About jackatie

I've been helping people incarcerated in Feeral Prison for the past 30 years. I retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in 2011, after a 23 year career in case management related capacities. I was fortunate enough to work in the trenches of the system directly with diverse populations including Minimum, Low, Medium, High, Administrative and Witness Security cases. I held assignments in the Philadelphia Regional Office and the New York City Community Corrections Office. I participated in national policy writing workgroups and audited facilities throughout the Northeast United States as institution resources staff with the D.C. Central Office Program Review Division. I received dozens of awards during my tenure, three of which involved national recognition. Prior to my Federal Service, I worked in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Probation/Parole Officer and served our country for 8 years as a Military Policeman in the Army. Upon my retirement, I founded My Federal Prison Consultant, LLC and provide consulting services to law firms and offenders throughout the United States. I am passionate about Federal prison Reform and serve on the Corrections Committees for the American Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. I have testified on Capital Hill on prison reform and I am the sub-chair of an ABA Committee on federal correctional issues. I am the Director of Programs and Case management Services for the non-profit organization FedCURE, and Executive Director of Out4Good developing the “Correcting Corrections in America” initiative. I teach Criminal Justice at Marywood University as a Lecturer. My latest venture is a Collaboration with Walt Pavlo under the "Prisonology" Brand. We are excited to have assembled a collation of people who have served time along side people who have worked in the trenches of the system. We have trained Federal Defenders, CJA Panel and even Federal Judges throughout the country on federal prison issues. I have been quoted in Forbes.com , Bloomberg News and CNBC and have appeared on television and radio. I hold a BA in Sociology/Anthropology and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. You can be assured that no one has a better pulse on the policy, culture and nuances of the Federal Prison System.

What have we become?

The gloves slightly come off ;) It’s been too long since I wrote a blog so I’ll get busy with a topic advocates and politicians continue to dance on the tables over. I never even got on the table after the First Step Act was signed into law because it is ill conceived, poorly written, [...]

By |2019-04-12T18:18:48-04:00April 12th, 2019|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on What have we become?

It’s been a while!

I've been remiss in posting at this location so thought I'd get out a few points while I had some down time in this 6 degree weather! I'll keep to the flavor of the month by making a few observation of the seriously flawed Fist Step Act. I say flawed mainly from a prison perspective [...]

By |2019-03-05T15:24:11-04:00March 5th, 2019|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on It’s been a while!

The Lone Wolf speaks

I recently testified in a sentencing and the prosecutor asked me if I was a "Lone Wolf"? Apparently he read one of my blogs looking for dirt and that's about all he could come up with.  I answered, "absolutely" when it comes to Criminal Justice form. I perpetually hang my head in shame when I [...]

By |2018-11-20T15:33:57-04:00November 20th, 2018|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on The Lone Wolf speaks

Déjà vu all over again?

I have tracked the various criminal justice reform bills for decades from a unique perspective inside the federal prison system. Each time, it’s the same old song and dance. First come the press releases; then rumors run rampant with the prison population while NGOs and politicians raise money for all the "wonderful work" they are [...]

By |2018-11-15T22:12:28-04:00November 15th, 2018|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on Déjà vu all over again?

Dear Mr. Kushner

It appears the recent rumblings within the political landscape of justice reform have led to a potential compromise bill in the Senate looming for September. I’ve watched various reform bills since the 1980’s and can honestly say this is the first bill even remotely close to passage. I’d like to thank you for your efforts [...]

By |2018-08-21T19:36:48-04:00August 21st, 2018|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on Dear Mr. Kushner

Time to rant (Only for serious reformers)

I  always wonder who writes these crime bills and the First Step Act (FSA) is no different.  After reading the flavor of the week, I just need to remind myself there is no reason to get upset because it's just more beltway dysfunction. While the FSA is actually worse than most of the recent legislation, [...]

By |2018-07-04T15:25:38-04:00May 21st, 2018|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on Time to rant (Only for serious reformers)

Right Under Our Noses – Part 2

It’s been too long since I ranted on Federal prison reform but reading the March 26, 2018, letter from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights to Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer sparked unpleasant memories and inspired me to sit down to write this little ditty! Anyone who has followed my blogs understands my [...]

By |2018-03-31T00:51:06-04:00March 30th, 2018|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Right Under Our Noses – Part 2

Right under our noses

Last week I attended the Smart on Crime Innovations Conference at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While it was an informative experience of advocates preaching to the choir, I couldn’t help but feel like the movie Groundhog Day. The mantra of academia and the right left coalitions are the same while only the [...]

By |2017-10-19T14:32:52-04:00October 19th, 2017|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform|Comments Off on Right under our noses

General Inch and the half full glass!

I have been reading many stories about the recent appointment of retired General Mark Inch as the new FBOP Director. Anyone who listens to my reform mantra knows I have been calling for an outside director for over a decade. The more common group think of advocates is to sound the alarm bells in a [...]

By |2017-08-26T16:38:01-04:00August 26th, 2017|Uncategorized|Comments Off on General Inch and the half full glass!

Lessons learned

I recently came to the realization the best way to take this blog was to periodically cover the lessons learned during my work in the trenches of the Federal justice system as an advocate, consultant and reform freak. Going forward, I will focus on prison and legislative reforms while keeping an eye on what I [...]

By |2017-06-27T13:55:04-04:00June 27th, 2017|Criminal Justice and Prison Reform, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Lessons learned
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