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Federal Prison Handbook: The Definitive Guide to Surviving the Federal Bureau of Prisons
The definitive guide to surviving incarceration in a federal prison. Federal Prison Handbook teaches individuals facing incarceration, prisoners who are already inside, and their friends and family everything they need to know to protect themselves and their rights. The thorough information has been compiled by an advocate currently serving time at a federal prison. His insider's view of this unknown world guides inmates through the mental stresses of confinement. Equally as important, he keeps readers physically safe by explaining how to avoid the near-constant conflicts found inside federal prisons. In detailed chapters broken down by topical areas, readers discover:
• What to expect during admissions and how to greet cellmates for the first time.
• How to communicate with the outside world through telephones, computers, and mail.
• What types of items can be purchased from the official commissary and the underground economy.
• The best ways to avoid fights, and the options that provide the greatest protection if a fight cannot be avoided.
• The knowledge required to avoid scams, schemes, theft, and other problems.
• What to do about sexual harassment or assault.
• The types of jobs available and their pay grades.
• Medical and psychological services.
• Religious activities and services.
• Entertainment, recreation, and keeping fit.
• And much more.
Importantly, this text provides detailed instructions on how prisoners can protect their rights. The author is a college-educated prisoner who has fought extensively to preserve his rights and the rights of other prisoners. Incarceration can be cruel for prisoners and their loved ones. Know what to expect and make the best of this time by staying safe, remaining safe, and building a life behind bars.
• What to expect during admissions and how to greet cellmates for the first time.
• How to communicate with the outside world through telephones, computers, and mail.
• What types of items can be purchased from the official commissary and the underground economy.
• The best ways to avoid fights, and the options that provide the greatest protection if a fight cannot be avoided.
• The knowledge required to avoid scams, schemes, theft, and other problems.
• What to do about sexual harassment or assault.
• The types of jobs available and their pay grades.
• Medical and psychological services.
• Religious activities and services.
• Entertainment, recreation, and keeping fit.
• And much more.
Importantly, this text provides detailed instructions on how prisoners can protect their rights. The author is a college-educated prisoner who has fought extensively to preserve his rights and the rights of other prisoners. Incarceration can be cruel for prisoners and their loved ones. Know what to expect and make the best of this time by staying safe, remaining safe, and building a life behind bars.
522 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2017
11 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Zoukis
6 books9 followersChristopher Zoukis, JD, MBA, is the Managing Director of Elizabeth Franklin-Best P.C. and a nationally recognized federal prison expert. He is the author of the Federal Criminal Defendant’s Handbook (Middle Street Publishing, 2026), The Habeas Citebook: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel (Prison Legal News Publishing, 3rd Edition 2026), Directory of Federal Prisons (Middle Street Publishing, 2020), Federal Prison Handbook (Middle Street Publishing, 2017), Prison Education Guide (Prison Legal News Publishing, 2017), and College for Convicts (McFarland & Company, 2014).
While in law school, Mr. Zoukis was the Articles Editor of the University of California Davis Law Review, a Trial Practice Honors Board member, and Vice President of the Criminal Law Association and Students Against Mass Incarceration. He was awarded the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence and the Reynoso Award for Academic Excellence. He also holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (business administration and legal studies) from Adams State University. He also earned Paralegal, Advanced Paralegal, and Employment Law certificates from ASU.
Mr. Zoukis has contributed articles to the Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Prison Legal News, Criminal Legal News, and other media outlets. He has been quoted in many major media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ABC News, Associated Press, United Press International, USA Today, The Washington Post, Detroit Free Press, The Hill, Bloomberg Law, The Guardian, Yahoo News, and Vice News, among other outlets worldwide.
Mr. Zoukis focuses on federal prison policy matters, including designation, sentence computation, disciplinary, health care, First Step Act, Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program, and reentry areas. Chris has assisted hundreds of clients with federal prison preparation, in-prison, and reentry matters. He is quoted frequently in the national and international press regarding federal prison matters.
While in law school, Mr. Zoukis was the Articles Editor of the University of California Davis Law Review, a Trial Practice Honors Board member, and Vice President of the Criminal Law Association and Students Against Mass Incarceration. He was awarded the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence and the Reynoso Award for Academic Excellence. He also holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (business administration and legal studies) from Adams State University. He also earned Paralegal, Advanced Paralegal, and Employment Law certificates from ASU.
