Category Archives: prison consultant

Aside

What is prison and how do we find FREEDOM???

Everyday I work with a wide variety of clients. Sometimes I am preparing the defendant for prison, sometimes I work only with their families, prepare people for court, prepare alternatives such as community service and rehab. Always I am in crisis management mode. But recently I have noticed a sharp increase in the number of people who have not only addictions but also mental health issues. Often these are not genetic issue but problems that have developed due to abuse, stress and trauma.

So, I ask the question- what is PRISON? Many people I met while in prison myself were not only growing and learning from their experience there, but also had developed a lightness about their circumstance and re-entry. Yet, many people recently seem to be in a very dark place. Maybe this is timing, maybe this is based on the fact that they have had other chances and failed and maybe the real issue is that I am finding it necessary to have most of my clients seek serious therapy now and not just AA and other rehab options.

Thus, many people are in prisons of their own making and just do not know how to find freedom. Prison is a relative term now to me. I learned a lot from prison. Just as money can’t buy you class, escaping jail time cannot and will not buy you FREEDOM.

All of the recent repeat offenders suggest just this. We can’t expect that AA and rehab is going to turn a person’s life around. They must do the work and get to the heart of the matter. Celebrities are always in the news for repeat DUI arrests and even other crimes including shoplifting and other cries for attention. This is not a coincidence. This is a cry for help, attention and a true lack of coping skills.

One culprit may be the lack of personal connection many feel in this age of social media. It certainly adds to the stress level of many and the isolation of many more. Add those together and we have loneliness and a type of self imposed prison.

Where we find Freedom is an extension of what is prison. The answer to both is within. There is no doubt that 30 days in jail changes nothing but long term work and treatment does. So does community service and being of service to others. As I often say, Community Service should be mandatory for anybody finding themselves in a courtroom. This may indeed be the key to the path to FREEDOM.

Wendy Feldman is a criminal justice expert, insider and family legal coach. She is available for private consultation on how to prepare for a successful incarceration, probation and re-entry. She is also available for media commentary and has appeared on shows from The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, E! News, People.com, Fox News, NBC News, CNN, NPR and Nancy Grace. She is a weekly featured guest on the syndicated America Now radio program. She may be reached at wendy@wendyfeldman.com

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February 27, 2013 · 10:14 PM
December 14, 2012 · 8:07 PM

Mass Murder is all about POWER…

 

Here we are again- another mass shooting of innocent people. This time children. But, what are we focusing on? The killer of course. Every day I work with people and their families because families are the consequences of crime. This case is no different. We are already forgetting about the victims and their families. Instead we are looking at why and how, and if the killer had OCD and other issues. Of course he had mental issues. I am sure there will be a long list of things he has done, but that does not make a true evil killer. True evil is just that.

The media also is dwelling on the fact that this happened in an upscale white neighborhood. When are these cases not in white upscale neighborhoods, and when are the killer’s minorities? Rarely, if ever. Gang killings are different. They are gang to gang and not on a mass, random scale.

As my fans and readers know, I am a big believer in change. I think that change is possible in most cases. But, this is not one of them nor are cases with severely mentally ill people. Mental illness is an ILLNESS, and without treatment only gets worse. This is what happened with my client Johnny Lewis. The judge ordered him to rehab, and as I knew he was not a drug user. I would bet the same is true here. 12 step and rehab does not cure all things and in fact often masks the greater issues. Judges wake up!!!

There are so many lessons to be learned from this tragedy; from our absurd gun control laws to how our sentencing system works. After all, our prisons are filled with drug offenders who often face mandatory sentences. Just this week I had 2 women begin 9-year prison terms for being non-key players in small drug cases. A true shame.

I suggest we look at this case and really start to make and lobby for change. The more we give the killer power, the less we think about the victims and their families. Even the family of this killer is harmed forever. But, to effect change we must admit there is a problem and look at solutions, not salacious media speculation. Our criminal justice system is a giant mystery just waiting to be exposed by insiders like me. Please join me in looking at the what now instead of the many reasons this killer did what he did.

Again, change is possible but this time let’s change the way we look at the case instead of worrying about the killer himself.

 


Wendy Feldman is a criminal justice expert, insider and family legal coach. She is available for private consultation on how to prepare for a successful incarceration, probation and re-entry. She is also available for media commentary and has appeared on shows from The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, E! News, People.com, Fox News, NBC News, CNN, NPR and Nancy Grace. She is a weekly featured guest on the syndicated America Now radio program. She may be reached at wendy@wendyfeldman.com

Follow @thewendyfeldman

 

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September 27, 2012 · 8:28 PM

How our system failed actor Johnny Lewis and his victim…

 

Actor Johnny Lewis, who was on the TV show Sons of Anarchy has died in what is a most tragic and yet predictable ending. Not only did Johnny die, he sadly took the life of an 81 year old woman as well. First let me say that I knew and worked with Johnny. In fact, I stopped working with him when it became obvious that I could not help him He needed very strict MENTAL HEALTH care.

The tale of Johnny Lewis should be a lesson to everybody in our criminal justice system and to those who profess to work in rehab and treatment. The past year was not a good one for Lewis and his family. He was in a custody battle, he was not working and most telling, he was arrested several times. These arrests, and his subsequent jail time were all indications that things were very out of balance in his life. What is very misunderstood is that this was NOT a simple rehab/addiction matter.

Despite being sentenced to “treatment”, Johnny received anything but. This is where I hope his death, and the death he caused can be used as example of how the system failed. I often write that judges need to sentence people to Community Service along with a jail, probation or treatment model. I also write that rehab is NOT the solution to everything that ails us. The Johnny Lewis I knew was not addicted to drugs nor does being addicted to drugs mean that one will act in such a violent way.

