Your life changes the moment you take the first step to your cell. There will be no more spending time with your family, no more night-outs, no more hanging out with friends. There is no turning back. You will have no choice but to give up your old life temporarily and prepare yourself for the somewhat unpleasant and stressful life inside prison.
There is no life inside prison, only survival. Imagine living in a place where criminals also live. The thought is frightening. However, if you are resourceful and creative enough, you will still achieve balance and keep your sanity. Correctional facilities offer jobs to inmates to help them cope with the situation. As soon as you are able, take advantage of this opportunity. That may be the only thing that will help you endure life in prison.
There are reasons why getting a job inside the prison is a good way to survive. Here are some:
•You can save money
Life after prison is hard. Some prisoners never get another job. Companies do an extensive background check before they hire employees. If they find out that you were in prison, they will be hesitant to hire you. Working and earning money in prison will help you survive the outside world while trying to rebuild your life. The minimum wage you earn inside the jail can also be used to buy some healthy snacks or meals. Most of the foods they offer to prisoners are fatty. When you have extra money, you can at least do something to keep yourself healthy.
•You will learn a new skill
Most of the jobs offered in prison involve manufacturing furniture. You can surely apply the skills you’ve learned and make money from it when you are already outside. When you get out, chances are it will take a long time for you to get hired, so while waiting for someone who will take the risk to hire you, make money from the skills you’ve acquired inside the jail. You don’t feel useless because you have discovered new talents and enhanced some skills.
•You don’t become stagnant
Working involves planning and thinking. The things you can do inside the jail are limited. You don’t get to read as much as you want to or watch the news and know what’s happening in the world. Working inside the prison will keep your brain healthy.
•Time flies when you’re working
Life in prison is hard and stressful. Working lets you take your mind off the situation. At least, you will have something to look forward to everyday. When you save money and learn new skills, you will be more motivated to get out of prison.
•It will enhance old skills
If you can create a delicious meal out of different kinds of ingredients, consider applying as cook inside prison. Since it will be impossible for you to cook healthy and at the same time delectable meals at home, do it while serving jail time. So if you have been planning to improve your cooking skills, it’s your chance to make yourself known. Cooking is fun; it surely can help you endure prison life. The best thing is you get free food. Just make sure you only cook healthy meals to take care of your overall health. You are helping yourself as well as other people. And you are learning and earning at the same time.
•It can boost your self confidence and self worth
Most people think prisoners are useless and don’t have a life. Sadly, this is what prisoners think of themselves too. This is not entirely true since prisoners can have a life outside prison. They can even get a job like other people. Knowing that you are contributing to the community with the furniture or any product that you help manufacture can boost your morale. You will no longer think of yourself as useless.
•It will prepare you for the outside world
When you’re working, you don’t just learn technical skills or other job-related skills. You learn to also effectively deal with other co-workers and your boss. And that is important in surviving inside and outside prison. Having good interpersonal skills will help you become successful with any endeavors. Working inside a correctional facility helps you not only to survive, but you also get to develop other skills you possess.
•You gain transferrable skills while working
Most of the jobs offered in prison would require technical skills. However, there are other jobs that would require a prisoner to make decisions, manage time, handle details, etc. These are transferrable skills that can be used outside prison. You can even use these skills if you switch careers. Transferrable skills are applicable skills that can be used from one career to another. Working inside the prison can help you gain many transferrable skills that you would need in the future, especially when you are already in the outside world.
•You can still live a normal life
Imagine being a prisoner and not doing anything inside your cell. All you do is eat and sleep. That’s boring and lonely. You will never survive that way. Eventually, you’d lose your mind. When you work 8 hours a day, it would feel like you are leading a normal life, except that you just can’t get out. But at least you are doing something to survive prison life. There are lazy people outside prison, yet here you are working and trying to survive whatever life throws at you. That’s something to be proud of. You’ll realize that although you are a prisoner, you can still do something worthwhile.
Survival doesn’t need to be hard. There are productive things you can do to still achieve a work-life balance. Ask correctional supervisors for the services they offer to the inmates and take advantage of them. You will know why getting a job inside the prison is a good way to survive when you realize the benefits it can offer you.
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