Criminal Defense Blog

Christopher Zoukis, JD | January 3, 2013 | Prison Life

One day when I was teaching my Writing and Publishing Adult Continuing Education class here at FCI Petersburg, I had a student lie to me.  It wasn’t a malicious lie, and it didn’t do any real damage.  But it was a lie nonetheless, and, as such, I didn’t like it one bit. The Situation We were discussing […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | September 9, 2012 | Support Groups

Having a loved one, especially a husband, or partner in prison can be a devastating and lonely experience. Loss of financial help, parenting help and societal stigmas can be extremely difficult to deal with. Prisoners’ Wives, Girlfriends and Partners (PWGP) was founded in 2009 by Reesy-Floyd Thompson, a wife of an incarcerated prisoner. Her life was […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 30, 2012 | News

Imagine the love a dog that is on its “last days” at an animal shelter must feel when they are unconditionally loved by a human that at one time abused them. Imagine the love an incarcerated woman feels when she can help earn the trust of an abused dog. This is one of the beautiful […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 9, 2012 | Educational Programs

Prison inmates cuddling and caring for fuzzy felines in a prison cell? That seems an unlikely picture. Yet, through an innovative and brand-new program at the Larch Correctional Facility in Washington State, a few very select inmates and a couple of really lucky cats have the opportunity to help each other learn responsibility, compassion, and […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | May 6, 2012 | Crime and Justice

It can be hard to imagine that someone who spent most of their youth in prison, is today an award-winning actor. Charles S. Dutton, Tony award-winning stage actor, TV and movie actor is currently on tour to perform a narrative one-man show about his experiences growing up and being in and out of prison, titled, “From Jail […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | February 1, 2012 | Prison News

For many of us, reading is a part of our daily life. Yet some adults and youth have not been exposed to literature or may not even know how to read. Reading can help enlighten the mind, help with character building, and help transform lives. Changing Lives Through Literature began in New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1991 as an alternative sentencing program […]

Christopher Zoukis, JD | August 3, 2011 | Educational Programs

Introduction Prison education, also known as Inmate Education and Correctional Education, is an expansive term encompassing any educational activities occurring inside a prison. These educational activities include both vocational training and academic education. The goal of such activities is to prepare the prisoner for success outside of prison and to enhance the rehabilitative aspects of prison. Educational […]