Freedom is something most Americans take for granted; freedom is a basic human right and most of us enjoy it without thinking about it. If you are facing criminal charges for the first time, you might now be starting to worry about how to survive in prison without your freedom.

What symbolises freedom to you? When asked that question many people envision wide open spaces – a landscape of green fields, distant hills and empty blue sky. Some people have a very distinct memory of enjoying late evening strolls and star-spotting in the night sky. Could you cope in prison without your freedom to come and go as you please?

Freedom means different things to different people, but the truth is that nobody really understands the nature of freedom and what it means to them until they have been deprived of that freedom. If you ask an ex convict what freedom means to him, he will answer from the perspective of somebody who knows what it is to have his freedom taken away. A former prison inmate will know what it means to be forced to learn how to cope in prison without any of the personal freedoms we take for granted.

What do you like to do on a Sunday? Do you like to switch off the alarm, roll over and relish the thought that you can carry on sleeping? Maybe you are one of those people who look forward to getting up early and making the most of the weekend. Some people have a routine they enjoy – maybe a family breakfast and then off to church. Some of us like to plan weekends as we go; if we sleep in late, we can go out for a hearty brunch and then decide what to do for entertainment in the afternoon.

All kinds of small things make up our day to day personal freedom. When you are sentenced to a term in prison, you will have to come to terms with the loss of all your freedom. In prison freedom of choice is removed; you won’t even be allowed to decide what time to get up and have breakfast. You won’t be able to decide to go for a walk or to see a movie on the spur of the moment.