Going to Prison for Life at 15

Going to prison for life as a teenager is something most young people cannot truly understand at first.  Adam Roberts, (who has since been released), shares what he learned from decades of figuring out how to survive.

Facing a Life Sentence at Fifteen

When I was 15 years old, I was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

[Adam has been released from prison and is thriving on the outside.]

Looking back now, I realize how impossible it was for a fifteen-year-old boy to understand what it meant to be told he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

What Prison Is Really Like

Prison is many things, and it changes depending on the time, the place, and the people around you.

For someone going to prison for life, the first challenge is simply learning how to survive the environment. Every prison is different, but the basic reality is the same: it is a place that takes away your freedom and constantly tests how you respond to the people and situations around you.

When you first arrive, everyone sees you as new. In prison language, that means you are green. Some people see that as an opportunity to test you, take advantage of you, or draw you into situations you don’t understand yet.

The first lesson is learning to read your surroundings—your tier, your unit, and the people around you.

Mind Your Own Business

The most important advice I can give anyone entering prison is simple: mind your own business.

Years ago, this single rule could carry someone safely through prison. While things have changed over time, it is still one of the most valuable principles for surviving prison life.

Minding your own business doesn’t mean ignoring everything happening around you. It means not involving yourself in things that don’t concern you.

Prison runs heavily on gossip. People talk constantly, and it’s easy to get pulled into conversations about people you don’t even know. Later you may find yourself wondering how you ended up repeating things that could cause problems.

The best move is simple: don’t do it.

Why Manners Matter in Prison

Another lesson that took time to understand is the importance of manners.

In prison, simple words like “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” matter more than people might expect. They show respect and can prevent misunderstandings that sometimes grow into bigger problems.

Watching how people carry themselves can also tell you a lot about the environment you are in. Some people react strongly to even small signs of disrespect. Others try to create reputations for themselves by acting unpredictable.

Learning the psychology of the people around you becomes an important part of surviving prison life.

As my father once told me after I had been inside for a couple of years, “Prison is a real close look at a lot of crazy people.”

The Advice My Father Gave Me

When I was first sent to prison, I wrote to my father, who was also incarcerated at another facility.

I was scared and unsure how I was going to survive.

His advice was short but powerful.

“You can’t take no shit. None. But more importantly, you can’t give none.”

At the time, I didn’t fully understand how important those words were. But over the years, I realized they were one of the clearest survival rules for prison life.

The Mistakes That Lead People Back to Prison

After the initial fear of prison fades, many people begin to relax and forget the reality of where they are.

They start talking too much, getting involved in drama, using drugs, borrowing things they can’t repay, or trying to build reputations that bring them more trouble.

Over time, these small decisions add up. They pull people deeper into prison life and make it harder for them to ever break away from it.

For many people, prison stops being a temporary place and becomes a permanent cycle.

Learning to Make Different Choices

The hardest part of prison is learning to make different choices than the people around you.

It can feel easier to go along with everyone else and accept prison life as it is. But the people who eventually build better futures are usually the ones who decide early on to live differently.

They focus on education, personal growth, and maintaining relationships with family and people who care about them.

Those choices can make the difference between surviving prison and being consumed by it.

Looking Back

When I look back now, I know that no fifteen-year-old can truly understand what going to prison for life means.

It takes years to learn the lessons that prison forces on you.

If I could speak to someone entering prison today, the message would be simple: pay attention, mind your business, treat people with respect, and think carefully about the choices you make.

Those choices can shape not only your time in prison—but the rest of your life.

Don’t miss Adam Roberts story: A Prison Theater Program Changed My Life