Mr. Zoukis has contributed articles to the Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Prison Legal News, Criminal Legal News, and other media outlets. He has been quoted in many major media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ABC News, Associated Press, United Press International, USA Today, The Washington Post, Detroit Free Press, The Hill, Bloomberg Law, The Guardian, Yahoo News, and Vice News, among other outlets worldwide.
Mr. Zoukis focuses on federal prison policy matters, including designation, sentence computation, disciplinary, health care, First Step Act, Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program, and reentry areas. Chris has assisted hundreds of clients with federal prison preparation, in-prison, and reentry matters. He is quoted frequently in the national and international press regarding federal prison matters.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 20, 2017
Hands down, this is the single most useful and informative book you’ll ever find on what it’s really like inside the federal prison system. Not only is it packed with information, it’s written in the personal voice of a prison rights activist who is currently serving time at a federal facility.
Author and advocate Christopher Zoukis is an incredibly prolific writer. He regularly appears on Huffington Post, New York Daily News, and Prison Legal News. He’s able to break down the bewildering volume of rules, regulations and details so that anyone—a convict new to the federal system, their family and friends, and even individuals who’ve been in for years—can learn everything they need to know to survive behind bars.
In addition to providing a nearly encyclopedic review of the official regulations, Zoukis tells readers what others won’t: how to navigate prison culture. Family members and friends discover exactly what their loved ones are going through along with different ways they can help. Personal anecdotes and the stories of other inmates make Federal Prison Handbook an intimate, honest, and compelling read.
Author and advocate Christopher Zoukis is an incredibly prolific writer. He regularly appears on Huffington Post, New York Daily News, and Prison Legal News. He’s able to break down the bewildering volume of rules, regulations and details so that anyone—a convict new to the federal system, their family and friends, and even individuals who’ve been in for years—can learn everything they need to know to survive behind bars.
In addition to providing a nearly encyclopedic review of the official regulations, Zoukis tells readers what others won’t: how to navigate prison culture. Family members and friends discover exactly what their loved ones are going through along with different ways they can help. Personal anecdotes and the stories of other inmates make Federal Prison Handbook an intimate, honest, and compelling read.
May 17, 2017
God forbid I will ever need to know the contents of this book, but Christopher Zoukis shows statistics which reveal the high percentage of Americans who either will themselves be or will know someone who is incarcerated is very high. It is full of useful information and really well-written and covers absolutely every aspect of the prison experience, starting with the transfer to prison itself – yes, even this is fraught with potential danger for the uninformed. At the end of each section is a subjective comment – a personal tip – and these are invaluable. The author has been in the prison system for many years and has experienced what he is writing about. He has even been subjected to SHU (Special Housing Unit). I used to think this was called solitary confinement or isolation but the author points out that overcrowding means you may be sharing with one or two other inmates. I would posit that this book should be recommended reading for all teenagers so that it will act as a deterrent if they are considering circumventing the law.
May 21, 2017
‘American corrections – incarceration in particular – touches every facet of our society.’
Christopher Zoukis is a thirty-year-old federal prisoner who has been incarcerated since committing a crime as a high school senior. He is as both a student and a scholar of prison life, particularly in educational matters. In that respect, he considers his time in prison has been eventful. He published ‘College for Convicts’ and ‘Prison Education Guide’, founded the Education Behind Bars Newsletter, and has contributed articles to The Huffington Post, Prison Legal News, and the New York Daily News. He has taught writing classes to his fellow prisoners, won two PEN American Center writing awards, and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Business/ Law) via correspondence. He is now a graduate student at Adams State University, pursuing a Masters in Business Administration.
In Christopher’s well written Introduction he explains the heed for this book and the people for whom it is intended – ‘Incarceration is a growing trend in American society. In the last four decades, American prison populations have increased by over 700 percent. This equates to nearly 1 in 100 American adults behind bars. One in 35 American adults are under some form of judicial supervision (prison, probation, and parole) at an absurd cost of $ 74 billion annually … a number that exceeds the gross domestic product of over 130 nations. Clearly the American criminal justice system has gone awry. My own research, presented in College for Convicts: The Case for Higher Education in American Prisons shows 1.7 million current prisoners, 2.3 million confined in prisons and jails, and 5.6 million under some form of judicial supervision. For nearly 1 out of every 100 Americans, incarceration will be a fact at some point in their lives. While more than 95 percent of prisoners will one day be released (around 650,000 each year), the majority will return to custody – they will recidivate – within five years of release. Federal sentencing data is just as alarming. In 2013, only around 3 percent of cases went to trial. Some (8 percent) were dismissed but the vast majority were resolved through plea bargains. Sentencing guidelines and mandatory minimums mean that defendants who plead out received significantly lower sentences than those who went to trial. Once sentenced, inmates are housed in one of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ 125 stand-alone facilities, in a private contract facility, or in a satellite prison camp. In 2014, federal prisons were on average 30 percent over capacity; individual facilities could be more than 50 percent over capacity. With such large numbers of American citizens incarcerated, the need for this text becomes evident. If you don’t know someone ensnared by the American criminal justice system, someone you know surely does. Someone connected to you or to a close friend probably needs this book.’
