MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT TO LIFE ON THE OUTSIDE

It may sound simple to some, but adjusting to life after Prison is just a bit more complicated for those getting out. The amount of time you spent inside effects just how well the reintegration prosses goes, but it changes in as little as 6 months. For those on the outside it's been life as usual and the changes went for the most part un-noticed. But for our loved ones its a whole new world. For the past month's or year's there lives have been ran by system that told them when to get up, when to eat, and when to go to sleep. It was filled the same routine of a pre-planed day and night and now they have to get use to planning that day and night on there own. Besides the difficulties of getting a drivers license, Social Security Card, Birth Certificate, and finding a job, they have to do this on there own with no direction. Some are lucky enough to have family to help but most are sent to halfway houses, or residential programs that are far away from family just the way prisons are. It's easy for us to get around, we just "google it" but if you have never even used a cell phone Google is a strange animal you've never seen. Then there is the social aspect, just talking to family becomes an issue after the "I love yous" have all been said, where dose the conversation go because for the last how many ever years I've only talked with other prisoners and those conversations are not understood very well beyond the inside of prison walls. Yes they will learn to make this adjustment and in time they will Google with the best of us. I'm just pointing out a few things you might want to be aware of with your newly released family member. Have an extra dose of patients and understanding in dealing with him or her, there kind of like a new born and will need to be hand held for a short while you'll just have to re-train them on how to be a human again after coming from such an inhuman place. They Grow up quick and before you know it they will be the Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Wife, Husband, you remember. As a last word just feed and water them daily with your love and watch them grow :)
                                                                                           till next time
​                                                                                            X-offender