What is a Prisonist?

Rev. Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div., Co-founder/Minister, Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc., Greenwich CT & Nationwide. 203-405-6249, jgrant@prisonist.org, Mailing: PO Box 1, Woodbury, CT 06798

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Prisonists:

(Priz un ists): WE who have walked the pathway of miscalculation and despair…and who came out the other side better and more capable people because of our missed-steps.

 

History:

To understand OUR work, first you must grasp that we here who serve in this ministry have fallen.

WE, the people behind the scenes toppled our lives. Head-over-tea-kettle. We made poor and many times disruptive decisions that brought chaos and much suffering into many peoples’ lives.

 

Decision:

WE decided to end the poor decision making. We chose—consciously and deliberately—to accept full and honorable responsibility for the mistakes we made.

 

Acceptance:

The acceptance of OUR poor decisions meant we could no longer dodge the truth. The acceptance of OUR past decisions meant that current and future decisions had to be 100 % right. 100 % right and accurate and completely accountable.

 

Vision:

OUR vision to help people passing through the darkest days and moments of their lives to come to grips with the full-spectrum of the events that they are now facing. WE walk others through the now-well-defined processes of:

  • History: deconstructing what events and decisions brought us to this place of present crisis.

  • Decision: hammer out the hard and difficult decisions of what steps to take to both manage and then move through the current crisis.

  • Accept: to build reality…not some fake and half-baked fantasy of what ‘might happen’…but a real and honest and full grasp of what issues we are now staring down.

  • Professional Support: the determination to find and harness and secure the right Team of professionals that have their very best interest in mind.

  • Strength for the Journey: to bring us to the place where we develop the core, inner-strength and deep-personal-resolve to stay the course.

 

Community of Fellow Travelers:

WE are a collective of men and women who now bear the earned-title of: “Prisonists.” TOGETHER, we stand by each other. TOGETHER, have found freedom from the bondage of self.

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For more information:

Link to “CETTUS Programs” page here.

Link to “What is CETTUS?” page here.

Link to Contact page here.

Link to our White Collar Support Group page here.

Testimonials:

“Jeff has a pragmatic, objective understanding of criminal justice issues, and more importantly, he is suffused with a spiritual understanding of the holistic emotional and values-driven issues that affect decision-making & healing through this journey.  Jeff wears many hats – he is a spiritual counselor, a life coach, a critical thinker, and most important of all, is a friend.  Thank you Jeff for your counsel throughout; my family and I are beyond grateful to you and Lynn.  Please feel free to share this to offer hope and comfort to others in need.”  – Richard Lee, Illinois – Richard Lee, Illinois (insider trading charges dismissed, Nov. 2019)

 

“Jeff is my ombudsman – he has been a life saver for me!  I unfortunately found myself in “no man’s land” with a young, career oriented prosecutor, a notoriously tough Federal judge, and jaded, but well connected, criminal defense attorneys  My case, still ongoing after 3 years, is in a highly complex and technical area of unsettled law where no one seems to actually know (or worse, care) what the law actually is or means.   Jeff has been invaluable to me with striking the right balance of pushing my attorneys to do their job, understanding my case, and standing up for me – but not pushing too far and blowing up these delicate negotiations.  Jeff has also helped me cope with the broken “justice” system where extreme unfairness, brutality, and incompetence is a daily occurrence.  Furthermore, my legal problems have resulted in very complex tax issues.  Jeff went above and beyond by finding a possible solution that my expensive tax attorneys missed, but later agreed Jeff’s suggestion was a valid one.  My biggest regret is not working with Jeff sooner than I did – I may have not pled guilty if I was working with him from the start.  Bottom line – if you have any reservations regarding your attorneys and want an honest assessment from an extremely smart former attorney who really cares about you and isn’t in it just for the money, Jeff Grant has to be the best person in the country for you.  I can’t recommend him enough!” – Matt L., Colorado (sentenced to Federal probation with no prison time, despite $5 million+ fraud loss computed in PSR)

 

“Three months or so into dealing with a federal indictment for conspiracy (and wire fraud) in my wife’s Ponzi scheme, I was confused at what I was facing, and scared at the thought of what this would do to my family, especially my youngest children then aged 9 and 11 who were soon to lose both their parents to prison. I remember the first time I spoke to Jeff, I had just dropped off my two at school and was sitting in my car in the Walmart parking lot where I wouldn’t be disturbed. Jeff answered my call and I nervously introduced myself. I realized fairly quickly that this would be someone who could help me find some of the answers I was seeking. We talked for at least 90 minutes that morning, and never once did he rush me off or make me feel I was an inconvenience or my issues were not important. Jeff has helped me in so many ways since that first call. Whether it was discussing how best to talk to my children about our situation, setting up a support system for them both in school and in private counseling,  or talking thru the various aspects of dealing with the justice system and what to expect before, during and after. In fact, it was Jeff who suggested that my wife and I should request staggered sentences which the judge’s approved. Since then we’ve talked about life in prison and starting over afterwards, maintaining a marriage while incarcerated, and forgiveness, just to name a few. I value Jeff’s advice because he always gives you a straight answer, you may not always like what he has to say but you can always count on it being true to his experience. And I have found that in the end this is most valuable.  Like many people, I fear the unknown, and Jeff helped take away my fear by giving me knowledge. I was, and am, able to make better informed decisions because of it. I am also greatly relieved to know that Jeff and his ministry will be there for me when I am released from prison.” – Bill L., Oklahoma (released from Federal Prison to home confinement due to coronavirus)

 

As a practicing attorney in a one-man firm, I took money from my client trust account to help meet business expenses and to keep my own household afloat. Of course, I knew this was wrong and that eventually it would catch up with me. A few months ago it did, so now I am facing a prison sentence of two or three years.

During the months following my indictment I was fortunate enough to find the website created by Jeff Grant as a ministry to non-violent white collar criminals. Jeff is a former attorney, a convicted felon, an ex-convict, and an ordained minister.  At a time when it seemed my life lay in ruins I was welcomed into a caring White Collar Support Group of individuals who are facing or, perhaps more importantly, have already faced, terms of imprisonment for crimes like my own. The majority are former convicts who have a true mission to help each other grow back into this world outside, to share the wisdom earned through their experiences and to acknowledge positive aspects of these years.

The group has weekly meetings, on line with real-time video conferencing. Over the past several months I have felt the power of belonging with a very special new set of friends. So much of my experience has isolated me from the community I used to know. Jeff’s group has provided a fellowship of people with whom I related immediately. This resource is also providing me  with practical advice as I prepare to enter the prison system. The group inspires me every time we meet. Though I’m not a member of any faith in particular, I know a blessing when I see one. My profound thanks to Jeff and to those who gather here with him. – Anonymous, Maine (released from state prison to home confinement due to coronavirus)

Link to additional testimonials here.