Behind Bars

The following is an excerpt from the Introduction:



Not in a million lifetimes did I ever imagine myself in prison. The idea never surfaced. Hopping on a space shuttle to Mars or having a second head surgically implanted would have been more conceivable to me. As with unanticipated life events such as car accidents and cancer, the majority of individuals who are conscientious, law-abiding citizens do not commonly consider the prospect of doing time. Nevertheless, it can happen.



I am living proof.



Many people are not disposed to a criminal life and they do not think about the prison experience, not from a personal perspective. Approximately one in every thirty-two Americans gets a shot at having the handcuffs shoved on. The scratch ticket average payoff, according to Wikipedia, is less than one in five. If the criminal justice system were a game—and to many who implement it, it is—I sure would put my effort into selling Jail Bird chances. It would be a great way to cash in on what is rapidly becoming a booming, multi-billion dollar industry.