MBJ's Book is NY Times "This Week's Recommendation"

Michael B. Jackson’s book “"How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for Successful Reentry" was highlighted as “This Weeks Recommendation” in the NY Times Magazine. In an April 6, 2008 article by Virginia Heffernan, entitled Soft Cell, states; “Think that prison literature begins and ends with Jack Henry Abbott’s “In the Belly of the Beast”? Find less outlaw glamour and more practical advice in the top choice of Prison Talk’s David Frisk: “How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook For Successful Reentry,” by Michael B. Jackson. Jackson, who spent 10 years in prison for armed robbery and drug offenses, also informs and inspires convicts and former convicts at the JointFX Web site (www.jointfx.com) and on his YouTube channel”.
Michael B. Jackson is the Publisher and Author of three books; "How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for Successful Reentry," "How to Love & Inspire Your Man After Prison," and "Como Cumplir Con Tus Obligaciones Al Salir De La Prision: Guia practica para una vida mejor." Jackson is also the creator and host of PrisonNationRadio.com.

Interview w/ Michael B. jackson

Interview with Michael B. Jackson
Interview by Jenna Glatzer) www.absolutewrite.com

Raised in a Newark, NJ housing project, Michael B. Jackson was introduced to a life of crime and heroin addiction at an early age. At 18, he made his first trip to prison, and for the next 10 years was in and out of prison for parole violations and new offenses. Like so many inmates, he became more comfortable behind bars than in the outside world.

One day Jackson finally “got it” and made a commitment to change his life for the better. Channeling his anger and resentment for positive purposes, he began to put back the pieces of his self-esteem and character.

In 1979, after spending several months in a halfway house, he was paroled and never again returned to prison. Within 10 months of his release, Jackson gained custody of his son who at eight years of age had become involved in petty crimes.

Today, Jackson is a successful entrepreneur, author, and publisher, and the founder of the very popular website http://www.jointfx.com/. He has been employed with a state corrections parole authority for the past 15 years. Jackson conducts seminars and training sessions for youths and adults, and has been featured in numerous newspapers and appeared on national television shows.

You were in and out of prison for 10 years before you turned your life around. What finally clicked for you?

"Mostly I just got tired of being pathetic and always under the control of some narcotic or the prison system. I wanted something better in my life, so I decided to take control and change my life.

You've made it a life mission to help other convicts and their loved ones-- you're a parole hearing officer, motivational speaker, author, and you run a website to help people find success after prison. Why?

"I have been blessed with a good life. I am 52 years old and I have doubled the lifespan of most of my childhood friends who were doing the same things that I was doing back then. They just kept going until it killed them one way or the other. I believe that it is my calling to share my experiences with others. My goal in life is to motivate, inspire, and give hope to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people so that they, too, can change their lives and be successful after prison."

Why do you think the criminal recidivism rate is so high?

“Negative laws, public policies, and opinions of formerly incarcerated people are all "barriers" that play a major role in the high failure rate for people after prison. Many laws are senseless and designed to make it impossible for someone to start a new life after serving time in prison. For example, in many states, a person convicted of a felony cannot get a barber's license or license to drive a truck. They cannot get student loans and grants to further their education. They cannot return and live with their families, if their families live in public housing.
There are also not enough programs, services, and resources, like job training or substance abuse counseling for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Men are being released with physical and mental health issues that were not addressed in prison.
In general, most people released from prison are just not prepared to return to society. I believe that despite all those things, a man must find a way. There are some things he must do that will give him a better chance to succeed. That's what I talk about in my book, How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for the Committed Man."

Your second book is How to Love and Inspire Your Man After Prison. That's the one that really intrigued me, because of a comment you made-- that spouses and partners often inadvertently help their loved ones stay incarcerated. How?”

“I get more than 250 e-mails a week from women (wives, girlfriends, mothers) at my "Ask Shakir" advice column, http://www.jointfx.com/. I believe that in her quest to comfort and support her man, many of them unwittingly become enablers who actually encourage his unproductive behaviors and attitudes.

It is good for a man to have a woman who tries to understand him, support him, encourage him, and love him, but he must be held responsible. Men, in general, are notorious whiners, quick to place the blame for our failures and shortcomings on forces outside of us. In reality, most men in prison are there due to the poorly thought-out bad decisions they have made in their lives. Until they begin to make better decisions and become willing to work hard for what they want, they will never achieve the success that they desire.”

Why did you self-publish your books?

“I sent out to a few publishers but all the responses were negative. I don't think they saw a financially viable market for my topic. However, after taking into consideration things like maintaining control, convenience, and higher profits, self-publishing seemed like the ideal choice for my books. The fact that I sell most of my books via directs sales at conferences, speaking events, etc. means I usually need many copies on hand. I like having them in my garage where I can get them. I can also make updates and edits anytime I want to.”

You're open about your past and the fact that you're an ex-con. Do you feel that this has hurt you at all as an author and businessman? Do people treat you differently when they know you were in prison?

“In terms of being an expert on my subject, my past has been a key factor in my success as an author, publisher, motivational speaker. I can speak of my topic because I lived it, am living it, and will live it for the rest of my life.
After years of failure and repeated trips to prison, it was people who had achieved success after prison who came back in and talked to us. That is what inspired me to set positive goals for myself because I saw that it could be done. I want to pass that on.”

