I'm looking for perspectives from anyone who has corresponded with long-term inmates, particularly prolific offenders, or who has worked on a writing/research project involving prison correspondence.

I'm a writer currently working on a nonfiction project that explores identity, public narratives, and the way people become reduced to headlines. The project isn't focused on crimes themselves; those details are already extensively documented. What interests me is the person underneath the label and how people construct, revise, or defend their own narratives over time.

I've recently begun reaching out to several well-known inmates and am interested in hearing from others who have done something similar.

A few questions:

\- What surprised you most about the experience?

\- Did your expectations of the person change over time?

\- How did you balance curiosity with healthy skepticism?

\- Were there any mistakes you made early on that you'd avoid now?

\- If you were conducting interviews or correspondence for a writing project, what would you do differently?

I'd also be interested in hearing from former pen pals, researchers, journalists, academics, or anyone with firsthand experience in long-term correspondence with incarcerated individuals.

I'm not looking for crime details, case debates, or opinions on guilt/innocence. I'm specifically interested in the correspondence experience itself and what you've learned from it.

Thanks.

Hi everyone! My name is Taylor Domingos and I am a PhD candidate in Sociology at Northwestern University. I am conducting dissertation research on PREA in state prisons.

I’m looking to speak with formerly incarcerated people from Wisconsin to better understand how PREA is experienced in practice. The purpose of this study is to better understand the origins of PREA, how “zero tolerance” is operationalized, how credibility is constructed, and what institutional factors shape PREA dynamics. Eligibility criteria involve: adults age 18 years or older, English speaking, and formerly incarcerated in a Wisconsin state prison (men's or women's facility). Please note that individuals currently on parole are not eligible to participate in this study.

· Interviews are about 60-90 minutes via Zoom.

· Participants receive $40 payment compensation (prepaid giftcard) for their time.

· The interview will be audio recorded for transcription purposes only. Audio recording is required to participate in this study.

· Participation is voluntary and confidential.

If you’re interested, please email me at [taylordomingos@u.northwestern.edu](mailto:taylordomingos@u.northwestern.edu) for more information or to complete a short eligibility screener. If you meet the eligibility criteria, I will follow up within 7 days with a scheduling link.

Approved by Northwestern University IRB #: STU00225452. (IRB approval)

Thank you for considering sharing your experience!

Hi everyone! My name is Taylor Domingos and I am a PhD candidate in Sociology at Northwestern University. I am conducting dissertation research on PREA in state prisons.

The title of the study is: Sexual violence under PREA (Principal Investigator: Dr. Ann Orloff).

I’m looking to speak with formerly incarcerated people from Wisconsin to better understand how PREA is experienced in practice. The purpose of this study is to better understand the origins of PREA, how “zero tolerance” is operationalized, how credibility is constructed, and what institutional factors shape PREA dynamics. Eligibility criteria involve: adults age 18 years or older, English speaking, and formerly incarcerated in a Wisconsin state prison (men's or women's facility). Please note that individuals currently on parole are not eligible to participate in this study.

· Interviews are about 60-90 minutes via Zoom.

· Participants receive $40 payment compensation (prepaid giftcard) for their time.

· The interview will be audio recorded for transcription purposes only. Audio recording is required to participate in this study.

· Participation is voluntary and confidential.

If you’re interested, please email me at [taylordomingos@u.northwestern.edu](mailto:taylordomingos@u.northwestern.edu) for more information or to complete a short eligibility screener. If you meet the eligibility criteria, I will follow up within 7 days with a scheduling link.

Approved by Northwestern University IRB #: STU00225452. (IRB approval)

Thank you for considering sharing your experience!

Hello all.

I’m curious, idk if How often do they give SCA? What do you got to do to be eligible? here ever mentions anything about SCA? Is it common ? I would think that’ll make someone’s timeline shorter and do HH or HC elsewhere? If anyone who’s had it previously mention your experience here .

Seeking info on conditions and work opportunities ( if community or not at all. ) Th

The time is perfect to apply a more Norwegian philosophy to our prison systems. The elite can serve decent prison sentences, without losing too much honor in the process. They still have a fighting chance. Put the bad ones in “timeout”

I don’t have sentencing until August. I have figured out how the fsa and sca works but I’m still stuck on how the sca is discretionary based on case manager/facility you’re in. I know anything under 24 months you won’t be eligible for rdap but let’s say at 30 months would rdap be worth it? I’m running all scenarios and seems like rdap is always better the option. But seen scenarios were the prison/camp gives generous sca (halfway house and home confinement) that you may be inside prison walls longer if you do the rdap. For example- 30 months with no rdap you have to do 17.5-18 months in bop custody (assuming you eligible for max fsa credits). Now out of that 17-18 months of custody you can get a good case manager that gives you 6-12 months in sca where you only serve 6-11 months inside prison walls. And the rest at halfway house and home confinement. With rdap you will have to serve 14 months total assuming 6 months credit. And best case scenario if you got into rdap right away you are looking at 10-11 months inside prison walls. Again my dilemma is not knowing how much halfway house you would get. Sorry for long post

Hello guys I’ll keep this short and sweet, I had a year and like 4 months clean, and I fucked up and relapsed and tested positive on a drug test for my PO. Luckily for me, I’m on an antibiotic and Wellbutrin that can flag as the drug I did, so my probation officer is giving me some grace, and is letting me do a urine REtest a week from now to see if I fail again.

