A prison consultant refers to someone who works to help inmates to understand how the facility works and when they really need help. In other words, a prison consultant actually provides newly convicted criminals with advice on how to survive in the unfamiliar surroundings of prison.
As a prison consultant, there are a number of job duties and specific services you should have. That’s why becoming a prison consultant will require specific skills, though the specific educational requirements are not considered. If you’re interested in becoming a prison consultant, let’s find out what you should prepare to get this job through our post!
Becoming a Prison Consultant, What Should You Do?
A good prison consultant is actually someone who has been in prison, imprisoned or even an ex-convict. It means that a prison consultant has learned the intricacies from living inside an institution or facility and they have been living among other inmates to learn the following procedures as an inmate.
If a prison consultant is ex-convict, they might understand how to do things and where to get help. An excellent prison consultant might turn inmates’ life around and genuinely wants to be of service to someone who really wants a better life in prison and when they will be released.
To become a prison consultant, you at least need to get familiar with the hierarchy within the prison. Well, this knowledge will really help a person to understand how the organization works. Moreover, a prison consultant should help the inmates to figure out the personnel for the institution that they will be attending.
As a prison consultant, you will work with an inmate’s legal team. You will help to coordinate anything else that you may need such as doctors care instructions, family concerns and therapy appointments.
Most of all, a prison consultant should be a guide an inmate needs to navigate your situation. Moreover, a prison consultant will actually offer support when an inmate really needs it even when an inmate does not think you need it. So far, if an inmate has a prison consultant, they will be a comfort for the confusing time spent in a facility.
As a prison consultant, you should work well both with attorneys and law firms as well as work directly with defendants who’re facing criminal charges and possible incarceration. You also need to give advice on how to lower sentences and show yourself as advantageously as possible to the judge and court during trial.
Furthermore, you may also try to give defendants an idea what to expect during trial. To be a good prison consultant, you may need to meet with those who have been in prison to help your clients mentally and psychologically cope with the difficulties of being incarcerated and also prepare for a productive life after being released.
Here are some specific services and job duties you should perform as a prison consultant:
- Help draft letters to the judge and prepare character references
- Coach defendants on how to present themselves at court so that the judge and jury will view them more favourably
- Inform defendants about ways to reduce their sentences
- Give advice a client’s attorney on how to lobby the sentencing judge for a shorter sentence and how to get a client sentenced to a lower security level prison
What Are Educational Requirements of Being a Prison Consultant?
Honestly, there are no specific education requirements you should have to become a prison consultant and also no certification is necessary. In fact, most prison consultants are ex-convict who have been to prison in the past.
Of course, as an ex-offender, they will really know what to expect. For those who have worked in prisons or have some sort of past work experience in law enforcement or another legal profession will really understand what they want and what to do.
That’s why a good prison consultant is ideally an ex-offender and really wants to help those who are imprisoned to get their rights.
What Are Required Skills of Being a Prison Consultant?
The required skills to become a prison consultant are to understand in-depth knowledge and the legal system including court procedures and sentencing guidelines, so that a prison consultant can give their clients insight and advice on how best to proceed to reach a lighter sentence and/ or better prison placement.
A prison consultant should have strong interpersonal and communication skills, since they work one on one with defendants and lawyers.
As a Prison Consultant, How to Support an Inmate to Continue Their Life?
As we’ve mentioned, to become a prison consultant, it means you need to help them with what they want, one of them is their spirit to continue their life. The most important role you should have is to support them in several aspects involved.
Make sure to give them an advice and continuously suggest them to:
- Take a class
- Work on your education
- Get involved in some programs offered by the facility
- Practice your religion
- Gain that degree an inmate will need in the future
- Create an art as an excellent way to work through emotions
- Learn to meditate will calm your mind
- Write your own story, write poetry, some else’s story, or just write
- Do physical activity improves the spirit, the body, and the psyche
- Read as much as an inmate can
- Work on your spirituality
For more information, one of the facility programs that may be eligible to get involved is the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) through the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) system.
In this case, a prison consultant can determine whether or not this program is available in the institution an inmate is in or will be going to. So far, the RDAP program will reward successful graduates with time off their sentences.
Additionally, a prison consultant will also be there when their clients navigate out of the prison system. Well, the effect after prison will vary depending on how much time is spent incarcerated. When you have performed everything, you can acclimate back to housing, job, bills, mail/email/phone and also the like can be extremely overwhelming.