You've received some terrific radio and TV publicity. How have you approached the media, and has it affected your book sales?

“My subject matter is always timely and of interest to people. I have always been lucky in attracting interest in my message. The publicity has helped book sales greatly. Mostly because it leads to personal speaking opportunities where I really sell most of my books. I feel that if I get to speak to a live audience, I will sell a book or two to at least 50% of the audience.”

Where are your books available?

“On my web site, http://www.jointfx.com, from http://www.amazon.com, and most bookstores.”

As a parole officer, are you ever worried for your safety?

I am not a "parole officer." I do not supervise parolees. I work as a “revocation hearing officer," which is different. My job is to conduct parole violations revocation hearings to determine the validity and seriousness of violations of parole charges brought by parole officers against parolees. Yes, I am worried about my safety all the time. Whenever I get in my car I am more scared that some crazy drivers on the road is going to kill me.”

You're a confessed cynic when it comes to inmates and their stories. And you say you're amazed and concerned about women who form relationships with inmates. So how do you know the difference between a lifelong criminal and someone who has the potential to change? Do you feel it's a moral responsibility for wives to stand by their husbands through prison time?

“Not all the stories, but I am cynical about some of the stories I hear from women concerning their relationships with men in prison. Some of the women I hear from are just straight up being lied to and played by men in prison. Sometimes it's so obvious you know that the woman has to know she is being played. She starts feeling sorry for him and feeling she is his only lifeline to sanity in prison and they get involved, at great emotional and financial cost. The women make big wedding plans with men who they barely know and get their hopes up just to have their hearts broken in they end.
There is no magic formula to foresee who is truly sincere about changing his life, however there are some signs to look for that will tell you if someone is NOT ready to do the right things.
For instance, she may believe his stories about being an innocent victim of circumstance who always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but, a man who always seems to be involved in some type of incident or situation in the prison, such as rules infractions, where he is put into segregation or gets his privileges taken away is probably involved in negative activities and doing things that place him in bad situations. A man who is breaking all the rules in prison is probably going to continue that behavior when he gets out, despite what he tells her.
All I can say about a wife's "moral responsibility" is, if I were a woman and my man was in jail, I would measure the level of my moral obligation to stand by him through prison time by how he honored his responsibility to stand by and support me (and my kids) when he was on the streets.”

What's your best advice for those who are considering self-publishing?

“Today, with print-on-demand publishing, it is so easy and inexpensive to get your book into print. There is almost nothing stopping anyone from being published, except his or her own desire and motivation. Just do it!”

Anything else you'd like to add?

A lot of people told me that there was no market for my book and that I was wasting my time. I have sold more than 20,000 copies of "Do Good." If you have a topic that you feel deeply about and you believe is of interest and useful to others, self-publishing is the way to go.”

“Doing Good is the best revenge. Do good, with a vengeance!”

Visit Michael's website at http://www.jointfx.com/.
Jenna Glatzer is the author of Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer and ten other books. Visit her at http://www.jennaglatzer.com/ and find out how you can pick up a free editors' e-mail cheat sheet!

How to Do Good After Prison: Success on Parole

(Willingboro, NJ) Prison Nation Radio (PNR), On January 31, 2008, Michael B. Jackson, creator and host of internet talk program Prison Nation Radio will continue his series of broadcasts he calls "DoGAPS" (Do Good After Prison Sets), that he hopes will be of some assistance to men and women recently released and preparing for release from prison. Each "Set" will include the principle for successful reentry from Jackson's book "How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for Successful Reentry". Last weeks program, the first in the set, focused on the importance of preparing oneself for release while in the prison. This week will focus on understanding parole and making good parole decisions. The broadcast can be heard online at www.Jointfx.com.
"Technical parole violations is among the top reason why people go back to prison today", said Jackson. It’s usually not a case of a person not knowing the rules, as much as it is making bad decisions they know will result in them being arrested for parole violation.
Michael B. Jackson is the Publisher and Author of three (3) books; "How to Do Good After Prison: A Handbook for Successful Reentry,” "How to Love & Inspire Your Man After Prison," and "Como Cumplir Con Tus Obligaciones Al Salir De La Prision: Guia practica para una vida mejor".
“Most people on parole would be okay if they just complied with the very first general condition of parole, which states that: A parolee must obey all local laws and ordinances. That says it all”, continued Jackson. “Unfortunately, that seems to be a tricky one for many.”
PNR broadcasts every Thursday at 7:00 PM. The broadcast can be accessed online at www.Jointfx.com. Jackson is encouraging other formerly incarcerated people, family members, friends and the general community to participate by sharing stories, comments and information. Those who cannot attend can call in, email or join the live chat room during the broadcast. The currently incarcerated who wants to participate can do so by sending their comments via U.S. Mail. As many letters as possible will be read during the broadcast and all will be posted on the PNR website www.Jointfx.com. Letters should be mailed to: PMB 104, Postnet, 621 Beverly-Rancocas Rd, Willingboro, NJ 08046. The program call in phone number is 1-347-215-8904.

###

For more information Contact: Michael B. Jackson @ pnr@jointfx.com or call 609-877-8071