I like the thread, I too went to prison at 18, served five years. So far everyone sounds right on. NEVER EVER EVER EVER (get it) TALK TO THE POLICE EVER!!!!! They are not your friend, they are NOT NOT NOT trying to "help you out of a tough spot". Don't even think of ratting either, do you think there are no rats in prison? They have their own wing called PC (protective custody). A cop will get first get you to tell on yourself, then on someone else, then they lock your dumbass up anyway....which is what you deserve for being a rat! Your ATTORNEY will handle EVERYTHING, get a good one. Best advice I ever got from an old timer: While things are going good and you have money and freedom, go to a good attorney's office and tell him you would like to put him on retainer, then you make the best investment you ever made for your future. Because as soon as johnny law nabs you up, you tell them you don't need there public pretender(defender), you have your own attorney and he will be answeing you questions. Here are some short bits of wisdom I've learned and heard from others:
1. Never trust anyone in jail, and never tell anyone what you are doing or what you did, even on the outside. (That perfect place you picked to grow isn't perfect when your buddy knows about it and gets drunk and tells somebody else or just gets mad at you and rats you out or rips you off.)
2. Keep your head up inside. (People are looking for a weakness.I don't advocate violence but don't let any one ever take anything from you, or its will be open season.)
3. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. (Works in any situation, survival, court /probation hearings. If you are mentally prepared, then you are mentally tough.
4. When you are down and out or in jail you find out who your friends are. (Don't be surprised when the only people you here from are family. They are often the only people in the world that care about you. I thought I had a lot of friends, turns out that no one wants to visit your criminal ass in jail, and a lot off people aren't your friends, just like to smoke with you or hang out when times are good.)
5. Jail food is awful, and you don't get much. So after you retain your lawyer, put back a little money to get some commissary when you go to jail.
6. Nothing in jail is free, and don't trust people when they are nice to you. Don't cuss them out or anything, just be weary.
7. When you get locked up, don't get too depressed, someone has it worse off than you. I thought five years was a long time, but there are people who are never going to get out of prison alive.
8. Study the law. Now and especially when you get locked up. (I was able to get myself some additional jail credit that actually shortened my stay.)
That's all I could think of for now, I'll think of some more after another bowl.
Be safe out there everyone!