cassinator

I'm currently a Criminology major and personally have strong views on rehabilitation over retribution. Being able to put your story up for the world to see is incredibly refreshing. Many people are either too embarrassed or scared to talk about their prison sentence, but I feel that if more people did then people who are outside can get a genuine view on what actually goes on inside.

I think anyone who reads what you have said regarding your remorse and how you have taken accountability for your actions and still deems you criminal or dysfunctional is a complete hypocrite. Everybody makes mistakes. You were still very young when your offence took place, you had yet to grow up into the rational man you are today. Its just a shame they gave you such a long sentence for a non injury offence; (I guessing your American <gettoughoncrimeagenda>) in my opinion if it was youthful rebellion or alcohol or drug motivated there were other ways of rehab or conditional sentencing that could have worked the same (or slightly shorter sentence). However, I don't know your case, maybe being in prison for that period of time only strengthened you.

Either way, thanks for sharing your story. Keep up the college grades, you seem dedicated enough to go a long way in your life. I hope eventually (if not already) you take some time out to talk to some Criminology classes about how you've grown after being labeled an "offender". I always appreciate ex convicts coming to my classes, and I know a lot of students learn a lot from it.

Yeah understandable. However, I think the Criminology professors are probably going to be ones least biased towards you. But it is probably best to wait until you are finished, you never know. Once you build strong relationships with your professors and classmates, they will only be more accepting and wanting to help you out down the road. But I think its definitely something you should do if your down for it. Would be great experience to talk to other people educated in the CJS. I've never once seen any of the volunteer speakers in my classes get bad feedback, always ends up being pretty rewarding for everyone.