About
Christopher Zoukis is the Managing Director of the Zoukis Consulting Group, a federal prison consultancy specializing in federal prison preparation, resolution of in-prison matters, and reentry success.
His books include Directory of Federal Prisons (Middle Street Publishing, 2020), Federal Prison Handbook (Middle Street Publishing, 2017), Prison Education Guide (PLN Publishing, 2016), and College for Convicts: The Case for Higher Education in American Prisons (McFarland & Company, 2014).
Mr. Zoukis has both contributed articles to, and been interviewed by, a broad selection of media outlets, including USA Today, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Detroit Free Press, Prison Legal News, Criminal Legal News, Truth-Out, Think Progress, CNN, Fox News, and others. He also reviews books for the New York Journal of Books.
Mr. Zoukis has a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Business Administration and Legal Studies) and a Masters of Business Administration from Adams State University. Also from ASU, he earned a Certificate in Paralegal Studies, Advanced Certificate in Paralegal Studies, and an Employment Law Certificate.
He is currently a student at the University of California, Davis School of Law, where he is a member of the Trial Practice Honors Board and UC Davis Law Review. He is also the vice president of the Criminal Law Association and Students Against Mass Incarceration.
Mr. Zoukis has been recognized by a large number of legal, book, and writing organizations for his expertise. His Federal Prison Handbook has enjoyed a number of awards and recognitions:
-Foreword Magazine: Social Sciences Indie Book of the Year (3rd Place)
-IndieReader Nonfiction Discovery Award (3rd Place)
-Next Generation Indie Book Awards: Nonfiction Award
-Colorado Independent Book Publishing Awards: Nonfiction Shortlist
-National Indie Excellence Awards: Nonfiction Award
-Readers Favorite Book Awards: Gold Medal, General Nonfiction
-Chanticleer Book Awards: Instructional & Insightful Nonfiction Award
-Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Montaigne Medal Finalist
-Feathered Quill Book Awards: Nonfiction Informational Category (2nd Place)
In 2018, Mr. Zoukis was named a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists' Mark of Excellence Award. In 2016, his Prison Law Blog was named a Top Law Blawg by the American Bar Association. In 2014, his book College for Convicts was the recipient of the Eric Hoffer Book Award's Montaigne Medal for the most thought-provoking book of the year. And in 2012, he was recognized in the Pen America Center's prison writing contest.
To learn more about Mr. Zoukis and his work, please visit https://www.prisonerresource.com or email him at chris@prisonerresource.com.
Featured Work
Directory of Federal Prisons: The Unofficial Guide to Bureau of Prisons Institutions
The Directory of Federal Prisons is the most comprehensive guidebook to Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities on the market. Not simply a directory of information about each facility, this book delves into the shadowy world of American federal prisoners and their experiences at each prison, whether governmental or private.
What sets the Directory of Federal Prisons apart from other prison guidebooks is the first-hand validation of information. Most prison directories provide basic information that is publicly available (e.g., security level, population number, location, etc.). This book is different.
While basic data is included, hundreds of current federal inmates have been surveyed and interviewed in order to ascertain the culture of each institution. This enables the Directory of Federal Prisons to provide information such as the level of violence; whether sex offenders, informants, or LGBT inmates can walk the yard; the status of prison politics and organized gangs; and what prisoners believe is good and bad about each facility. This intelligence is much more important to understanding each prison and the experience therein than basic directory types of information.
The Directory of Federal Prisons also includes a detailed discussion of the custody and classification system used by the Bureau of Prisons. This system determines how inmates are scored for security level and prison placement. Readers can use real Bureau of Prisons' case management forms to ascertain an actual security score, thereby taking the guesswork out of security levels, housing determinations, prison transfers, and how Public Safety Factors and Management Variables impact placement decisions. This is knowledge that only seasoned case managers tend to have.
In each facility profile, you will learn:
-Basic data such as the sex of the inmate population, security level, and medical and mental health care levels.-Physical location and inmate mailing address.
-Educational, psychological, vocational, and recreation programs available.
-Notable incidents reported by the media (e.g., arrests, riots, significant fights, escapes, etc.).
-Reviews by inmates currently at each facility, including information about violence, prison politics, who can walk each yard, and more.
-And much more!
No one wants to spend time in a federal prison, but if you or a loved one must go, finding quality, reliable information about life on the inside is essential to a safe and productive stay. The Directory of Federal Prisons builds off the award-winning and bestselling Federal Prison Handbook's reputation as the leading federal prison survival guide. Not only will readers be able to understand all facets of prison life and how to remain safe, they will also be able to evaluate each federal prison and its offerings, know if it is safe to walk the yard, and better evaluate and understand transfer options so that they can make the right prison placement decisions the first time.
Other Works
-
Federal Prison Handbook
2017
-
Prison Education Guide
2016
-
College for Convicts: The Case for Higher Education in American Prisons
2014
-
Education Behind Bars: A Win-Win Strategy to Maximum Security
2012
Awards and Recognition
- Society of Professional Journalists (2018): Mark of Excellence finalist
- Foreword Reviews Book Awards (2018): Indie Book of the Year finalist, for FEDERAL PRISON HANDBOOK
- Eric Hoffer Book Awards (2018): Montaigne Medal finalist, for FEDERAL PRISON HANDBOOK
- Feathered Quill Book Awards (2018): Nonfiction award, for FEDERAL PRISON HANDBOOK
- Indie Reader Discovery Award (2017): Nonfiction award, for FEDERAL PRISON HANDBOOK
- Readers’ Favorite Book Awards (2017): Gold medal, general nonfiction, for FEDERAL PRISON HANDBOOK
- American Bar Association's Top 100 Law Blawgs (2016): for Prison Law Blog
- Eric Hoffer Book Awards (2015): Montaigne Medal, for COLLEGE FOR CONVICTS
- Pen America Center, Writing Awards (2012): Fiction and Drama