Urban Incarceration: Beyond Survival - Parole, Probation, and Clearing Your Name (pt-7)

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Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Speaker 1 0:01

If you have ever been told by someone that you're not capable of attaining success , if you have made mistakes or lived in an underprivileged neighborhood , then this podcast is for you . You are now locked in to Struggle2 Success . Struggle2 Success aims to inspire individuals to navigate life's challenges with courage , fortitude and unwavering determination . So if you're in your car jogging or somewhere else trying to find the calm in the storm , then join Struggle2 Success airing every other Saturday . Remember life is trials . Stay focused .

Sterling 0:37

Hello Wonderful People . In episode five I said not all legal representation is the same , and I meant that you need someone who understands reentry law . Not all legal representation is the same and I meant that you need someone who understands reentry law , not just criminal law , someone who's not just in the courtroom to close a file but to fight for your future . I didn't have that . In my early 20s I was charged with possession with intent over one bag of marijuana . They hit me with a felony and gave me a bail , like I was Pablo Escobar . That one case sent me in a spiral that took years to climb out of . And while some folks still say what happened to me was harsh , I'll be real . I did wrong , I wasn't innocent . But when you come from a neighborhood that's under-resourced , overlooked and over-policed ,

My Experience With Legal System

Sterling 1:21

you learn quick . The punishment doesn't match the act , it matches the zip code . I didn't have a fighter in my corner . I had a court-appointed attorney . Clean , cut , polished , said all the right things . When it came down to it , I was just another name on his overloaded calendar . No strategy , no options , just take the plea . That kind of representation doesn't protect you . It buries you . Some lawyers look at your lack of legal knowledge as an easy win . They know you won't ask the right questions . They know you'll sign what they put in front of you , but the moment you do , you're locked into consequences you can't walk away from .

Sterling 2:04

So let's talk about what comes after probation and parole , because most people use those words interchangeably but they're not the same . In Pennsylvania , probation is when the court lets you serve your sentence out in the community instead behind bars . On paper it looks like a sound break , but it comes with strict consequences Regular check-ins with probation officers , drug tests , curfews , treatment programs , employment requirements . You mess up any one of these things , even the smallest

Understanding Probation vs. Parole

Sterling 2:42

, and you're going back to court and that judge . They can give you your full sentence that you originally avoided . Then there's unsupervised probation , where you're not reporting to a probation officer or PO and you don't have to check in , but you're still under the court's watch . One wrong move and everything crashes and low-key , but still high-risk .

Sterling 3:08

Now parole Parole comes after you've served a sentence , generally upstate , after you've done time . It means that the state lets you finish your sentence . Now in Pennsylvania it's 85% of your sentence out in the community , but you're still under the Department of Corrections and you're still being watched . You're still under state control . You're out , but not free If you violate those terms . So you're out , but not free . If you violate those terms , you go right back to prison , no questions asked .

Sterling 3:38

Probation is the court giving you a shot before jail . Parole is the system releasing you early after jail . But both are controlled freedom , both are full of landmines . Probation sounds like a win , but here's the truth . You stay out of jail , you get to work , you get to be around your family . The cons the rules are tight , the system is unforgiving . You could lose everything over a late curfew or missed payment . Parole the pros are you're out of prison , you're re-entering , you're getting a second chance . But the cons you're still serving time .

Sterling 4:17

And one mistake , whether yours or someone else's , and it's all over . You thought you were grinding your way to freedom , picking up double shifts , trying to be consistent , trying to get your kids back , trying to show your family . You've changed , but you miss one call to your probation officer . And because you were working , that's a one call to your probation officer . And because you were working , that's

Navigating the System's Traps

Sterling 4:37

a violation . Most of them don't care , only that you did . That's not a setup , it's policy and it's a pattern . A pattern that doesn't ask if you're trying A pattern . That doesn't care about your panic attacks , your housing situations , your mental health or the fact that the job that you just got barely gives you hours . It just wants check boxes and compliance .

Sterling 5:02

Most people fall in less than three years of release , not because they're criminals , but because they're walking a system designed for failure . You could be doing everything right and still you'll lose everything over one small mistake . The system doesn't need you to mess up big , it just needs you to mess up once . So how do you make it ? You move early , you move with intention , you learn the rules so you can navigate around the traps . An expungement is real , pardons are real and possible . But don't wait until your supervision ends to start . You're already behind then .

Sterling 5:41

I've been in the courtroom sweaty palms , stacks of documents , years of proof that I've changed , that I contributed , that I mattered . That's what it takes . This isn't a favor , it's a fight , and you've got to prepare your life like it depends on it , because it does my little homie . So start now . Keep a folder , track everything jobs , community service programs save your pay stubs , ask for letters of recommendation and build your case brick by brick , building and repairing relationships along the way , if you can , and don't be afraid to ask for help . I cannot stress this enough your pride will do something to you that

Legal Resources and Rights

Sterling 6:26

you do not want it to do and will make you be silent . So don't be afraid to ask for help . There are free legal clinics that specialize in pardon and expungement support . Use them .

Sterling 6:39

Let's talk about the clean state law . Pennsylvania passed it in 2018 . The first of its kind , it was created to seal certain criminal records automatically after 10 years of clean living . Why ? Because so many people were doing work or trying to get a job , but were still getting denied housing , jobs or other opportunities . Then came the Ban the Box , a movement that pushed employers to stop asking about criminal history on job applications . It gave people a chance to get in a room before their record got in the way .

Sterling 7:15

And in PA , if you've done your time , you can vote , you can apply for public housing , you can receive benefits , and you have to know your rights , not just understand them . You have to know your rights because if you do not , they'll act like if you don't have any . So , wherever you're at fighting a cause on paper recently released , I need you to hear this you are not your charge , you're not your worst moment , but what you do next , that's on you . You can't fake your way out through this . You have to be honest honest with your lawyer , honest with the support system , honest with yourself . If you did wrong , say it , own it , because you can't change what you don't want to face .

Sterling 8:00

And once you get clear , once you're back on your feet , don't just walk away like it never happened . Someone needs your story . Someone needs your feet . Don't just walk away like it never happened . Someone needs your story . Someone needs your scars . Somebody needs to see that survival is possible . It might not be your struggle today , but tomorrow it might be your son , your niece , your neighbor , and when that happens , your voice might be the reason they choose something different .

Beyond Survival to Legacy

Sterling 8:26

We were put here to do more than survive . We were put here to help each other , make it through , to correct each other in love , to build legacy , not just life . Freedom is not paperwork , it's perseverance . And remember life is trials, stay focused .

Speaker 1 8:44

Thanks for checking out this episode of Struggle2 Success . To connect with the show , you can email us at struggle2success . p@ gmail . com . Make sure you like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode . And remember life is trials , stay focused .