10 Ways to Survive Prison

 1. Probably the most practical advice I could give you is to read the inmate manual that they give you upon arrival.  In there are all the rules and expectations that the facility use to discipline inmates.  In that manual you will find all the do's and don'ts of prison life.  Believe you me that other inmates have already learned the rules and you need to abreast of the situation. Read the inmate manual

2.  Get involved in a prayer group.  Usually, there will be a group of men that gather for prayer at the end of every day before lights out.  If you don't have a group for prayer, then you might be interested in starting one.  It is a great way to communicate with other inmates across the block and find new friends, while also glorifying Christ and getting a read on the prevailing theological impulses in your block. You can learn alot about your fellow inmates by the way they pray.  

3. Go to church.  If there are services available, I encourage you to go to church. It's a great way to get out of the block and stretch your legs, be free, and worship Jesus.  It's probably not a reformed service that you will go to, but it will probably be evangelical.

4. Get a bible and read it.  You will have much time to read the bible. If you're like me, it was very difficult to read while incarcerated.  I had bad headaches and mental health problems that prevented me from enjoying the word in all its fullness, but even still there's a great depth of wisdom in spending time in God's word. Though your flesh may perish, your soul will be revived.  

5. Call your parents.  I cannot stress this enough.  Talk to your parents or your loved ones.  Ask them to pray for you.  Ask them how things are going in their life.  Show interest in them because you are no longer present in their lives to help them except in spirit only.  While I was locked up my mother was going through the beginning stages of Schizophrenia. I talked to her often, probably several times a week just to keep up with how she was doing pray for her and let my family know about my release date, etc.

6. Ask family and friends to send you a letter.  It's good to have commissary money and if they want to give you that kind of gift that is great for you, but there's nothing so good as a letter from the outside.  It is a great way to stay safe and show the guards and others that people have not forgotten you on the outside.  

7. Obey the rules.  If you want a smooth ride from begin to end.  Do what the guards tell you to do.  Make your bed. Follow orders.  Sleep when its time to sleep.  Eat when its time to eat. and respect the staff of your facility.  If you don't obey the rules, your time will be very uncomfortable.  You will be disciplined.  You may suffer solitary confinement.  You may get maced.  You may get assaulted by staff.  Being subject to the governing authorities is always a good way to honor God and stay safe by and large.

8. Be kind to other inmates and they will be kind to you.  Treat others the way you would want to be treated.  Fall on your sword.  Apologize when necessary and share your food and resources.  Learn to make allies with others during your time.  There are ways to do this that involve providing a service for another inmate, sharing your coffee, praying for them, taking a genuine interest in them, and just learning to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 

9. Don't skip meals.  You need all the energy you can get.  I ate almost everything except the Popeye the Sailor Man stuff: collard greens. Yuk!  But, anyways the chow hall is a great place to meet new people and have an opportunity to share food and milk and stuff like that.  

10.  Workout.  Sleeping all day is unacceptable.  You must get up and exercise.  Do some pushups and walk around the yard.  There will likely be equipment available for you to use, so take advantage of the time you have to build muscle mass.  A wise man builds strength.  It's also a great way to make friends in Prison.  Lots of people workout in prison and it can be beneficial for your safety, for your mental health, and for your comradery with other inmates.