From this overview Christopher addresses - What to expect during admissions and how to greet cellmates for the first time, How to communicate with the outside world through telephones, computers, and mail, What types of items can be purchased from the official commissary and the underground economy, The best ways to avoid fights, and the options that provide the greatest protection if a fight cannot be avoided, The knowledge required to avoid scams, schemes, theft, and other problems, What to do about sexual harassment or assault, The types of jobs available and their pay grades, Medical and psychological services, Religious activities and services, Entertainment, recreation, and keeping fit, and – very importantly - detailed instructions on how prisoners can protect their rights.
Written with great attention to detail, this fine book is an eye-opener for many and the act of reading it will benefit not only our understanding of incarceration but perhaps encourage more people to become actively involved in correcting our ‘correctional system.’ A very fine book.
Christopher Zoukis is a thirty-year-old federal prisoner who has been incarcerated since committing a crime as a high school senior. He is as both a student and a scholar of prison life, particularly in educational matters. In that respect, he considers his time in prison has been eventful. He published ‘College for Convicts’ and ‘Prison Education Guide’, founded the Education Behind Bars Newsletter, and has contributed articles to The Huffington Post, Prison Legal News, and the New York Daily News. He has taught writing classes to his fellow prisoners, won two PEN American Center writing awards, and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Business/ Law) via correspondence. He is now a graduate student at Adams State University, pursuing a Masters in Business Administration.
In Christopher’s well written Introduction he explains the heed for this book and the people for whom it is intended – ‘Incarceration is a growing trend in American society. In the last four decades, American prison populations have increased by over 700 percent. This equates to nearly 1 in 100 American adults behind bars. One in 35 American adults are under some form of judicial supervision (prison, probation, and parole) at an absurd cost of $ 74 billion annually … a number that exceeds the gross domestic product of over 130 nations. Clearly the American criminal justice system has gone awry. My own research, presented in College for Convicts: The Case for Higher Education in American Prisons shows 1.7 million current prisoners, 2.3 million confined in prisons and jails, and 5.6 million under some form of judicial supervision. For nearly 1 out of every 100 Americans, incarceration will be a fact at some point in their lives. While more than 95 percent of prisoners will one day be released (around 650,000 each year), the majority will return to custody – they will recidivate – within five years of release. Federal sentencing data is just as alarming. In 2013, only around 3 percent of cases went to trial. Some (8 percent) were dismissed but the vast majority were resolved through plea bargains. Sentencing guidelines and mandatory minimums mean that defendants who plead out received significantly lower sentences than those who went to trial. Once sentenced, inmates are housed in one of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ 125 stand-alone facilities, in a private contract facility, or in a satellite prison camp. In 2014, federal prisons were on average 30 percent over capacity; individual facilities could be more than 50 percent over capacity. With such large numbers of American citizens incarcerated, the need for this text becomes evident. If you don’t know someone ensnared by the American criminal justice system, someone you know surely does. Someone connected to you or to a close friend probably needs this book.’
From this overview Christopher addresses - What to expect during admissions and how to greet cellmates for the first time, How to communicate with the outside world through telephones, computers, and mail, What types of items can be purchased from the official commissary and the underground economy, The best ways to avoid fights, and the options that provide the greatest protection if a fight cannot be avoided, The knowledge required to avoid scams, schemes, theft, and other problems, What to do about sexual harassment or assault, The types of jobs available and their pay grades, Medical and psychological services, Religious activities and services, Entertainment, recreation, and keeping fit, and – very importantly - detailed instructions on how prisoners can protect their rights.
Written with great attention to detail, this fine book is an eye-opener for many and the act of reading it will benefit not only our understanding of incarceration but perhaps encourage more people to become actively involved in correcting our ‘correctional system.’ A very fine book.
June 30, 2017
It's fascinating book, showing "the inside" from an inside perspective. Th ebook left me baffled with how celebrities, who lived a glorious lifestyle (Mike Tyson, Martha Stewart, Bernie Madoff, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Downey Jr.) coped with living in this setting.
