This book by Stanley Andrisse is a gripping narrative that goes through the incredible journey of redemption and academic achievement that the author went through. His story begins with his troubled past, where he often found himself in a cycle of crime which ultimately made him serve time behind bars. However, instead of allowing the circumstances of his actions to define him on a personal level, Andrisse decides to take control of his faith and embark on a path of discovery and transformation to become a better intellectual. While incarcerated, Andrisse had a desire for knowledge and a determination to change his life which led him to pursue an education. Despite being in his environment and all his limitations, he would begin reading books
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Even with all the knowledge and resilience he acquired during his time in prison, he wants to pursue higher education. It doesn’t phase him that others are criticizing him for being an inmate with knowledge. Regardless of the long road that was ahead of him, he remained undeterred in his pursuit of academic success. Through his sheer determination, Andrisse not only earned a bachelor’s degree, but went on to achieve the remarkable feat of obtaining a Ph.D. and MBA, as well as becoming an endocrinologist at Howard University College of Medicine and the Georgetown Medical Center. His narrative is captivating, it also offers profound insights into the complexities of the criminal justice system and the enduring potential of redemption. His story serves as an inspiration to anyone who has ever faced challenges, which reminds us as the audience that it is never too late to turn our lives around and make an impact in the …show more content…
Nearly 30 percent of America’s incarcerated—about 690,000 people are released each year and only 60 percent of those individuals have a GED or high school diploma, compared to 90 percent of the overall U.S. population over age 25.” Less than 3 percent of the people released from incarceration each year have a college degree, compared to 40 percent of the U.S. population. Reading this section of the book made me think about the time in class when we discussed the unfairness of allowing a convicted felon to receive free college tuition when so many others cannot access a college education without going into significant debt. Some people may even think that allowing someone who broke the law to receive these benefits may be keeping many who played by the rules, sending the wrong message down to some people about society’s priorities. Others, however, point to the cost-saving investment of using tax dollars for prison education programs, due to the reduction of recidivism (Andrisse, 2018). Everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances, or if incarcerated, deserves the chance to get an education that can benefit them in their future
Even with all the knowledge and resilience he acquired during his time in prison, he wants to pursue higher education. It doesn’t phase him that others are criticizing him for being an inmate with knowledge. Regardless of the long road that was ahead of him, he remained undeterred in his pursuit of academic success. Through his sheer determination, Andrisse not only earned a bachelor’s degree, but went on to achieve the remarkable feat of obtaining a Ph.D. and MBA, as well as becoming an endocrinologist at Howard University College of Medicine and the Georgetown Medical Center. His narrative is captivating, it also offers profound insights into the complexities of the criminal justice system and the enduring potential of redemption. His story serves as an inspiration to anyone who has ever faced challenges, which reminds us as the audience that it is never too late to turn our lives around and make an impact in the …show more content…
Nearly 30 percent of America’s incarcerated—about 690,000 people are released each year and only 60 percent of those individuals have a GED or high school diploma, compared to 90 percent of the overall U.S. population over age 25.” Less than 3 percent of the people released from incarceration each year have a college degree, compared to 40 percent of the U.S. population. Reading this section of the book made me think about the time in class when we discussed the unfairness of allowing a convicted felon to receive free college tuition when so many others cannot access a college education without going into significant debt. Some people may even think that allowing someone who broke the law to receive these benefits may be keeping many who played by the rules, sending the wrong message down to some people about society’s priorities. Others, however, point to the cost-saving investment of using tax dollars for prison education programs, due to the reduction of recidivism (Andrisse, 2018). Everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances, or if incarcerated, deserves the chance to get an education that can benefit them in their future