What a remarkable human you are. It is harrowing to think that your gifts could have been more-than-somewhat lost to us all because of the capriciousness of our justice system (and bar acceptance rules). It's hard to believe that every non-convict attorney who is a member of the bar never committed a crime...but the permanence of one's criminal record, in combination with the continuing punishment after completion of one's sentence, in so many ways flies in the face of human's belief in forgiveness and uplift. So glad you have such steadfast stick-to-it-iveness.
19
I'm so happy for you! And I'm even happier when I think of all the good you can now do for other people.
13
Congratulations!! This is important and Impressive. You will help many people with your story.
9
In America, the word felon or anything that approximates that word means that you probably will not get a second chance. Mr. Betts has rare intellectual gifts, most people whether or not they have spent time in prison do not have the intellect of Mr. Betts. How many people could publish a book of poetry? It sounds as if any chance of some quality or meaning to their lives is gone even though their prison sentence might be over and they supposedly free. There is no rehabilitation in prison, just reinforcement of what cold, cruel place the world can be. The criminal justice system is far too harsh in most cases.
5
Something to think about. Well written and emotionally honest.
6
Magnificent. Inspiring. THANK YOU FOR THIS.
7
What a brilliant man. Intelligence, courage and perseverance, as well as empathy and a sense of the power of redemption, characterize this man. But, how was he lost, how did the judgment to possibly take a life (because resistance on the part of the victim might have led to firing the gun), how did his thought process choose to go with the worst elements of his consciousness, of his and his friends' judgment? Yes, the father was missing, school was failing him, and a set of rules seemed to be lacking, along with a sense of self esteem. A multi-layered problem, with no easy solution, but starting with fixing a prison system that seems to elicit the worst response from its inhabitants,( excepting the very few like this man), because of its inherently cruel medieval treatment, seems to be a first step. Scandinavia seems to have good solutions, in lots of things, healthcare included. But, we're too proud and think ourselves too great to allow for the mistakes that are taking our country down. The start of the problem can be traced to the Constitution, defining a Black person as 3/5 of a person. The rest ensued from the originators and followers of this concept.
5
What a journey, when every path is denied you! You made it Mr. Betts. I cannot relate to a single thing in your story from my own life, yet it is totally inspiring. The fact that you are a statistical anomaly is truly depressing. The stark reality in this society is that once convicted, a felon however small or marginal their crime is always sentenced for life. The stark inequality is that if he/she were wealthy, they would have many avenues to avoid admitting guilt and escape conviction.
4
Reading Reginald's story is reaffirmation of why I do the work I do -- which is giving people with criminal backgrounds a second chance. I am an attorney who helps people overcome their background.
For those who think that a 16 year old is old enough to know better has not bothered to educate themselves on the science of brain development. There is a reason why most people commit crimes between the ages of 16 and 25 -- the critical portion of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, is not fully developed. Additionally, having worked with this population since 2009, I can say with a fair degree of confidence that most people who commit crimes don't wake up in the morning with a plan to commit a crime. There is always a story behind the story. Whether it is drug or alcohol addiction, mental illness, hanging out with the wrong crowd, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time, most people with a background are not career criminals. Most will age out.
Giving someone a second chance benefits all of us, not just the individual. Reginald was granted the opportunity to become a lawyer because he accepted responsibility for his crime and did everything possible to avoid a life with few opportunities. We should applaud his efforts (and those others) who found the strength and moral fiber to work against a system that doesn't believe people are capable of redemption -- especially people of color, who are disproportionately arrested and imprisoned in the U.S.
10
What a story, and what character this gentleman owns. I wonder why so many people want to make life harder than it is for some others? What is the benefit?
6
From the moment I read that he was 16, all I could think of was Brett Kavanagh and his life post assault. Second chances and arguments that high school misadventures should stay high school misadventures, at least if your mom is a judge.
Weeping.
9
You lost me when you said you were suspended not for disruptive behavior like the teachers said, but just because you were talking too much. I doubted that even before I read more of the story. Students don't get suspended multiple times for talking too much.
3
I am in awe. Well done, Mr. Betts. Well done.
1
His lucky break was the day he met the love of his life. The photo of him with his adoring wife and children is priceless. Clearly, they have strengthened him during his arduous journey.
9
Thank You
2
Congratulations Mr. Betts,
Your powerful story has already touched lives, and your legal work going forward will save lives.
No doubt.
I'm moved by all the people, along your journey, who appeared, at just the right time: the bookstore owner, those at community college, or the University of Maryland, your cellmate who protected you, your wife, the attorneys, others.
All angels.
It's a lesson for us all: invest in someone, especially those without a voice or hope. To whom much is given, much is expected.
Thank you again, God bless!
94
Sympathy is feeling bad for someone.
Empathy is feeling what he feels.
Few lawyers are known for their empathy. It's a weakness in attorneys, judges, and the legal profession in general.
Methinks Mr Betts will not lack. Bravo.
4
As an employer I have a few questions. First, is the government going to extend me legal protection if the ex felon I hire commits a crime while in my employment? The fact that I hired someone who had a felony conviction would be used against me to great effect in a civil tort. Second, is it not more likely that a felon would steal or commit a crime while in my employ than a non felon? People who have recently gotten out of prison tend to pal around with, you guessed it, people who have been in prison. Not all of these good folks are what you would call "reformed." I imagine the chance of theft from my business from "inside jobs" would go up exponentially. Two excellent reasons not to hire felons.
40
If you don't want people to go back to prison, maybe you have to give them a chance to work once they are out.
8
This story has two major themes.
One is the oppressive nature of our society towards black males. Youthful immature mistakes WILL have life time consquences for a black man period!
Second, it reminds all that in the end hard work is necessary to achieve success...
2
A masterpiece in humility, growth, and redemption.
6
The New York Times has become a magazine and no longer a news paper.
Instead of this story perhaps there should be stories about the poor that every day have to deal with crime and gangs. These stories might help find methods to lessen crime and gangs for the poor.
Having one ex con becoming a lawyer is not going to lessen crime in the United States.
2
I hope those writing in and sending their best wishes to Mr. Betts will remember that he's a poet, a fine one, with poetry collections well worth reading. His most recent, Bastards of the Reagan Era, is one of the best I've read in the last five years. https://fourwaybooks.com/site/bastards-reagan-era/
38
Hate to say it but even in 1996 if you did this in Manhattan you would have got juvenile defendant status maybe 2 years in a J F. I want to congratulate you on all your successes . For any reader of this article including myself you have given us hope in our daily lives by simply telling such an uplifting story.
1
Pointing a gun at someone is no small feat. However, I guess that whoever was pointed at a few decades ago, would find a special closure. A closure that could not have been better or more complete.
Being the opposite of what he was, is a great healing for himself and the crime victim.
"Closure" is an illusion. If I were a victim of a violent crime, learning that the perpetrator had become a lawyer wouldn't give me any comfort.
8
Most powerful story/writing I can recall in a long time. Deeply impacting.
7
Judge Mathias would agree. It's obviously your story. I was not aware they were referring to. Good luck and God Bless you on your journey.
It is how well we meet adversity that shows what we are. We should hope to do as well as Mr. Betts.
2
Beautifully written; hard to live I’m sure. Sincere congratulations on your many achievements.
The smarts and perseverance and passion you must have had to overcome all of these obstacles; it’s no wonder so many fall at these many hurdles.
I disagree with the commenters who say that the legal profession should be foreclosed to anybody with a criminal record. While a criminal record should of course be considered in determining eligibility for admission, there should also be a way for deserving people to move past their past mistakes. Furthermore, I don’t think they should have to go as far as the author did. His is an exceptional story but not everybody should have to reach these heights in order to get admitted.
13
Riveting to read. I hope to see more from you, to follow some of your client's cases in particular.
9
So beautifully told, thank you. A powerful message of hope and redemption. I am so glad you never gave up on yourself.
16
Mr. Betts, thank you for sharing your moving, inspiring story. And thank you for reminding us that when we stopped using imprisonment for rehabilitation, and began (once again) to use it for punishment, we lost our way as a society. By continuing that punishment after release, we lose even more: the strengths and talents of people who can and should be encouraged to help us build an ever more just and perfect union. Lord knows our country needs that help now, more than ever. Her blessings on you and your family.
25
An innovative twist - becoming a lawyer after having been incarcerated. Usually it's done the other way around.
11
Writing through my tears. Incredible story. Well done.
13
I had the privilege to read this down to earth story. I was saddened to learn the complexity of a life after prison. Having raised in a society motivated with the inner morale, I find myself often questioning how deep are we investigating the Morales and drives of convicts? I sense in all fairness, we as a society can do much better if we always give chance and definitely consider channels of development and eventually growth for all.
6
One can study the law and not become a practicing member of the Bar, so no shame on Yale, or on any school that makes the same choice.
Yale, and every other law school, awards a Juris Doctor degree, not a pass to the Bar. Law schools are here to train lawyers, not to admit them. Legal education should be available to anyone who qualifies to join the incoming class of learners, not just those predetermined to be worthy of admission. Plus, how can a school in New York know whether a graduate might be admitted far from the state where they received the degree?
The Bar of each state chooses its members, usually following both statutes and the guidance of its highest court. Once it determines you to be eligible, you are. This attorney was judged worthy based on both fitness and character by the Bar of Connecticut. No shame on the Bar and no shame on this counselor-at-law, other than points off for a serious lack of brevity in making the argument.