Author Christopher ZOukis, who is incarcerated, writes,
"In The Prison Community, sociologist Donald Clemmer noted that “the prison experience is neither normal nor natural, and constitutes one of the more degrading experiences a person might endure....”
One thing that absoultely fascinated me was the creativity of inmates. Of course I wasn't surprised that inmates have alcihil, but guided by certain TV shows I believed that the stuff is smuggled in. Instead I read that inmates brew their own alcohol out of sugar, water, citrus fruit, and a bit of bread (for the yeast). " The place the ingridients a gallon-sized milk bag from the kitchen or in a trash bag (!!! wow) and let ot and brew.
It's almost as if people stranded on an island are trying to make a life , only this life is BEHIND bars.
However, Christopher Zoukis also cites positives examples. He writes that time is the only thing that inmates have plenty off, in fact they have all the time, "outsiders" sometimes wish they had. Driven people who plan their after-jail life use it to study and acquire skills they can use "later."
Though not as often as one would hope for, inmates get degrees (high school, college) and even doctorates and go on to "do things," which included advocacy for prisoners, publishing for prisoners, etc.
The book received high marks and should be read be everybody who know somebody in prison as well as people who work at prisons, and members of the legislature. I read the book on the recommendation of a friend and indeeed, he is right, it's a fascinating book. KUDOS to the author, Christopher Zoukis.
5 stars, Gisela Hausmann author & blogger
Author Christopher ZOukis, who is incarcerated, writes,
"In The Prison Community, sociologist Donald Clemmer noted that “the prison experience is neither normal nor natural, and constitutes one of the more degrading experiences a person might endure....”
One thing that absoultely fascinated me was the creativity of inmates. Of course I wasn't surprised that inmates have alcihil, but guided by certain TV shows I believed that the stuff is smuggled in. Instead I read that inmates brew their own alcohol out of sugar, water, citrus fruit, and a bit of bread (for the yeast). " The place the ingridients a gallon-sized milk bag from the kitchen or in a trash bag (!!! wow) and let ot and brew.
It's almost as if people stranded on an island are trying to make a life , only this life is BEHIND bars.
However, Christopher Zoukis also cites positives examples. He writes that time is the only thing that inmates have plenty off, in fact they have all the time, "outsiders" sometimes wish they had. Driven people who plan their after-jail life use it to study and acquire skills they can use "later."
Though not as often as one would hope for, inmates get degrees (high school, college) and even doctorates and go on to "do things," which included advocacy for prisoners, publishing for prisoners, etc.
The book received high marks and should be read be everybody who know somebody in prison as well as people who work at prisons, and members of the legislature. I read the book on the recommendation of a friend and indeeed, he is right, it's a fascinating book. KUDOS to the author, Christopher Zoukis.
5 stars, Gisela Hausmann author & blogger
January 16, 2019
The author, Christopher Zoukis, is presently an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution Petersburg in Virginia. He has been incarcerated since he was just 18 years old though he doesn't reveal his crime. A quick internet search can give you that information if you are curious. That this is written by a prisoner, makes the book a more authentic read than it might were it written by some scholar who had just interviewed various inmates.
Zoukis gives staggering statistics on the American prison population, history of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and follows up with information taking the reader from arrival and orientation through preparations to reenter the world as a free person and everything in between. He provides detailed tips for navigating the complicated social structure in prison, encouraging continuing education while incarcerated, and even explains how to receive the best medical and/or psychological care the prison system has to offer.
This reader is just glad that she's reading this book for entertainment purposes and not because she's heading into the penal system. How scary it must be to be reading this knowing the world contained within is in your immediate future. It is a fascinating read for leisure and most likely invaluable for the future inmate.
Zoukis gives staggering statistics on the American prison population, history of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and follows up with information taking the reader from arrival and orientation through preparations to reenter the world as a free person and everything in between. He provides detailed tips for navigating the complicated social structure in prison, encouraging continuing education while incarcerated, and even explains how to receive the best medical and/or psychological care the prison system has to offer.
This reader is just glad that she's reading this book for entertainment purposes and not because she's heading into the penal system. How scary it must be to be reading this knowing the world contained within is in your immediate future. It is a fascinating read for leisure and most likely invaluable for the future inmate.
June 15, 2017
I am neither of the parties for which this book was intended, but I got the book because I’ve always wondered what actual prison is like compared to what we see in the movies. I have to say, it’s only different in a few aspects but most of it is similar to the movies.