The simple truth is that Johnny Lewis had been held on the 7th floor  of Los Angels County jail for a period of time. Any of us who works in alternative sentencing knows that only those with a severe psychiatric disorder are held there. The judge should have known that. But, Johnny was ordered to a “treatment” facility and program. This is often the case and yet these “programs” are one size fits all and there simply is no such thing.

Mental Illness is not the same thing as addiction. A 12-step program will not work and often gives false hope to the participant and society. In this case a lack of understanding has led to the death of two people. How tragic and senseless. It is time for our courts and judges to practice what they preach and take responsibility for their actions and look towards solutions.

For now RIP Johnny Lewis and his victim. Let’s not allow this to happen again.

 

Wendy Feldman is a criminal justice expert, insider and family legal coach. She is available for private consultation on how to prepare for a successful incarceration, probation and re-entry. She is also available for media commentary and has appeared on shows from The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, Fox News, NBC News, CNN, NPR and Nancy Grace. She is a weekly featured guest in the syndicated America Now radio program. She may be reached at wendy@wendyfeldman.com

Follow @thewendyfeldman

 

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September 8, 2012 · 10:37 PM

Once again the winner is Community Service…

Recently I have several clients who have not done well on pre trial or after their cases have been resolved. There is ONE reason for this- these people lack passion. Low self esteem and fear plague everybody who is dealing with a crisis such as lack of freedom or newly restored freedom.

In every case I have urged Community Service to both empower my client, and to learn about new people and develop a passion. Yet, in every current case I have, the courts have FAILED to order Community service. Despite my best efforts the clients do not finish or participate at all.

The other aspect of Community Service that works so well is the Accountability it provides. Most people flourish under such accountability. People who are under great stress do well with structure. So, why do judges fail to understand this? Simple, our system is not only broken but also way out of date. It’s no wonder that recidivism is so high. We give people re-entering society very few tools, and without these tools success is much harder. I often say that Prison is easy, re-entry is the tough part. I firmly believe this. I can get anybody and their family prepared for a prison term, it is what happens after that matters. In fact, the moment that I prepare a person for prison I am also preparing them and their family for re-entry.

So, what can we do? Simply keep pushing forward, raising awareness to our system and what works and what doesn’t. The more we shine a light on how to succeed, the more we will get others to believe and succeed as well. For now- JUDGES- ORDER COMMUNITY SERVICE IN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE YOU WERE CONSIDERING.

 

Wendy Feldman is a criminal justice expert, insider and family legal coach. She is available for private consultation on how to prepare for a successful incarceration, probation and re-entry. She is also available for media commentary and has appeared on shows from The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, Fox News, NBC News, CNN, NPR and Nancy Grace. She is a weekly featured guest in the syndicated America Now radio program. She may be reached at wendy@wendyfeldman.com

Follow @thewendyfeldman

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Filed under Criminal Justice, prepare for jail, prison coaching, prison consultant, prison preparation, prison re entry

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July 15, 2012 · 9:28 PM

Celebrities- DUI and death- what we CAN DO…

It seems that a day doesn’t go by without a celebrity arrest or even worse a death from drugs and alcohol. So, why are celebrities arrested at a higher rate for DUI than the rest of us? Simple- grandiosity and entitlement. These are two criminal thinking errors and usually a daily part of a celebrity’s life. There is also the problem of a lack of reality and the “yes” people who often surround the celebs. Think CONRAD MURAY.

Another question is why do these celebs that have money actually take the risk and drive themselves? Again simple, they feel they are invincible at best and on drug runs at worse. Further, even the rehab programs that many of these celebs go to are so star struck that they do not treat the patient correctly. This is sad but very true. One has to ask what the true motives are when “treating” a celebrity of high profile person. I work with many in my consulting practice and sad to say but lawyers, PR people and agents all have different motives and agendas.

Often judges do not understand how to handle these cases either. Judges may feel that jail is a deterrent for drug addiction and that court mandated AA is enough. This is laughable. Anybody who has ever been an addict or known one understands that once can’t reason with somebody in the midst of their addiction and jail is certainly NOT the answer nor a deterrent. I encourage judges to hand down serious therapy, formal probation AND Community service. As anybody who reads my work knows, I believe community service helps people find their passion, gives them self worth all while serving society.

This week already we have seen yet another Amanda Bynes issues even while her criminal cases are pending, the arrest of Olympian Shaun White, the arrest of Michael Turner and Sally Struthers.  And we wonder why our Incarceration Nation is broken?

We must get serious and know when treatment is needed and how best to make it work. That means empowering the person, not shaming them while making them accountable for their actions. There are consequences and that is something that everybody has, even Hollywood celebs.

To begin to change our system and save lives we must first understand why it is broken and break down what is really going on. I for one am sick and tired of lawyers who only think about “getting their client off” and not how to live the rest of their lives. Clients are not notches on a belt but people who need long term help.

Remember, change is possible but it takes work AND understanding. Let’s start now and educate rather than judge.

Wendy Feldman is a criminal justice expert, insider and family legal coach. She is available for private consultation on how to prepare for a successful incarceration, probation and re-entry. She is also available for media commentary and has appeared on shows from Today, CBS Early Show, Fox News and Nancy Grace. She is a weekly featured guest in the syndicated America Now radio program. She may be reached at wendy@custodialcoaching.com. 

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Filed under addiction, alternatvive sentencing, celebrities, d.u.i, drug abuse treatment, prepare for jail, prison consultant, Sage Stallone

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