I am frequently humbled by the compassion of the law and, alternatively, relieved or terrified by its dispassion. The Bar needs both technicians and poets, and granting admission to someone who loves the law and cherishes rehabilitation as much as this man is a service to all of us. I hope he is a good attorney, a strong member of his Bar, and a benefit to his colleagues and clients.
9
Thank you, Mr. Betts, for this truly inspiring story. I was fired from a job I loved nearly 3 years ago and am trying to climb back up the career ladder. Your story gives me hope that I can reach my goals and overcome my past.
19
Congratulations on your success, Reginald. I, too, was captivated by your prose. It is clear that you are a good man. Our lives are not defined by a single moment in our years but rather by many, many moments in our years. Your future is bright and so is that of your kids, for they have you.
11
If you want to read deeper into this topic, I recommend Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow. America’s systematic racial caste system that denies true justice to people of color. This NYT story aligns with many accounts that Ms. Alexander highlights in her well told and referenced book. Inequality and racism is apparent in many aspects of today’s regulations and laws. Go deep. Read the book. Then look at all things with a new lens.
14
Mr. Betts is brilliant & inspirational. His writing skills are excellent; riveting. He has a stunning life story, especially since he is 37 years old; still a (relatively) young man. I am at a loss for words to describe all he has accomplished, facing so much adversity. I can relate, a little. In 1975, I was 21. I did a stupid thing. A friend asked me if I could get any marijuana. I said yes. He gave me $90 & I got 6 oz. for him & his girlfriend (a narc). It was a drug bust which gives the public a false illusion. Since we were white, there were big headlines on the front page of the local newspaper: "Big Drug Dealers Bust". We were anything but "Big Drug Dealers". What they truly did was seriously damage the lives of 40 young men. I had no criminal record. I was gainfully employed. Too bad; I had no choice except to plead guilty. In a twist of fate, the judge was my Cub Scout Den Father. I will never forget what he said: "Bill this hurts me more than it hurts you". I disagree. My sentence was 3 years hard labor, suspended plus 3 years supervised prob; special condition of prob, 90 days hard labor in Parish Prison, like "Cool Hand Luke" (guards on horses w/shotguns). Note: the city population was 55% white/45% black. In my dorm were 30 men: 26 black, 4 white. No doors, open toilets & showers. I was tall & skinny/6'2"/160#. The good thing is, I get along with anyone. I played poker the 1st night. I was released on 49th day. After 21 months, I received a First Offender Pardon.
8
An interesting story of a life almost ruined by bad friends and perfectly safe and nonaddictive cannabis.
9
Which are disconnected other than a non-parented 16 year old with no guidance.
Armed robbery is not bad friends, we all make choices and have to live with the consequences.
1
I have been a union ironworker for most of my life and have met many ex felons. I will have to say that I was usually very positively impressed with them. When I was growing up people under seventeen never went to prison or were treated as adults, unless they committed a particularly heinous crime that involved murder. In my opinion that is how it should be. It’s a shame that we waste so many people, with so much potential, just because it’s the politically expedient thing to do. I never paid much attention to the negative impact that Hillary Clinton had on many young people of color because of the policies she promoted. I’m sure the people that were affected did though and it’s probably why she isn’t the President now.
12
The laws making life more difficult for felons during the Clinton era were passed during the administration of Bill Clinton, who was president at the time, not Hillary Clinton; as far as I know, she didn’t have anything to do with them. It seems unfair to me to blame her for them.
3
Betts should be rewarded with admission to the bar if for no other reason than to give hope to others who have fallen along the way in life. Otherwise, we might as well just kill the fallen.
5
Not quite on point but huge kudos to Mamadi Doumbouya for taking that gorgeous photo of the Betts family. The saturated color and Terese's gorgeous smile and the kids being kids on a front stoop....It is as perfect a picture of an American family that I have ever seen.
It lives up to the quality of the article. Congratulations all around for all the accomplishments.
49
The photo struck me as well, so powerful.
1
Plenty of fancy attorneys are becoming convicts (Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen), so why not the other way around?
9
Thank you for sharing your story. It is truly inspiring.
What can we do to attempt to fix this broken system?
10
This was unbelievably moving. Thank you.
20
If the gentleman has fully paid his debt to society and he gets a law degree and passes the bar exam why shouldn't he get to be an attorney?
34
Especially when a draft dodging, tax evading, serial philanderer can become President.
8
Reading one paragraph of this man's writing makes it immediately apparent that his character and fitness, both as a putative lawyer and member of the global society, are unimpeachable. Here's to everyone determined to make sure that the many others who made poor choices but are determined to reclaim a life of value, generosity and good will are given the opportunity to do so.
20
Bravo to this man for turning his life around and becoming an accomplished member of society. He has also chosen a profession where he can do a lot of good - as he has been there.
As a former Assistant Principal from the Bronx, I watched too many juvenile offenders get pushed through the ranks without a second thought. There is this overwhelming sense that we need to treat juvenile offenders like adults and we do not. This man committed a crime. Peer pressure, stupidity, wrong place wrong time, and it all ended up costing him gravely.
He can now give back and guide and support young people in similar predicaments. He is living proof that they can turn their lives around. That juvey doesn't have to be a right of passage to a more hardened life.
As I watched many of my young male students pass through juvey, their outcomes would be different. Some would come out ready to put it behind them while others had lost something in there and were hardened.
I always wanted to become a juvenile defender, so young people would not be tried as adults. So that they would have someone believe that this one truly horrible incident didn't have to define them or take away their life.
This man has accomplished this - and now he will have the ability to shape and mold others. His journey sure as hell wasn't easy.
25
Congratulations to Mr. Betts. What an incredible, moving story and I'm grateful to him for sharing it so openly with us, which must have taken a lot of courage. It was amazing how he interwove the stories of others, giving all those horrible statistics we often read a personal story behind them. I especially loved how he was able to help J, but pointed out that his life would still be altered inevitably because of the criminal record. Did Keese ever get out of prison? I hope people will soon see how absurd it is not to help ex-prisoners reintegrate successfully into society so that we can all benefit. Good luck to you and your family.
7
Obviously, this young man would be a credit to any profession. As a former convict, he is least likely to want to repeat the experience. That put's him far ahead on the ethical standards of the likes of the average Yale and Harvard privileged white kid: if you don't get caught get dad to fix it. Yale should be proud to admit him, especially given how the Kavanaugh hearings exposed their shortcomings.
24
Can an ex-con become a lawyer?
Yes. All one needs to do to find such a man is go to the Georgetown University Law Center where you will find ex bank robber and ex-con Shon Hopwood.
Mr. Hopwood also happens to be an Associate Professor of Law in Criminal Law and Procedure and Constitutional Law at Georgetown.
While a prisoner, Mr. Hopwood had not one, but two petitions for certiorari (appeal) accepted by the Supreme Court Although he prepared the certs, his name did not appear on them as he wasn't licensed at the time.
After leaving prison, he attended the University of Wasthington for his law degree and then Georgetown for further study as well as joining the faculty.
He also served as a clerk for Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
4
@IM455 The author mentioned Hopwood in the article
Shon Hopwood is mentioned in the story by the author.
Thank you for sharing your story.
4
I am a black woman who grew up in modest circumstances and went to one of the finest law schools in the country. My sympathy is limited. If you commit a dangerous felony it OUGHT to be difficult to become a lawyer. Very difficult. The writer was 16 years old, plenty old enough to understand the consequences of what he was doing. His description of his younger self is self-serving. I grew up with many black boys who somehow managed to get through adolescence without pointing a loaded gun at someone.
Articles like this make my blood boil. I am in favor of better prison rehabilitation programs but the primary lesson kids should be taking from this story is don't commit crimes and get sent to prison. It is difficult to recover.
58
As a former teacher, I'm with you. The student was suspended multiple times in high school, for what he claims was just "talking too much." Sorry, but I don't believe that's accurate. Students don't get suspended for talking too much. They get suspended for significant and repetitive acts of disruptive behavior.
15
@Lifelong Reader is the primary audience for this article kids looking to learn a lesson? Or does Mr. Betts want us to understand the way the system treats and transforms the people who end up there? I teach college in prison twice a week in addition to my tenured position at a public university. The men I teach often were locked up at the same age as Betts, and they have struggled to make themselves better, to live exemplary lives despite their surroundings in a way that is often more evolved than the men I encounter on the outside. Bett's article reminds us that people who are incarcerated are not necessarily frozen at sixteen and foolish, but may gain wisdom through their suffering and through their understanding of how they have made others suffer in turn. I don't see this as self-serving at all, but as self-reflective. That you continue to see him as his crime at sixteen and to judge his honest reflections so harshly tells me that for you his story has failed to hit the mark.
28
Where has compassion gone in our country? No one I know - from judges to police officers to teachers and hard working adults - wants to be known for their dumbest and poorest decisions, even if it did not land them in jail. We have a country that embraces and elects a scoundrel who is proud of his avoiding taxes, calling himself smart to use bankruptcy multiple times to screw workers and investors, and while lying continuously and paying off women wants us to believe he has not cheated on his multiple wives. I would vote for this honorable and clearly rehabilitated felon over Trump any day!
21
I'm so happy that I read this through to the end. Near the beginning where we're told that Mr. Betts would not be recommended for the Conn. Bar, I wanted to scream "but it's people like this who have the relevant EXPERIENCE to be able to truly understand the clients that they'll be representing, who should be involved in all parts of the legal system when it comes to figuring out what will benefit all concerned." Mr. Betts is only 37 years old and hopefully will have a long and successful lifetime perhaps helping to turn around this criminal justice system that does not work for those who need it the most.
Beautifully written!
6
Love it. Sharing this great story with my daughter.
1
A beautifully written article that brought tears to my eyes.
3
You can never know or thoroughly imagine where across the world your perseverance, dedication and hope reverberates through. Congratulations and greetings from Turkey.
5
Mr. Betts' extraordinary life story merits a hefty book to fully explore the breadth and all the nuances of his remarkable journey in life thus far. Given this clear-eyed recitation of his compelling history, without recourse to chest-beating, finger-pointing or claims of victimhood, I'm sure he can write that book, even while pursuing careers as a lawyer and a poet. But he may be too modest, or too busy, to do it. I hope not!
Betts demonstrates formidable writing talent, intellect, drive. I only hope that fame attaching to this article doesn't dent his humility. He is capable of much more than becoming a poster boy for legal reform, as important as that might be.
One cannot resist comparing his story to another Yalie. Betts' story presents a fascinating counterpoint to Brett Kavavanaugh's - with Betts showing himself to be just as smart and driven (much more so, probably), but without any trace of entitlement. In Betts' case, getting caught in a serious crime of his adolescence left him chastened, resolute, determined and empathetic, not angry, entitled and ruthless. It's an interesting comparison of unexpected consequences in our injudicious times. After making a very wrong decision as a teenager, one embarked upon a rocky road less traveled, and it's proven to be the high one. He appreciates the irony and struggles with what meaning it will convey to his son. The guy born with the silver spoon choked on it, and publicly worries only about consequences to himself.
19
What a beautiful, thoughtful, piece. Dwayne Betts is a great writer, great man and a perfect example, in this trouble country, of what it is to be a model citizen.
Betts participated in Frank Gehry's 'Building Justice' program at Yale, where Gehry taught a master studio about prison design. And he stars in the film, 'Frank Gehry: Building Justice", which premieres this week at the Architecture & Design Film Festival in New York City.
Let us hope that this essay reverberates, far and wide.
12
Dwayne agreed to do a boy's reading group with my students in Arlington, VA twice a month. He drove a long way and gave some boys a chance to hear and see a man who looked like them and who LOVES books. It was a gift to all of us and he has been an inspiration to me ever since. Thank you for your mind, soul and hope for our future.
31
We do not have a system of justice. Justice demands that all people are treated fairly without fear or favor. The Weinstein case is a glaring example of how justice is different depending upon who you are. We have a criminal justice system that mints people with the "criminal" label. There are criminal acts which it is perhaps impossible to forgive. But many aren't and should not define the rest of a person's life. If you have a conviction your life is always going to be weighed under the microscope of that label "criminal." If we truly cared about justice, we need to stop these half hearted efforts at change, like eliminating bail for some offenses, decriminalizing others and allowing expungement of offenses after ten years. Nibbling at the contours of a massive system that needs to be replaced is not a solution. And expecting better outcomes while relying continuously on a system that works against POC, minorities, immigrants, any marginalized group, only services to validate for some the belief that justice is only for those who have the means to manipulate it.
4
Beautifully written article. I also went to law school, but took for granted what you have had to fight so hard for to accomplish. Your story puts a lot of things in perspective. Perhaps we all need a little motivation to use our talent for the good of society.
8
In reading this story, my heart was broken and then mended again. Mr Betts, bless you for your strength, determination, paitience and love. Because most of all, you have a great heart. The justice system needs more of you than anything else and so do the young men and boys that make mistakes that ruin their lives because our system is about profit rather than redemption and education. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
13
In today's world, far too many teenage boys have too much time on their hands and too many opportunities to get into trouble, led astray by their peers, likewise leading their peers astray.
Lacking maturity, experience and wisdom, with inadequate older male supervision, too easy access to guns, knives, liquor and other drugs, cars and motorbikes, the adolescent American male especially falls easily into trouble.
One solution is to keep every male adolescent so busy and so exhausted by hard physical labour, that all he wants to do at the end of the day is crawl into bed. Adolescent males should be made to work from dawn to dusk seven days a week, 365 days a year, either in an apprenticeship learning a trade or a craft, or outside working with animals or plants in the fresh air.
Schools are the curse of the modern age. They teach many boys next to nothing except to hate and despise learning. They don't tire vigorous, healthy boys out sufficiently. Then after school, there's a lack of adult supervision.
Rousseau was right. Voltaire, his great rival, was wrong. Wait until adulthood to learn from books. As adults, we have many decades to become doctors, writers and lawyers, and the like.
When we're young, we should be using not our minds but our bodies in vigorous activity, at all times under the watchful supervision of our tribal elders.
7
Excellent! We need to give people a chance. Rehab needs to become a focus in our prisons and our communities. A focus on restorative justice to bring wholeness back to our communities.
3
Inspiring story!
1
What a tragic, and ultimately, triumphant story. The obstacles put in the path of ex-cons seem so overwhelming that it's no wonder few ever leave crime behind.
Extraordinary people end up in jail too, thanks to one bad decision that leads to a few hours of stupidity.
2
What is the point of a justice system that doesn't believe people can be rehabilitated?
46
Genius
And redemption
There is a point you move beyond your shadow
When you shine light
16
The rule of thumb suggested in old books and new for answers to these questions is forgiveness after 7 years (e.g., Deut. 31:10; Mat. 6:12). The overwhelming sentiment of these comments suggests this forgiveness, but tougher-than-Jehovah societal dictates enshrined in regulations made by your political representatives are the agency of Mr. Betts' distress (albeit arising out of his youthful endeavors). He may be fit, or not. If he was treated unfairly by the public's guardians, Mr. Betts may view your empathetic comments with disgust and disdain … and what for your tears? Perhaps contempt. But if he and multitude similarly-situated others in all spheres of life were treated fairly, despite their outcomes more often than not much less happy than Mr. Betts’, his prose is pointless.
2
What a strikingly different story from the article printed last year about NYU welcoming a felon into their doctorate of history program. That woman intentionally killed her 4 year old child through starvation, and then side-stepped that fact in her application. There are crimes - frankly, most crimes - for which people deserve second chances, particularly if they are contrite and remorseful (read, for people who intrinsically know the difference between right and wrong). And, then there are sociopaths who inflict the maximum of human suffering on people, including innocent 4-year-olds. One type deserves an opportunity to build a life, the other should never be let out, much less enrolled in elite academic institutions. Unfortunately, our criminal justice system and our prisons mix together (1) the un-fixable sociopaths who just want to hurt others; (2) the chronically-untreated mentally ill; and (3) the people who took the wrong path and regret it. They dole out similar consequences for each group, both while incarcerated and after. Is it really that hard to sort these folks out, and give to each what is needed and what is deserved?
23
And our elected leaders elevate a person of privilege to the highest court in the land and then we, as a society, run back to the sand pile and stick our heads back in.
1
It is interesting that the Times believes this gentleman deserves a second chance but Brett Kavanaugh does not.
5
@Genevieve
Mr. Kavanaugh says he didn't do anything. And since he didn't do anything, no charges were brought, and nothing was taken away (freedom, job opportunities, etc.) So what second chance would be needed when nothing went awry with the first one?
16
@Genevieve This man took his punishment. Kavanaugh lied.
1
@Genevieve
A second chance from what, exactly? Kavanaugh never admitted to anything. By his account he spent his teenage years lifting weights, tutoring, going to the beach and drinking the occasional beer but never to excess. He called himself a "choir boy."
You can't have it both ways. If he admitted fault, showed remorse and asked for consideration of how much had changed his life in 35+ years then maybe he would deserve a second chance. I believe in second chances for minors who commit crimes. But asking for a second chance while also admitting to nothing (and under oath) makes no sense.
Oh, and you know who else deserves second chances while we're passing them out? Women and girls who get pregnant when they're not ready to be pregnant or to parent. Again, you can't have it both ways.
9
A truly exceptional story. We all make stupid, terrible mistakes that can haunt us for the rest of our lives. The trick is in how we then go on to rise above such mistakes. Dwayne Betts did not give in to the near insurmountable challenges that faced him and in return became someone who is very much deserving of praise and admiration.
5
@JJ Beesley
Don't "both sides" this. There are mistakes and mistakes. I'm black and had a hard life, too. And yet:
I have never threatened anyone with a lethal weapon, giving them permanent PTSD.
I have never killed anyone.
I have never sexually assaulted anyone.
These are serious crimes requiring serious punishment, serious atonement, and rehabilitation. And certain career paths may be closed forever.
1
Absolutely inspiring...even for those without criminal records but for those who just made wrong decisions in life. Thank you for this article.
74
Bett's story captivated me. I wish everyone could see that even felons and prisoners are fellow humans with abilities, hopes and dreams. The upper crust whites like to call prisons "correctional institutions" , but we all know they are meant as punishment. And for some folks there can never be enough punishment no matter how minor the offense nor how many years a person serves, so after release, we continue the sentence through de facto denial of employment and educational opportunities to felons. Lord knows what the answer is; I thought Obama had made a good start, but he hasn't done much since he left office to change the way the law and society treat those who have committed crimes.
38
In 1853, Tennessee Governor Andrew Johnson opposed the practice of teaching some inmates stone masonry which enabled “the criminals to engrave names upon the tombs of the departed.” He requested that convicted felons be excluded from those persons having charge of the cemeteries: “if it is degrading to be associated with a felon while we are living, it must be more so to be associated with them after we are dead.” We are slowly progressing from this archaic point of view. I welcome this courageous man to the profession. As we say down here: may this be the last bar he passes.
44
Dear Reginald,
I am a lawyer - civil litigator of over 20 years standing - and I absolutely applaud you for your strength, your tenacity, your courage and your faith that has carried you through such a hero’s journey. Thank you so much for sharing your story. If anyone should be admitted to practice it should be someone like you. I am desperately sorry for the lost opportunities and the many rejections you and others like you have suffered. We are all human beings. We all make mistakes. We all deserve to be treated with dignity and consideration and fairness. When a system and a societal structure sets people up not for rehabilitation but for failure, that society is the poorer for it. Congratulations on your admission to practice and I wish you every success with your career. Your voice and perspective will carry great weight and hopefully effect change where it is needed.
Sincerely,
Claire Mallon
14
One of the best and most inspiring articles I've read in this paper. Riveting from start to finish, skillfully telling a deeply personal story while also offering a powerful commentary on a societal problem. Congratulations to Mr. Betts.
10
what a wonderful story! Especially the ending. It makes me glad to know that Mr. Betts spirit, intellect, and perseverance led him to reach his vision. Congratulations to him and others like him.
3
This story meant so much to me. As someone with a felony record, I know all too well what it's like to be asked to defend the person I am now against the person I once was.
I recently gained admission to graduate school, after applying to 5 universities. Four of the five schools that I applied to requested information about my criminal record. Two of the four schools that asked the question accepted me without any further inquiry. (I will be attending one of those schools.) As for the other two, I suspect that my application is similarly "incomplete."
It's been almost 15 years since the last time I set foot in a courtroom on my behalf. By now, my accolades, resume, portfolio, and references should speak for themselves.
But, no matter. I know my worth now, and, like the author, I know how to speak for myself. Education gave me the confidence to do that.
One wonders what will happen for incarcerated individuals in places like Pennsylvania, where the ability to read books in prison will now come at the price of a $150 e-reader. As if a population of people who could benefit most from an education needs for it to be harder to get one. Why? Because they're criminals and deserve to be punished (more).
Those who think so harshly seem to forget that we all have to live with each other, and most people who are in prison will one day be a member of society again. Who does it really help to continue punishing people who commit crimes long after they've served their time?
28
I met Dwayne Betts when he was a fellow at Radcliffe and he'd arrive early for lunches and help me to stack chairs and unwrap catering trays. That small gesture really struck me and I've rooted for him and his family ever since. His response to an audience member's question after his public reading also reframed my thinking about prison reform. The questioner was sympathetic and kind of railing against his wrongful conviction and advocating for prison reform. He responded by clarifying that he wasn't actually wrongfully convicted--he spoke about the damage he had caused his victim and imagined the fear that his victim must have felt in that moment. The problem isn't that innocent people are being punished but that guilty people are being punished in ways that are unreasonable and bad for society. (He responded to another skeptical questioner with a zinger about Milton that still warms my heart, but that's another story.) Anyway, I was very moved by this story and was glad to see that the Betts family is chugging right along.
47
@Rebecca
Wrongful conviction IS a problem, but the over-sentencing of rightfully convicted people is ALSO a problem.
The US has absolutely no idea how long it's reasonable to put people in prison for, or how to keep them from going back once they get out. As a country we swing from one extreme to the other with no real understanding of what even works. We spend far too much money doing whatever it is that we're doing at the time.
Penny wise, pound stupid.
2
Great. So the answer is yes. I also worried about character and fitness. I had to include information/history about having been a stripper for a near decade, a teen single mother, the protected party on restraining orders (I did not want to revisit) from almost a decade prior to passing the bar, descriptions about having been a witness on court cases, civil eviction filings (that had been dismissed immediately at the time). Likewise, I had a numerous traumatic "contacts" with law enforcement as a homeless teenager and a record (which had been sealed) to report- all before the age of 18. When I looked at my packet when it was ready to submit to the Committee on Character and Fitness, I realized that none of my worrisome/embarrassing details had to do with issues of candor, or harm to others- yet I had to answer to them and let these men stare at me across a big wooden table. It was stressful (traumatic) -even though I had spoken with members of the bar association in the state where I was accepted to law school to make sure my history wouldn't prevent membership prior to enrolling. I knew about the, mostly male, attorneys who had rap sheets- there was even a hot shot public defender where I had clerked with his mug shot up proudly displayed on his wall. However, my packet held information that many find shameful- and shame gets translated into character judgements.
12
Excellent read, our society should be more willing to give more people a second chance; than punishing them for a lifetime for a bad decision.
4
Perhaps, Mr Betts, if you are never admitted to the bar, you can become a powerful writer. That may reach more people in this world and shape many more lives than being "just" an attorney. Good luck to you.
3
@change - he was admitted. It is in the article.
2
He can be both a lawyer and a powerful writer, as proven by this article. His voice is stronger doing both...
2
Thank you. In the midst of so much anger surrounding us, thank you for surviving as the man you were meant to be, for persevering and for sharing this story.
5
What a great story of life and redemption--beautifully written and inspiring.
7
I was going to say this should be required reading for all incoming law students, but really, it ought to be required reading for every high school student in America. You have opened the eyes of a great many readers today to the realities of post prison life. Thank you for sharing your incredible journey. Your courage and indomitable spirit are an inspiration.
20
this was a good section to read I give a 10 out of 10.
5
This is a story that needs to be heard. My utmost THANK YOU
6
You, Mr. Betts, are a man of high moral character and have demonstrated this more than many politicians, past and present. Why don't you run for Congress? While convicted felons may not be able to vote in some states, you are still allowed to run for a leadership role as a public servant. Think of the societal changes you can make by introducing bills that become law?
8
Too bad he wants to enter the legal profession.
He should be trying to have an honest life instead.
Perhaps the next questions after "have you ever done time?" should be "what did you do while incarcerated?" and "what have you done since you got out?"
8
I would say give the guy a chance. Half of the attorneys that are licensed are already crooks and thieves and liars so I think I'd trust this fellow before any of the already licensed lawyers.
8
Thank you for this.
7
My journey 'to the Bar' ... from high school failure, through 2 years as one of a 'fleet' of mail boys for an insurance company -- with the Vietnam era's draft tentacles reaching ever closer, to the 2S deferment shielding me -- consequent of a last-chance admission to a newly-accredited college in Florida, through transfer to, and graduation from, an 'old-line' commuter college in my 'hometown' of Brooklyn, NY, through entrance 'upon,' and graduation from, a top-tier law school (albeit not as 'top' as Yale) … was a 'piece of cake' compared to yours.
I'd say 'twas as 'easy' as I would find writing poetry more 'worthy' than "Roses are red, violets [etc.]" impossible.
1
What beautiful, moving writing. I am in tears. There is so much here -- the power of love, of youthful impulse, of family and friends, of regressive social policies, of fear. You capture all of it, both in what you choose to write and what you leave to our imaginations.
Congratulations to you and your family. Especially to your mom. Keep on hugging your mom.
9
I'm happy that Mr. Betts built himself a good life, after a bad start.
One thing I don't see enough discussion about, is why so many young men are drawn into committing serious crimes, and what can be done to prevent that.
When I was in high school, the definition of bad behavior in boys was smoking tobacco or marijuana, drinking booze, racing cars, having sex in a car with someone, perhaps committing vandalism or shoplifting. No one in my high school just up and decided to rob or carjack someone. A robbery or carjacking was a very rare event, not something that happened every weekend, as seems to be the case in some cities now.
How is it that in some communities, kids don't get involved in felony crimes, and in other communities, it seems that far too many kids are tempted/invited to participate in very serious crimes, and seem to lack the wherewithal to say no?
It's become a stereotype that black males talk about how they "turned their lives around." Well just let's look at you not getting your life going in a bad direction in the first place, so you all dont' have to keep "turning around" later on. I don't want to hear about more black males "turning around"...I want to hear, "I said no, and didn't get into trouble, because I knew right from wrong."
Because you may eventually get your attorney career, but I guarantee that the person you robbed or carjacked will be living with that trauma for a long time, quite possibly for the rest of their lives.
8
@Oakbranch
The opportunity cost of crime in these communities is very low. If you want to reduce crime, you need to increase available opportunities.
3
@Oakbranch
In poker, any hand CAN be a winner, but aside from very fortuitous circumstances and impeccable skill, it is usually a bad idea to play the cards one is dealt. That's what folding is for. But if you didn't start with many chips relative to other players, you cannot make survive by folding (playing the game costs chips in and of itself). The nature of the game will force such a disadvantaged player into risky bets. Even if a single such bet pays off, the disparity is so great that it would take a series of such improbable bets paying off just to pull even. And if you don't be the odds? You may not go down alone. Your family and/or children may now be holding terrible cards as well and you won't be there to tell them how the pot-odds work.
Mind you, that's all assuming it's an HONEST game. Add a bit of gamesmanship (collusion among certain players, just a card or two hidden up the sleeves, the occasional dirty deal, etc.) and things can get desperate.
So again, examine the factors/cards in the deck. Are they distributed randomly? Did everyone start with the same chip count? Are there rebuys and add-ons for some players and not others? If caught cheating does everyone suffer the same punishment?
You can find statistical outliers, but if you know the cards in someone's hand and the chips they have to work with, I can tell you who is likely to do something desperate.
4
@Matt:
Great metaphor, Matt...
1
AMAZING!!!. What a great life story, boss I have never read anything this emotional and inspiring. I couldn't hold my tears. Today, this morning you Mr. Betts, you've taught something, to stop procrastinating, get up and fulfill my destiny rather than settling for over and under or vice versa.. YOU ARE MY HERO. Be forever blessed. Thank you very much.
13
We have no reason to think that all former felons are capable of this level of achievement. But, if they can’t find work as former felons, they may be able to do nothing more than committing further crimes. We should help empower them to move ahead and our criminal justice system does nothing of the kind.
9
I expected this story to make me indignant and angry at the nonsensical obstacles put before felons in what seems to be a deliberate effort to make people fail. Instead, it made me weep.
15
@Bhibsen me as well...
I don't see how a PRIVATE, voluntary professional association, i.e. The Bar, can dictate who has access to the law, which is public.
3
@david
I don't know about Connecticutt, but admission to the bar is governed by the highest court in each state not by voluntary private professional association.
@CherylSo you are saying lawyers are public officials, like civil servants???? Hmm. Seriously doubt that. The Bar is a private association, based, increasingly, I might add, on private schools. If lawyers are civil servants, they make waaaayyy too much money. Some of the attorneys in DC make $1200 per hour. That's a private profession. Oh, and the 'Highest Courts' are also made up of lawyers, not everyday citizens, so my original point still stands. The Bar is a private voluntary professional association that admits its own members, like medicine, or other similar vocational associations.
Amazing piece. I had every advantage growing up: white, good education, safe, good friends, but could never have done what this man has done. Survived prison. Found a post prison job. Accepted to colleges. Accepted to Yale Law. Admitted to CT bar. Character and superior intelligence at work, Mr. Betts.
28
This issue rings true to me as I watched the Supreme Court of the State of Arizona refuse to admit to the bar a man who is a convicted felon (murder was the charge) who did his time, got two degrees, applied for law school, was accepted to law school and graduated with high honors. They didn't want a killer in their ranks. I guess they forgot how many of their law school graduates
who were working lawyers are also killers. They take death penalty cases for the money (they get paid a bit more than non death cases), don't do the enormous amount of work that is required by law, their client gets death and the courts call whatever is wrong with it harmless error. I would prefer a man like Mr. Betts over 70 % of the death penalty lawyers in Arizona. A very sorry system here that shows little sign of improving. Stick to it Mr. Betts. Something good will happen for you.
9
There is a dynamic called "path dependency". That is, the future doesn't just depend on the single point in time occupied by the present, but rather depends on the whole history.
The idea that someone going through the path of prison could be MORE fit to work as a lawyer should not surprise anyone. Frankly, aside from the amazing writing and editing, that fact lurking in the back of any normal person's head is what gives this story so much potency. We all know that people can improve, in some cases in a 180 degree fashion.
I even wonder if, knowing that so many convicts/ex convicts would obviously love to practice law, even if to be able to help themselves, the rules are set up to discourage them from doing so.
2
Sure why not? I'm an attorney, and have come across many attorneys who should be felons or in jail. Dishonest as the day is long.
2
As a convicted felon-attorney of almost 40 years, of course I believe anyone, especially young people, who have made mistakes with tragic consequences should to be given the opportunity to redeem their lives. Depending on the crime and myriad circumstances, it seems a case-by-case consideration is called for - and like life, the results will not always seem "fair" to everyone involved. But just looking at Mr. Betts and his family and reading his story, it is difficult to question the societal and personal human benefit of allowing convicted felons to rise to their destined position in life. For me, it was difficult to reconcile walking down the hallways of iconic government buildings and law offices in Washington, DC, when some 7 years before I was on the streets doing anything necessary to get drugs. The experience of prison - which I did not have - and experiencing a life out of the mainstream in a real and marginal world can provide us with perspective, humility and compassion that is much needed in the "halls of power" of our country.
2
I am on the verge of tears in a busy restaurant...what an amazing story.
The root of the word penitentiary means repentance and forgiveness. Prison is meant to teach, not as a form of terminal punishment. It appears that Mr. Betts has taken this to heart, and is using his dedication to justice to transform our broken system. The world needs more like him.
5
Although clearly articulate and intelligent, if I were on the character and fitness board of any state bar the author applied for admission to, I would vote no. The permanent taint of a felony conviction following one around and stunting ones life choices and opportunities should be part of the punishment.
8
@Steve
Wow, just wow! No mercy, no redemption in your world, evidently. Why would it be better for Mr. Betts to be unemployed? He did his time and now is a productive member of society. I'm impressed with his effort to become educated, to pass the bar and to be honest with his sons about his poor choices as a youth. The larger story about how many, many barriers are put in the way of black men (and women) and felons in general is, to me, horrific.
21
@Steve You obviously do not believe in rehabilitation. That is what the system should be striving for so that instead of throwing people away, they are afforded a chance to become contributing, committed members of our society. Way to go, Mr. Betts!
22
@Steve You’re part of the problem, then. You’re a part of the ruthless retribution machine that refuses to let convicted felons - who’ve served their time and have not re-offended - move past their convictions and re-enter our society as full citizens. I hope you never become a member of the permanent underclass of convicted felons.
16
Love Mr. Betts story - it gives me hope that I will one day be able to persevere and become a lawyer. I first heard about him via The New Yorker.
5
Pure poetry, pierces deeply and unravels the meaning of justice.
Every lawyer and judge should read this essay.
I hope Justice Sotomayor reads it as well.
10
An Amazing story, gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes. My hope is that this your story finds it's way to every incarcerated young man/woman in the United States so that they may find a path to reach the potential you refused to loose sight of. You Mr. Betts, have persevered in the face of unbelievable odds. My hope is your journey is an inspiration to many that find themselves in the shoes you wore on Dec. 7, 1996 and the work you do helps to transform, and reform our broken criminal justice system.
11
I serve as the Chairman of the Character & Fitness in the First District of Illinois and this story is as good as it gets. In the State of Illinois, an applicant with a felony conviction cannot take the bar without first being certified by the Committee on Character & Fitness which is a committee under the Illinois Supreme Court. I have certified and also denied applicants with a felony conviction, and it is always emotional and gut-wrenching. Mr. Betts, congratulations!! Welcome to the Bar!!
24
Make no mistake..this man is a giant.
11
Why the heck not? Given the crimes enforced in the name of the law in this country I would think someone who's been a part of the system of incarceration who's done his time served could bring a unique insight into several legal disciplines.
15
TL;DR --> the system worked!
3
@scatchy The article left me longing for more.
1
Ethan Couch while driving impaired killed four people.Robert H. Richards IV, a duPont heir raped ,his own three year old daughter. Curt Johnson, an S.C. Johnson Company heir molested his step-daughter. Richard J. “RJ” Vanecko, 6'3 and 230 lbs, the nephew of former mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, punched a young man during a drunken altercation. The young man, David Koschman who was 5'5 and 140lbs hit his head on the curb and died. Vanecko ran from the scene and didn't face justice for eight years. Brock Turner raped an unconscious woman. Eric Rauner, the son of IL governor Bruce Rauner went to the drive-thru window of a Walgreens with a note threatening to blow the head off of the pharmacist even he wasn't give pills. COLLECTIVELY they got less time than Mr. Betts. In fact, NONE went to prison. The most time any one of them served was 12 month in JAIL. Why ? Because they were WHITE and had money. And they ALL got second chances. And yet many of you think Betts doesn't deserve a second chance. He paid his debt, He worked hard to become a productive citizen. But because of the skin he's in you don't want him to have a second chance. I played the race card because it's been played on people of color every day in the land now called the Americas since the 1490s.
120
@Eric Ericson
Well said!
5
I was struck by the sheer audacity displayed by the editors here when they decided to publish this article. Or maybe it is just a total lack of personal insight.
First, I applaud this guy completely, agree that he is one of the few hardened criminals who has actually turned his life around, and believe he absolutely deserves to be an attorney. And believe it or not, this is coming from a retired career prosecutor who has seen so many people just like Mr. Betts, and seen none of them succeed like he has. Good job, buddy, you should be an inspiration.
But to all you editors in the NYT, please spare us the sanctimonious moralizing you displayed when you chose to print this. This guy was a serious felon who traumatized the lives of many people, and was convicted of those crimes in a court of law, after being afforded his full panoply of rights under our system of justice, including a presumption of innocence. He got what he deserved, and to his immense credit, he learned from it and succeeded.
However, three weeks ago, you, the same editors of the NYT, led a "progressive" lynch mob that ruined the life of a person who had been found guilty of nothing. You felt it was appropriate to destroy that man based on refuted allegations of conduct far less serious than that of Mr. Betts. You did it for base political purposes, and in doing so highlighted the worst attributes of our press. You should be ashamed to even publish an article like this after that conduct.
6
Which life was ruined? If you refer to the new Supreme Court justice... I can’t imagine how a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land after a temper tantrum in the senate is a ruined life.
17
@Chuck French
I think we are comparing apples to oranges. Kavanagh was simple applying for a job and in view of the allegations against some found him not qualified. Some also found him unqualified for his reaction to the charges when he testified in Congress.
It also seems to me that the Supreme Court is a political body and rules that may be applicable in non-political areas simply do not apply here. How else can one justify not letting Obama have his pick.
All in all the New York times would have been remiss in their duties as a newspaper if they had not reported as they did.
3
@Chuck French
"Ruined the life" ... poor Mr. French, fretting for that lush. Let me put your mind at ease. He's a distinguished member of the Supreme Court. It turned out okay for him in the end, as we knew it would. It almost always does for the very rich...unless of course heir hubris kept them from being reasonable in their excesses.
The point of this article, by the way, was to have you reconsider if the current system of keeping a person down, after they have repaid their debt to society, is a good idea.
Sometimes it's okay to try to read something with an open mind. Sometimes it's okay to read something for what it's worth and not for what you can turn and twist it into.
12
I work in the Pipeline to Justice Program at CUNY School of Law where we help prepare non-traditional students for law school and a career as lawyers. We accept some men with criminal records. We always know that their convictions hang over their heads, but we work with them and the Bar to try to put them in the best position possible. We will continue to honor their resilience and bravery, by supporting them in their effort to over come their past and the stigma of their conviction. we believe that their experience will contribute to their ability to reach and serve similarly situated clients. But lets be clear, its a crap shoot.
13
Thanks for a heart warming story that shows good come out of life's disasters if there is strong enough desire.
What an example!
3
So powerful. Thank you for sharing this story. We all have stories, but yours is richer and braver than most.
5
I understand that there is a great deal more to think about in this story than one man's difficult journey to victory (and I know that that victory will always feel precarious), but, among all the other troubling and frightening news stories of these times, it was a wonderful thing to read to start my day. I wish all the best to Mr. Betts and his family, and hope that our society will become more open to the idea that a person's character and ability should not always be defined by his or her past and circumstances--if they ARE defined that way, then God help us all.
11
@NCG Well said!
2
I am attempting to follow in the same path ... thank you for sharing your story and giving me more hope and inspiration.
24
@Jeffrey Charity
Best wishes to you.
2
It's interesting to compare the reactions to this story and the reactions to a story concerning men accused of sexual misconduct. I'm a progressive so I believe in rehabilitation and believe in forgiveness. I think this man absolutely deserves the right to earn a living doing whatever he is qualified to do.
But, if I were to say the same thing about Louis CK or Al Franken, neither of whom actually committed a crime, it would just be too much to stomach for many of my fellow progressives. For them, Louis CK should never be allowed to work again as a comedian and Al Franken should be banned from the Democratic party for life because apparently both of these men a danger to society forever. It's an odd mindset.
Regardless, congrats on finding your way out of the system Mr. Betts. Your story is inspiring to say the least.
13
Hi @Tom, I appreciate your perspective here and I, too, found Mr. Betts's story to be so inspiring. But I would challenge you to consider and distinguish the parallels between this story and how folks are reacting to or protesting sexual violence.
Judicially and culturally, we don't have a problem with convicting folks of carjacking or theft; however, we do have a problem with men who have harassed, assaulted or raped women and refused to be accountable. I think folks might feel a bit less desperate to, for instance, ban Al Franken from the Democratic Party or make sure Louis C.K. never works again if either of them had, for instance, apologized to the women they harmed before being called out publicly; or, if we lived in culture that truly believed it is unacceptable under any circumstance to behave that way; or, if we spent more time trying to prevent this abhorrent behavior from men instead of blaming the folks who ask for accountability.
I, too, am a progressive and don't seek to exile people for what they've done, but what is inspiring here about Mr. Betts is not so much his journey to redemption; rather, that he is interested in being accountable for his actions, and even acknowledged that the person he robbed is likely still traumatized from the incident. Clearly, our justice system isn't set up to handle this sort of accountability, for perpetrators or victims, but I hope you might consider this context as you bring up folks like Al Franken and Louis C.K.
3
@Tom
I believe it IS a crime to whip your private parts out in front of people. Just because he was not charged... And a BIG difference here- in addition to Mr. Betts' incredible accomplishment and hard work- is remorse. Louis CL's remorse is about the money he lost. Period.
3
Who better to become an attorney?
11
"I told Trey that I had a record and asked if it would be a problem for me to work in the Criminal Justice Clinic. He told me that if there was anyone who should be working in the clinic, it was someone like me, who from experience understood what the clinic’s clients were going through."
Completely agree. We need more people like Mr. Betts working as lawyers.
15
The tragedy, humanity, emotion of this story resonates like a beating heart. The story is epic, intimate, parable like.
But what are we really talking about here? Forget this one young boy and see the tens of thousands, collectively, standing foolishly with a firearm in their boy hands, pointing it this way and that, dumbstruck at the instantaneous violence unleashed by a slight movement of a finger on metal. We are talking about guns and the industry that profits from their sales, now 300?400?million and counting. This is an epidemiological issue. It cannot be reduced to a moral issue. If you have a culture with male teenagers and guns everywhere, you will have tragic violence and that same society will take measures to protect itself. No amount of compassion of liberalism of prison reform or of anti racism will prevent prevent that, and no heroic human effort of one ex offender turned attorney will change that.
Change the ACCESS to lethal violence and everything is changed. Racism, class mobility, incarceration.
23
A heartbreaking and inspirational story, beautifully written. Good luck to you, Mr. Betts. Your skills are much needed in a system where we institutionally incarcerate African Americans
I cannot think that you, Mr. Betts, are far more qualified than some of our recent Supreme Court nominees, who have no real life experience
13
George Jackson said "we cry at victory". No shame on my part: my tears are visible.
7
Thank you NYTimes, Mr. Betts. I disagree with some comments that the ‘case by case’ inquiry into the character of prospective bar applicants is necessary. The years of college, law school, should, in and of itself, be that very testament, along with the fact that no other serious crimes were committed during those years. We all make incredibly stupid mistakes when young. Probably the best decision you ever made though, was to listen to your companion and keep the safety on that gun.
I guess I’d like to see you get into prison reform, administration. And I’d like to see more articles on prisons, systems in the Scandinavian countries, how they differ. And more articles on prison libraries. A minor thing, maybe, but as your story indicates, it can make major differences.
Wherever your career takes you, good luck.
8
More than anything else, outside of a well written article, something else really surprised me: somehow, someway, nobody was blaming Donald Trump for world hunger, racism or 100 different ways to pin something on him. The essence of this black guy is that he confronted adversity and overcame that. I like that and I am a pretty tough conservative. People can be redeemed. But blaming Trump for all of society's ills and for pernicious racism (boy, is that getting tiresome), is on a fool's errand. Sometimes, readers, the glass is half full, not half empty. You still have to look yourself in the mirror everyday.
1
Trump is still America’s Nero. One story about one remarkable man overcoming remarkable adversity (even if he did help create it) doesn’t negate that.
7
@Patrick Turner We are not blaming Trump, we blame the people that support his fascistic, bigoted view of the world.
7
@Patrick Turner Then why do you bring up Trump?
4
I'm left breathless and speechless. What an inspiring and beautifully told story. Congratulations, Mr. Betts, on your many successes. Your patience and optimism are incredible, and your sons are so lucky to have such an amazing role model. Your wife's ability and commitment to see the real person inside of you and support you on your journey is inspiring as well.
10
Heartbreaking and inspiring. And bravo to Mr. Betts for his perseverance, accomplishments and self-awareness. If prison is meant to be rehabilitative, the rest of society needs to get with the program in thinking it is possible to change, instead of continuing to punish the offender long after a prison sentence is over. Of course, the sad truth is that the prison environment is not typically rehabilitative, and it is difficult, if not impossible, for ex-offenders to make major changes in their lives.
4
This is an excellent piece. What a difficultly won and truly deserved second chance, we all should have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and do good in the world. Congratulations Attorney Betts, may your life lessons light the way forward for those who need your help.
7
At age 31, I stood in front of a Federal Judge who could have sentenced my to the same seven years in prison my co-conspirators had already received. The judge gave me three years probation instead. I eventually got custody of my daughter and a job that led to partnerships and success.
This story also made me think of the students I voluntarily taught once a week at an inner city school while I was running my firm. There was much promise to so many of them and so much danger in their way. This story brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for publishing it.
23
Beautiful story. Credit, both for your success and owning up to and accepting responsibility for what you did. So many times these stories come across as "it wasn't my fault". That seems to be our society these days. But yours contains none of that.
I hope you and your family continue to prosper.
13
Congratulations, Attorney Betts, may your story be read by every child in high school. They are all in danger of making life changing mistakes. thank you for your courage to keep demanding re-entry into life on the outside.
11
@Vicki
He didn't just demand it; he earned it.
No. This is so wrong. Second chances don’t mean you get to do whatever you want in life. He shouldn’t have been admitted to practice law. At 16, you know the difference between wrong and right. Many of us face limitations from error we committed as teens, so no sympathy. He can still do many things in life, but the privilege of practicing as an attorney should not be one of them.
6
@Huh If we our concept of justice is that a convict serves their time and is then released into the world rehabilitated, then we must honor that. We have no Australia to which to export people to forget about them forever, we all must live together. And if among those who have committed crimes and completed their punishment are exceptional minds then we as a nation, a culture, and a people, punish and doom ourselves when we do not allow the brightest among us to shine.
20
Tell that to Justice Kavanaugh.
4
Yeah, how dare he! Those rules only apply to privileged white men like Brett Kavanaugh! Glad to see that you and all your friends and family have lived such perfect lives, right?
7
Such a remarkable story. I hope it opens people's eyes.
13
Thank you, Mr. Betts, for writing this story and thank you to the NYT for publishing it.
There are many more people worthy of chances locked away in our prisons. Their stories are different, but can be just as remarkable as that of Mr. Betts. They just need a chance.
The great waste of human potential happening on prisons all across our country is tragic.
26
Mr. Betts you are very, very fortunate in many ways. No one should ever have to endure a journey like yours. For those who have never been arrested or placed into the justice system at any level you cannot understand or even begin to understand the great injustices and great lack of compassion and empathy that is lost within the American judicial/corrections systems. The system is designed to wreck lives. More accurate is to describe the judicial process for criminals as we view a surgical cure for cancer. Get it out and kill the cancer. Too many attorneys, prosecutors, judges and others believe that those accused of crimes and/or adjudicated guilty are cancers to removed from society. We cure cancer with extended sessions of radiology, constantly bombarding the site to make certain it doesn't return. That is exactly what we do those sentenced to prison. Even after removing those convicted from society we keep on killing them. Forever.
No one challenges the validity of our system of justice. We may seek to improve it, lessen sentences, and even protect those who are innocent from being wrongly convicted. But we never fully succeed because the basic premise of our system is punishment forever, not correction.
We need to end the judicial and corrections system as we know it. We must find a better way to punish or change the behavior of criminal offenders. We must end life sentences of guilt and forever punishment. People are not cancer. Let's close down prisons.
10
@Ted Pikul And yet Conservatives still believe that every person in the world should be able to have as many guns as they want. What on Earth would you expect to happen in that situation?
2
15 years ago, I was robbed at gunpoint. (Ok, technically, I was held up in a late-night restaurant robbery by two people in ski masks. Their guns were brandished but not pointed directly at my head- I hid under a table, terrified.) The individuals fled before the police arrived that night, but were caught several nights later when they attempted to rob another restaurant down the street. I don’t know anything about them, their lives, their motives, or what kind of time they were sentenced to. They caused me to fear for my life then, but as I think about them now, I believe that nothing could make me happier than to discover that after serving a reasonable sentence, they disavowed violence and were able to find opportunities to create meaningful lives for themselves... perhaps even inspire and serve others, as Reginald Dwayne Betts has done.
3
@Ted Pikul
I agree. The same can be said regarding the author. I believe people deserve a second chance, (withing limits). I especially feel this way about "victimless crimes" (namely drug abuse). Why; because I was never given one for a small amount of marijuana in the backwards state of Louisiana (it was the 1970s). A decade later, in 1986 I was in a court ordered diversion group therapy run by the state. There was a young man in the group who had been convicted of 4 DWIs, and was not even 30 years old yet. He was kicked out after he was arrested for another one while in the group. It was an amazing show of ignorance, on the part of the State of Louisiana. On the one hand, you could be convicted of multiple DWIs while basically drinking yourself to death, and even worse, endanger countless other people driving on the road with this person, but it was and still is illegal to possess a joint of marijuana. That is outrageous.
I read the New York Times everyday. But honestly I often don’t finish articles. Once I get the idea I often swipe my phone to see what else is on offer. However I read every last word of this article. Touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
49
Give this man a chance. He will not disappoint you.
11
Bravo Attorney Betts! You are an inspiration. Teenagers make stupid mistakes. Nine years is a bit severe. However you have triumphed through perseverance, fortitude and a profound inner strength. Thank you for sharing your story.
17
This is the best article I’ve read in a long time.
Your story made me cry, beam with pride for your achievements, and feel immense sadness for the many minors we continue to send to prison. Your story is beautiful, not because of the happy ending, but because you were able to paint a detailed portrait of what it takes to rebuild a life.
Thank you, you inspired me today!
20
Best wishes to you and your family - your story is as uplifting as it is tragic and I hope you are able to help fix the system.
10
Thank you for this honest look at your life. There are so many things I could comment on. One not mentioned in previous comments is the issue of overcharging. A felony is not a felony is not a felony. But it becomes the same thing on release. Your charges were for a violent crime with a gun. Many people I know are charged with felonies that would be misdemeanors in other jurisdictions. The impact of the inequity in charging by prosecutors starts this very hard trajectory and must be changed. As a society we want to hold people responsible for what they have done and keep our communities safe. But don't we also want to live in a just society where punishment fits the crime and then you can have a life when you return to us?
7
If convicted felons deserve second chances worth hundreds of thousands, how is it that laid off workers, whose only crime is being old, receive no assistance and no second chances?
4
@me This gentlemen's 20 year journey has nothing to do with the experience of laid off workers and the countless other stories that need to be told in our country today. Unfortunately, you seem to think his story of inspiration takes something from you. Why?
21
@me I worked as a volunteer with Big Brothers big sisters. Helping young people who are heading for a cliff or have already gone over it is a serious challenge. I'm a geezer now and know how older ones are skipped during interviews, but the two have nothing to do with each other. If you're that embittered, why not motivate yourself and try to help a younger person.
13
@Cojett First, my post was about money, sinc0ke law school is not cheap. He is saying he should be able to access the close the 100K for law school tuition, and my point is that millions of laid off working class Americans can't even access even 10k for job retraining even though they worked and played by the rules their entire lives, and their only crime is being old. I don't necessarily want to deny this man his dreams, I just am pointing out the basic, in your face unfairness.
Mr. Betts, I greatly admire your fortitude, perseverance in the face of all the obstacles put before you that you should not have had to deal with. Thank you for writing such a powerful piece that everyone should read.
14
Mr. Betts: Your perseverance through seemingly insurmountable obstacles is amazing and inspiring. In 2004, I was a law student at Northeastern Law School in Boston, and I represented an inmate, Mark Anthony Greene, incarcerated in Massachusetts State Prison. He had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for participating in a shooting when he was 17. Fifteen years later, when I met him to represent him on his bid for parole, he was a charming, hilarious, repentant inmate who wanted to get out of prison and be a dad to his 15-year-old son. At the parole hearing, Anthony cried when he talked about the boy he had killed 15 years earlier. He won parole. It took another 2.5 years for him to finally get out. I was then working at a big law firm in Boston. We met for lunch. I got him a subway pass. He got a job working at Home Depot. Then we lost touch. Several months after we last spoke, I Googled him and found this: http://archive.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/09/01/b...
I was/am devastated. I wanted Anthony to grow old, have a house, have grandkids, do good. Working with Anthony, and becoming friends with him, gave me just a sliver of insight into the massive injustice of our criminal justice and prison systems. Together, they are a universe unto themselves, with a gravitational pull that is nearly impossible to escape.
Mr. Betts, you are a gift to be treasured, especially now. Thank you.
82
Throughout the article, I couldn’t help considering the difference between this black man in America whose “Character and fitness, loosely defined qualities, are required of attorneys in every state” took so long to affirm, when someone like Kavenaugh can be approved as a SCCOTUS judge in a little over a week though guilty of a crime arguably as serious for which he evaded all consequence.
28
@A,j Oh, you've decided Kavanaugh was guilty? I don't like him either, but you don't have that right to publicly state he's guilty. The problem is, you see no difference in someone who has been found guilty and someone you want to be guilty.
5
@John - The investigation conducted by the FBI was not thorough and politically motivated so that the conclusion was preordained. Hence, we don't know if Kavanaugh is guilty or not. Furthermore, many - including past a past supreme court justice and leading legal scholars - expressed their concern about Kavanaugh's fitness for the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh's status as a privileged white male - approved by a group of his peers - had a lot to do with questions about his guilt and character being swept under the rug. Mr. Bett's character shines bright. Mr. Kavanaugh's - not so much.
1
@John It was never proven that Kavanaugh committed any of the sexual assaults for which he was accused, however, I would argue that his behavior during the testimony - during which he articulated blatant and unproven conspiracy theories, "This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit," calling the testimony, "Revenge on the behalf of the Clintons," and somehow inserting George Soros into the mix is far more compelling evidence as to his lack of ability to be judicially fair.
3
You irrevocably changed a person life when you threatened their life and robbed them.
Would you have killed a person that day? How far would you have gone?
I am growing so tired of the felons with sad stories.
I have no sympathy for those that terrorize and victimize their community. I will never support the blanket renewal of voting rights for convicted felons. The restoration of voting rights and employment opportunities should be done on a case by case basis.
9
Do you want returning felons to be able to be contributing members of society when they return or not? That’s the question. Get off your high horse.
22
For so many years the United States, principally but not solely in the South, denied African Americans and other people of colour the right to vote. In the early 1900s, supposedly well-meaning people (Progressive reformers) led a movement to make voting more difficult through complex registration requirements. Poorly funded schools in poor neighbourhoods made it difficult for the children of the poor to get a decent education. Society overlooks some people's crimes and sentences others to long prison sentence, with race frequently being the determining factor in labelling certain behaviour criminal and felonious.
WillT26, you make an important point. People are responsible for their actions. But our society is responsible for the circumstances in which they find themselves. Do you believe that people can change, that they can redeem themselves?
Mr Betts has demonstrated a rare determination to make amends. Should not society give him that chance?
13
@BH He's not on a high horse. You ask him a question in an accusatory tone. You with us or not is SUCH a liberal my way or the high way tone.
To me what is so frightening is the role that chance plays in our lives. How fortunate that a few thoughtless, selfish moments of teen stupidity did not go further; that the gun was not fired by accident or carelessness, that a life was not lost.
Because there was no actual physical harm inflicted, I am able to sympathize with the author and root for him in this story of redemption. Otherwise, I would have had mixed feelings. Because the crime committed was not shoplifting or possession of marijuana; it was serious, even if he was sixteen at the time.