To be clear, I’m not taking away from the importance of the content, I’m sure someone will need this information when going to prison. For me, I just found it interesting, like a peek into a different world with different rules and procedures. This is sufficiently a scared straight program, and I totally don’t want to find myself in such a situation.
Other than that, it’s great to see that someone can beat the odds stacked against them by the prison system and come out the other end better.
To be clear, I’m not taking away from the importance of the content, I’m sure someone will need this information when going to prison. For me, I just found it interesting, like a peek into a different world with different rules and procedures. This is sufficiently a scared straight program, and I totally don’t want to find myself in such a situation.
Other than that, it’s great to see that someone can beat the odds stacked against them by the prison system and come out the other end better.
May 23, 2017
Being imprisoned is not easy, regardless of the situation of the imprisonment. A book written by Christopher Zoukis is written in order to show us what it means to be imprisoned and how to live a life once you are imprisoned.
Even though the author writes about incarcerations in federal prisons in the United States, this book can be used as a “guidebook’’ for any person who is currently imprisoned. There are many things that people want to know once they end up in a prison, such as whether they do or do not have any rights as prisoners and how to accomplish these rights. The author also thoroughly explains how to live a life of an inmate- mostly how to properly behave toward other fellow inmates, because the only people that each prisoner really has in a prison are his fellow inmates. Another very important aspect that the author explains and pays much of his attention to is mental aspect of incarceration. Being incarcerated is stressful. Not just because a person is not free anymore and does not have the freedom of a person who is not in prison, but also because of numerous other reasons. One of these reasons is stress of confinement and a time period each new inmate needs to go through until he adapts to his new life.
Even though the topic of the book is a bit ‘uncommon’ I say it is a great read. The author really gave his best and had invested a lot of his effort into writing it. Effort needs to be respected. Fantastic work.
Even though the author writes about incarcerations in federal prisons in the United States, this book can be used as a “guidebook’’ for any person who is currently imprisoned. There are many things that people want to know once they end up in a prison, such as whether they do or do not have any rights as prisoners and how to accomplish these rights. The author also thoroughly explains how to live a life of an inmate- mostly how to properly behave toward other fellow inmates, because the only people that each prisoner really has in a prison are his fellow inmates. Another very important aspect that the author explains and pays much of his attention to is mental aspect of incarceration. Being incarcerated is stressful. Not just because a person is not free anymore and does not have the freedom of a person who is not in prison, but also because of numerous other reasons. One of these reasons is stress of confinement and a time period each new inmate needs to go through until he adapts to his new life.
Even though the topic of the book is a bit ‘uncommon’ I say it is a great read. The author really gave his best and had invested a lot of his effort into writing it. Effort needs to be respected. Fantastic work.
May 23, 2017
Prison is considered a taboo in our society because it represents those who are unlawful, dishonest, and weak. The majority of those in the prison system didn’t expect to end up in there. But as Christopher Zoukis points out, you will find someone from every ethnic group, pay grade, and all ages paying their time behind bars.
Though the Federal Prison Handbook is written like a textbook, with footnotes, the author leaves “tips” throughout the book giving his own personal opinion and words of wisdom. This book opens up what to expect in prison, but also expounds on ways it has been profitable to the Christopher, there truly can be a time of transformation and growth in a person’s life during their stay.
What I found interesting about this book is that Christopher did not shy away from subjects that could be controversial. He lays out the ugly because he knows it isn’t pretty being incarcerated and protection is the key to preservation.
Though the Federal Prison Handbook is written like a textbook, with footnotes, the author leaves “tips” throughout the book giving his own personal opinion and words of wisdom. This book opens up what to expect in prison, but also expounds on ways it has been profitable to the Christopher, there truly can be a time of transformation and growth in a person’s life during their stay.
What I found interesting about this book is that Christopher did not shy away from subjects that could be controversial. He lays out the ugly because he knows it isn’t pretty being incarcerated and protection is the key to preservation.
August 2, 2017
I liked this book even more than I anticipated I would. I thought it would be interesting to get a candid look at a ‘real’ life behind bars (as opposed to what you see on TV), and was surprised to see that while much seemed familiar, there were so many things I never thought of or considered before. The writing is very articulate and concise and to the point. Never loses focus or direction. And the editing was near flawless which is a huge plus in my mind! It kept my attention from the intriguing opening to the ending. Obviously this is not a light and fluffy read by any stretch… nor should it be. There are too many important topics and circumstances here to just gloss over so be prepared to spend some time. I liked Mr. Zoukis’s writing style very much, and found myself completely lost in these pages night after night. Also has an impressive list of resources for further reading if you are interested.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews