18. High Security Penitentiary to Doctorate Degree

Professor Aaron Thomas Kinzel had grew up in struggle. Members of his family were involved in criminal activity. They sold drugs. They were trapped in the criminal justice system. He grew up with anger problems, confrontational with authority.

When Aaron was 18, police officers stopped him for a traffic violation. He resisted. A shootout followed. Later, authorities charged him with crimes that resulted in a 19-year prison term.

Aaron served his sentence in the Maine State Prison System's high-security penitentiary. During the first several years, Aaron adjusted in the ways of the penitentiary. He lashed out with violence and resisted mentoring. Later, while in his sixth year, Aaron found mentors in some of the long-term prisoners. They encouraged him to participate in academic programs.

Aaron attended his first college course as he passed through his 9th year of imprisonment. That college course changed his life. When he concluded his prison term, after a decade inside, Aaron continued with education. He earned an associate's degree. Then he earned a bachelor's degree. Then a master's degree. Now he is nearing completion of his doctorate degree. He is employed as a professor at the University of Michigan.

In today's podcast on Prison Professors, we learn about Aaron's journey and about the collateral consequences that follow for formerly incarcerated people. The sooner people begin preparing for success, the sooner those people can overcome the challenges that follow a criminal conviction.