Michael Santos was arrested at the age of 23, on August 11, 1987. He served the next 9,135 days as a federal prisoner. During his quarter century of confinement, Michael earned a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University and a master’s degree from Hofstra University. He published numerous books to help readers understand prisons, the people they hold, and strategies to triumph over imprisonment. His book Inside: Life Behind Bars in America (St. Martin's Press) was released in 2006 to critical and academic acclaim, and is now a staple of penology curricula in universities around the country. Authorities released Michael on August 13, 2012. He writes, speaks, and teaches about the prison experience. Santos now identifies himself as an Activist Prison Reformer. He is currently a lecturer at San Francisco State University. Contact Michael Santos through www.michaelsantos.com.michael@michaelsantos.com
Click here for additional info: http://www.cafwd.org/reporting/entry/an-introduction-michael-g.-santos-returns-to-society
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Hello All,
As a follow up to Michael's story, I'd like to share a little about the program he developed while incarcerated. He calls it the Straight-A Guide to Reentry (www.michaelsantos.com) and it comes from his commitment "to do what law-abiding citizens would expect a man in prison to do:
The A's are many and varied but go along the lines of: Acknowledging mistakes, Accountability, Acceptance, Aspiration, Awareness, etc. His is a thoughtful journey and is unique because of his ability and willingness to articulate/document his thoughts as he was going through it. Michael says that his goal was to create a roadmap that others can follow to successfully reenter their communities upon release from confinement. When talking with Michael I am reminded of something that happened while attending a Vera Institute-sponsored summit on Correctional Ed in Washington DC. There were a number of re-integrating community members at the table who were engaged in different aspects of helping others reenter after serving time. They were all getting lots of praise from others at the summit and each of them said essentially the same thing in a number of different ways -- paraphrasing, they said, "If there's one thing I want you all to take away from my participation in this event and my sussessful reentry as a contributing member of my community, it's that I am not the exception within incarcerated populations. Most people behind bars would leap at the chance to improve their lives and live within the legal bounds of their communities. The people that won't -- or can't -- they are the exception. Everyone else just needs a chance and a hand." It's a pretty powerful sentiment, and Michael Santos is a pretty amazing example of just what committment to self-awareness and improvement can accomplish. It's a great lesson for all of us. I'd love to hear thoughts on a guide derived from lessons learned "on the inside" as well as any other thoughts you'd like to share...