11.
I interned at a private criminal defense firm. The most notable shock of any of our released clients had to be one man who in prison for 16 years (odd amount because he was paroled as part of plea deal). He had a daughter who was just a child at the time he was incarcerated, and when he got out, she had just had a baby, his first grandchild.
She didn’t tell him about the pregnancy beforehand, she wanted it to be a surprise upon his release. I wasn’t there when our old client met his newest family member or his now-adult daughter, but when he came in a few months later, he still couldn’t talk about the new baby without crying happy tears.
He had a picture in his wallet of his daughter when she was little he brought with him to prison, and showed us the new picture of his grandchild he keeps with it now.—u/Enna_Nailo
12.
My wife’s cousin went to jail in 1997. He got out more than a year ago. After 6 months, he turns himself in and confesses to a murder he committed in 1996b that he had gotten away with. When we asked him why, he said because the world had changed so much and he had no idea how to live in the kind of world.—u/dnjprod
13.
Friend of mine said it was hard to grasp how large the world was just driving a few miles. Also, how many types of toothpaste and Gatorade there were, so would take forever making a decision. Versus 2 kinds of toothpaste in prison.—u/spork-and-knife
14.
Not me, but a neighbor. He did jail time for 19 years for killing a guy in a bar fight. All the time he was in, he thought about a girl from the neighborhood who he dated before the murder and made a vow that when he got out, he’d find her, woo her and marry her. And he did all 3.—u/Offthepoint
15.
The dishwasher at my old job served 26 years for murder. He was 21 when he went in, came out to a completely different world.
I remember him constantly asking me questions to look up on my smart phone, and I never got why. Finally I convinced him to get one and spent hours walking him through it. Then I realized he thought my phones sole functionality was to look up info and was taken aback at how much other stuff smartphones can do.
Nicest man in the world, still keep up with him to this day.—u/LongSleevedPants
16.
Got out last month, was in for 17 years. Drugs. People had cellphones in prison so the technology isn’t a huge change, but I think how accessible everything is because of tech is something I will never get used to. Two nights ago I bought a prepaid debit card just to order a pizza online from a Dominos 2 blocks away. I thought that was pretty cool.
I want to try Uber next, no reason why. I think I hate talking on the phone. Either I’m just really happy to be out, or everyone else seems some sort of shade of miserable now.
Maybe because it’s winter or something, I don’t know, but everyone looks unhappier than they did when I went in—u/MSpicer01
17.
I know a guy that did 18 years. When he got out someone asked if he needed to make a phone call and he said yes. The person handed him a cell phone and he said what is this? He also went to a gas station and got scared when the doors opened automatically.—u/itsmrcool
18.
I was on the bus going home one day in DC. An older guy who had spent some time inside was drinking some kind of flavored vodka. He was amazed that vodka was now infused with fruit. “Back in my day, we used to have to mix it…but now they got it all mixed in the sh—t.”—u/iamfriedsushi
19.
My dad was in prison for life till he was found not guilty after 20 years. First thing he was surprised about was driving. He couldn’t drive, or ride a bike. He had to learn both again. It’s quite funny to see a 50+ guy falling on a bike after one of his sons let go for the “first” time.—u/jay-the-fish-lol
20.
My brother just recently got out after 4 years! The first thing he did was take a shower then run his feet along the carpet in the house, he said he “just had to.” We asked him what he wanted for dinner and he was like “anything..But I could make us some ramen..”—u/dessertneutral