending yourself at the same time), makes online guides on fighting rather insufficient.
To defend yourself properly, you’ll need strength and energy – these could be gained from a healthy diet. Since maintaining a good, balanced diet will surely be impossible while you’re behind bars, you’ll have to improve your nutrition significantly before the time you’re incarcerated. As should have been made clear already, keeping yourself in the best possible shape needs to be among your priorities before you go behind bars (and even while you’re in prison or jail). After all, your goal is to survive.
It might also be advantageous to stash some cash in your pockets before you’re sent away. Even though not all correctional facilities allow inmates to have and spend money, there are those that are more than willing to sell some things vital to maintaining your sanity – a few good examples being pen and paper. That’s right, if you’re allowed to get your hands on those, it’s almost certain that you’ll also be given the chance to send letters (in some facilities, mail is sent on a weekly basis, and there’s no limit on the number of letters that may be sent).
All in all, surviving in prison or jail as a white collar criminal isn’t impossible, although it would surely be difficult. That’s why you’ll need to ready yourself way before you’re actually incarcerated, as well as during the entire length of your stay behind bars. As long as you make the right decisions and you move in a proactive manner, the entire ordeal should be (at least) as manageable as it possibly could – which is much better than simply facing every potential problem head on without knowing the options available to you. Simply put, be smart and you’ll get out in one piece.
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