I had to be blunt with someone in our community this week. He'd proffered, cooperated, paid restitution, hired good lawyers—and still thought that meant prosecutors were his friends. They're not. Their job is to convict, and they'll use every resource to do it. Probation officers aren't neutral either. They see themselves as protecting society, and unless you influence the report, it usually mirrors the government's version of events. Judges? Most came from prosecution. They review hundreds of cases and usually align with what's in front of them: prosecutor, probation, defense memo. If that's all they see, you lose by default. The only way to counter it is to act—create a record, write, show growth, and give your judge something authentic to weigh. Thinking isn't enough. If you don't start building now, you'll face sentencing with nothing but the government's story on the record.

Justin Paperny