For the person who receives a long-term sentence, the burning question they face is how to deal with what appears to be an overwhelming amount of time. They think, “Where and how do I begin to tackle the problem of serving such a sentence? How do I break it down into manageable proportions so that it does not overcome my ability to plan a course of action? Where do I obtain help in answering these questions?” As a person sentenced to spend a major portion, if not the re...

The way we see it, the entire long-term sentence (both the minimum and maximum periods of imprisonment considered together) can be divided into three distinct stages: the Novice Stage, Seasoned Stage, and the Standing Stage with Freedom as the goal.