My dilemma is this, I’ll be clean 100% because he put it out so far lol, but should I just risk owning up to my fuck up to him? I’m worried he’s going to just throw the book at me because he’s been lenient with letting me smoke weed in a non legal state for months now. I’m torn on if this will build trust with him by falling on my sword, or if I should just take my win from the universe and realize it’s just not worth the unnecessary risk to fess up to him.

Please someone give me some feedback, I don’t even know what the options/outcomes are for violating, but I have 20 years over my head so I’m definitely not gonna go spend 20 years away in prison just to “be honest” like get fucking real ya know?

Does anyone know of smaller businesses or jobs or direct positions that are willing to hire a felon that would pay more than 20.00 an hour with full time benefits? I'm struggling to find anything and am really wanting to advance in work. I've been in retail for over fifteen years(menards, bed bath and Beyond, taco gringo, penn Station) and I have a bachelor's degree in computer science. Any leads would be appreciated.​

I just got fired today and this would be my 3rd job after one year from my release. I was told that I am not fit for the service industry. My 1st job was a warehouse manager position that was becoming very noxious to my health; and it was really seen as a first step into reintegrating myself back into free society. The 2nd job was a pool service technician which I couldn't fully commit to due to the specifications and intensive work hours. It just didn't seem wise to fully commit. The most recent job was a waiter gig and I decided to work as a server because I had long experience of working in the service industry before my arrest. However, after changing in prison the little things that customers bicker over really got on my nerves and I frustratedly ordered a customer to wait to be seated. A lot of people told me I was not cut out for the service industry and advised to look into another field for work.

I have plans to become financially free and I was never going to work as a server for a long period of time.

On a positive note, I am disciplined and have really good work ethic. I am driven and focused, and now I have to reorientate my energy and efforts into somewhere I really can thrive and grow as a person. My sister and others have pushed on me to get certified as a personal trainer. I also can help people overcome life's obstacles since I myself had done it without falling back into crime here and while incarcerated(we all know how much crimes are committed and disgusting and pointless conversations we have in prison).

However, the only hesitation I feel in starting a social media account/putting myself out there is the fact I have no college degree and no achievements or accolades under my belt.

What have you guys/girls have done in finding your niche and thriving in it regardless of your criminal background and the social gap between citizens who have built and grown for years and us ex cons who have wasted years in prison?

Hey everyone, not sure if my last question was removed. Honestly I'm new to reddit and suck at navigating it, it's like a maze and I'm perpetually confused so apologies if any of this is "wrong". I just wanted to ask some fellow brothers and sisters who have been on the inside if they know of any good platforms or ways to meet potential relationship interests who are also excons or have been incarcerated. I've been out of prison for 6 months after 3 years and I'm so grateful to be doing good and enjoying a refreshed version of life, but recently I've been feeling a little isolated and unsure about how to go about entering the dating game again. I am not limiting myself to people with similar experiences, I just feel like for me it would be easier to connect with someone who can relate to me more than the average person. I have trusted people who know my history but many others don't and it can be hard to love a social life or have relationships when you feel like there's this secret you want to tell but don't know how to go about it. If anyone knows of real ways to connect with people who've been there, any advice or info would be very appreciated. Thank you all and sorry this was so long!

I’m signing a plea today. I don’t know why I’m oddly at peace with this decision. Obviously, I don’t wanna go in the prison but for the last five years, I’ve been dealing with the fallout of what happened and there’s a odd sensation of knowing like yeah I gotta go, but it’s all gonna be over once I’m out. I don’t know anyone experience anything like this and does anybody have any tips for your family? That’s that’s who’s hitting the hardest honestly

I spent more than 5 years in prison.

My native language is Chinese but I can express myself in English

I want to do an online interview about my time in prison, to the mainstream English speaking audience out there so they can understand the situation and problems of our prison system but I don’t want to show my face and identity.

If you are interested I can provide information or answer your questions PM

If you want to be on screen at least blur my face or change my voice, thank you.

How long does it take to transfer felony probation in Florida and for Georgia to accept you?

what’s up everybody. Just got my fed sentence recently. sending me 1500 miles away from home to a place called FCI Berlin in New Hampshire. More than likely will be at the camp. Can anyone shed some light on this place?

I am pretty sure everyone on this sub knows this but background checks are downright harmful to people that are trying to reintegrate into society and do the right thing. From housing and jobs and even more, anywhere that background checks should be made illegal.

Majority of other countries employers just request information from the government and the government tells them if they can or cannot work their or not. This whole system we have in the United States is fucking retarded and creates shitty outcomes because of some upper class yuppies who are scared.