DownTime: A Guide to Federal Incarceration - Softcover

David Novak

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0971030626 ISBN 13: 9780971030626

Publisher: David Novak Consulting, Inc., 2007

Synopsis

This 254 page 9th edition of DownTime was completely rewritten in July of 2007 and reflects the latest changes in Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) policy and procedure. DownTime is written with three distinct audiences in mind: Professionals in the legal community who provide support and guidance to defendants, individuals facing federal incarceration and the family members who support them. DownTime will inform, educate and illustrate the challenges faced by men and women during incarceration in a Federal Bureau of Prisons' facility. Nobody is prepared for incarceration. No matter what people say there is nothing comfortable about spending time in prison. Unfortunately more and more men and women are facing this challenge. DownTime is a guide. DownTime will help readers to overcome their lack of knowledge about incarceration. The information in DownTime is designed to provide members of the legal community with an excellent source of reference. When properly used this information will allow these professionals to assist their clients through this difficult time. Legal professionals will be provided insight into a facet of the system that, until this time, they had not been exposed to. DownTime also serves as an excellent reference for inmate's families. Although the primary focus of DownTime is on the inmate, several sections have been included specifically for inmate's family members. The family members of inmates certainly face their own frustrations. Getting processed for visits, communicating family emergencies and dealing with other support issues are all discussed in DownTime. Nothing can completely alleviate the fear faced by men and women exposed to incarceration. Their only weapons are accurate information, and insight into what they are facing. DownTime helps. The information found in DownTime will assist inmates and their families through this difficult time. DownTime is organized into eight chapters and three appendices. The sections within each chapter cover specific topics in detail. Each chapter, and the sections they contain, may be read individually. The last section of each chapter is dedicated to frequently asked questions about the material contained in that chapter. DownTime is, for the most part, organized along chronological lines. Chapter One provides background information about the Bureau of Prisons. Chapters two through six deal with specific periods leading up to and including initial incarceration. Chapter seven deals with some specific areas of interest and Chapter eight addresses the period beginning with release from prison through the initiation of supervised release. Readers will find that the appendices of DownTime are an integral part of the book. They contain a wealth of useful information.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

DownTime was written with three distinct audiences in mind—the professionals of the legal community, who provide support and guidance to defendants, individuals facing incarceration and the family members who support them. DownTime will inform, educate and explain by example the challenges faced by men and women during incarceration in a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

None of us is prepared for incarceration. No matter what people say there is nothing comfortable about spending time in prison. For most of us life consists of a routine. Work, social, family and personal commitments fill our time. None of us actually gives thought to spending time in prison. Unfortunately more and more men and women are facing this challenge. DownTime is a guide. DownTime will help readers to overcome their lack of knowledge about incarceration.

While incarcerated I noticed that almost every new inmate experienced the same problems—the same challenges—that I did upon my incarceration. I always felt bad for new inmates. I empathized with how they felt. Their feelings of loneliness, isolation, helplessness and fear were always obvious. All of these feelings were magnified when they found that they were unable to make a simple phone call home. So many of the problems faced by new inmates are avoidable. It is with this in mind that DownTime was written.

The information in DownTime is designed to provide members of the legal community with an excellent source of referral to assist their clients through this difficult time. DownTime will provide members of the legal community, and the defendants that they are charged with counseling, with an excellent source of reference material. Legal professionals will also gain insight into a facet of the legal system that they have not been exposed to in this way before.

DownTime also serves as an excellent reference for inmate’s families. Although the primary focus of DownTime is on the inmate, several sections have been included specifically for family members. Inmate’s family members certainly face their own frustrations. Getting processed for visits, communicating family emergencies and dealing with other support issues are all discussed in various sections of this book.

Nothing can completely ease the fear faced by a men and women facing incarceration. Their only weapons are accurate information, and some insight into what they are facing. The information found in DownTime cannot dispel all of the fear associated with incarceration. It can however provide enough insight and assurance to assist inmates and their families during this difficult transition. Readers of DownTime will be armed with a significant amount of anecdotal information. They will command a much greater reservoir of knowledge than most people who face incarceration.

DownTime is not a panacea. The information in this book will however, provide a significant amount of insight and comfort to those who read it.

About the Author

Upon his release from prison in 1997 David Novak published DownTime and quickly became this country's leading expert on federal sentencing and incarceration issues. Prior to his retirement in 2007 David worked on cases in over 60 different federal district courts. His tireless effort and ability to think outside the box saved his clients hundreds of man-years of incarceration. David continues to update DownTime on an almost annual basis (as illustrated by this 9th edition) and is working on a number of additional titles currently scheduled for publication in 2008.

Edition details

• Publisher: David Novak Consulting, Inc.
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0971030626
• ISBN 13: 9780971030626
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 254