6
Mr. Betts - the suggestion to find this article came from a chance meeting at a Law School fair I attended yesterday after speaking with this person about the charitable foundation I am starting that will strive to give those charged and convicted of felonies access to the funds needed to hire better law representation. I am a 40 year old white male from a comfortable area of Northern VA. I woke up one day and, after initiating a sabbatical from my job in Retail HR - started doing research into the clear imbalance of racial opportunity in this country. Within 48 hours my life’s course had been reset - I need to help, I need to educate, I need to advocate for those that can’t. Your article should be on the front page of every American newspaper. We have shamefully stigmatized criminals as lost causes. Rules, laws and regulations easily written by society years or even decades ago need to be just as easily destroyed so we can stop destroying the lives of our fellow man who does his time for his mistakes and has the RIGHT to live and achieve his own dreams. I hope our paths cross one day in person - the inspiration I feel at 2am as I finish your article is off the charts. Thank-you.
12
obvious intellect aside, can we please recognize how incredibly important it was that the author had a family he could rely on? he was released and had a home to go to! a support structure that could make space for him. where would he have ended up had his mother not been able to support him? it's terrifying to think about it.
16
@AG And Bill Clinton signed a law that enabled felons to be denied habitation in public housing. Young black felon with no place to live, no family to support them.
1
As usual, your writing, & the way you expressed your journey is worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. As a 53yrs old "Returning Citizen", who upon my release began a similar educational journey, I understand all of the obstacles, of trying to reintergrate back into the "Free World", with the "Felon Label" attached to your name. All of us, who are "Formerly Incarcerated" will always have our past mistakes" associated with anything that we do, moving forward. In my case, I became an elected official in the State of CA, post-incarceration. My past was still attached to my present. I say this to say that you, Marcus Bullock (FlikShop), Christopher Polous, Dorsey Nunn (All Of Us or None/ Ban The Box), Susan Burton (A New Way Of Life), have shown that we, as Justice Impacted men & women can make a change, & become productive members of Society. Your story is amazing, & inspiring. You sparked a flame in me, that confirms that my journey & role in this thing called Criminal Justice Reform isn't over, even though I had just about given up. Please keep being the father, husband, attorney, & poet that you are. I appreciate you. Looking forward to one day sitting down with you, & just rapping. I'm sure that I'll gain some more knowledge, & wisdom from you.
Thanks for sharing your story.
7
I could not take my eyes off this article until I finished it. The writing was as magnificent and as heartrending as the story. I hope your sons will learn from both your mistakes and your triumphs, and emulate the good man they know, while maintaining compassion for people who have not overcome their flaws and influences.
I've never felt more privileged to practice law, nor more ashamed of a legal system that has put more men in cages in the land of the free than any other country on earth.
16
I am glad that Mr. Betts has been so successful. I am glad that he can practice law.
The process Mr. Betts had to follow was onerous but, ultimately, fair. Evaluating felons on a case-by-case basis makes sense to me.
Being convicted of a violent felony is serious. These are not 'whoopsie daisy' mistakes. There is a rush in this country to forgive and forget. To paint the justifiable disgust many in society have for violent predators as a character flaw on their part.
It isn't. Violent criminals are the problem- their criminal acts reverberate across our society an end up perpetuating a cycle of violence and misery.
Mr. Betts was successful because the system was difficult. He persevered because of that- not despite it.
10
I'm a third year law student. Most of my friends and I will likely go on to take the bar next summer, pass, and be admitted without any of the hurdles you have faced.
I can tell, simply from your writing, that you possess a deeper understanding of justice than any one of my law school classmates. More importantly, you are of a stronger moral character than anyone I've encountered in the profession so far.
That, despite your perserverance and accomplishments, you faced so much trouble being permitted to do something you are so clearly qualified to do, is a disgrace, and an utter failure of the legal profession. The reality is that plenty of lawyers go on to do much more harm to society through the course of their careers than you ever did when you were a teenager.
I want to thank you for dedicating your career to criminal defense. You are a model individual, and I'm sure you'll become a superb attorney.
288
We seem to be having a lot of lawyers these days ending up as convicts... And there are probably a lot more that *should* end up as convicts but won't...
I certainly don't have any problems with this gentleman becoming a lawyer.
10
Mr. Betts,
What made you pick up those books while in prison?
It’s clear that they unlocked a lot of doors for you - both figuratively by awakening an intellectual curiosity and by imparting a love of learning and knowledge, as well as literally, by proving to be the key to your job at Karibu.
How many more young men could we save by repeating and normalizing that crucial first step?
It’s clear the justice system is broken when an extraordinary man such as yourself has to go through what you went through to outpace your “hellhound”. However, I wonder if the very fact that you are extra ordinary, which is to say, the exception to the rule, isn’t also part of the challenge. How might we change that “rule” such that accomplishments like yours become mundane and commonplace?
Please don’t misunderstand me; I do not seek to take anything away from your accomplishment. I’m in awe of it. However, until more people follow your path and that of the other lawyers you listed, society will continue to default to the assumption that people like you are the exception and, unfortunately, policies aren’t amended or changed for the outliers.
1
He’s a brilliant poet!
Outstanding and very moving story. Well written, it took me back through my own chequered journey. The secret is carried like a sleeping virus, ready to destroy everything you've done to right wrong. What fortitude you have, what a great opportunity your system can give if you are resolute. I commend you Sir.
47
I know this man and he is one of the most intelligent, well-read, thoughtful and talented people I know. That, of course, raises the question of how many other people like him have been lost in a prison system that cares little about rehabilitation and turning the incarcerated into "productive" citizens when they get out (as most do). It instead treats them as if they are irredeemable, unworthy. We do them and ourselves a disservice.
210
Truly inspiring.
2
Well done sir, well done.
2
Poetry is the dance and your life is the music. Congratulations Mr Betts. Please do not stop dancing ....
1
A coroner is a member of the judiciary in the UK. I once took a coroner to court who had a conviction for perverting the course of justice. It was reported that she had pretended to have been the sober driver of a drunk passenger, to protect the drunk driver whose sober passenger she was, following a collision.
I blogged about the court case at the time.
Mr. Betts succeeded. I am happy for him and his family.
I support the case-by-case assessment process. Most violent felons are not going to have a resolution like the one Mr. Betts had.
I feel that Mr. Betts succeeded because of the tough process- not despite it.
4
I have no need to read this. I did time under mandatory minimum drug laws, first offender, and have built a successful career but it has been extremely hard. I have a college degree and decades of experience, I have a pardon, but I can’t erase my record. No one is a better candidate to be a lawyer than an ex-con, which is exactly why they won’t allow it. We would change the system that rewards them all so well. What lawyers, and the public in general, needs to understand is that the term ”criminal justice” is an oxymoron. Justice is for those who can buy it.
15
Welcome to the bar Mr. Betts. I have no doubt you will do our profession proud. There are many people in your future that you will help. Some will know your story, most will not. And there will be days, like so many in your past that might feel hopeless. Hold on to the days when you will shine and make someone's day just a little bit better.
2
My son was recently released from jail and is on probation for a felony. We are finding out daily just how many obstacles have been put in the way to a productive life post conviction. I don't know where he will work or live. He's not even allowed to vote. It's terrible to witness such a complete fall - to have a son convicted and it's equally terrible to watch him struggle to find a way to be better, make amends and live a better life.
109
a phenomenal story about a phenomenal person and while every person who has been incarcerated and released may not climb to the heights of Mr. Betts they all deserve the opportunity to try
81
Dwayne has inspired me since we met at a writing retreat roughly 13 years ago. He was a serious, earnest, compassionate and curious poet. He's still all that and, as you've read, so much more.
6
We are all the better to have Dwayne Betts' voice and writings. Thank you again to an amazing, accomplished person. The comments so far, about 25, are a tribute to the power or your mind and pen.
7
Moving story with complex variables and circumstances. A student who "talks too much" is "disruptive." So maybe that is splitting hairs, but alternative school for being disruptive might have helped prevent the more serious crimes. Ownership of prior behavior might improve an already strong narrative.
1
Thank you Mr. Betts for sharing your journey and your family with us.
This is the type of material that could be part of 'required reading' anywhere.
This story and others similar need to continue being shared.
Otherwise as the saying goes... "It doesn't exist".
Maybe, just maybe the ones on all sides who really, really need to hear it, might.
2
As a former, I understand the struggle, the fear and the tenacity it takes to get up everyday and function through "the moment". Well done, Mr. Betts. Well done.
6
Awesome,heartbreaking and amazing story.
12
I'm speechless. Much love and respect to you, your family, and all those lives you will touch with the work you have done and continue to do. Blessings.
16
Beautifully written, movingly told. May you have a long and distinguished career as a lawyer poet, Mr. Betts.
18
A moving journey, sensitively and thoughtfully examined...and humbling.
Obviously intelligent and self-directed, able to follow an inner gyroscope not discernible to everyone,
what strikes me is the support system with which Mr Betts was blessed while he navigated the roadblocks:
a capable and defiantly strong mother,
a supportive, talented partner (OT in the family- it tends to follow),
fortuitous encounters (some engineered, some kismet) and decent employment,
professional encouragement along the way…
He made a terrible mistake that hurt others, hardly an atypical brain-glitch among adolescent males; I'll leave be how the availability of guns factors in.
However the difference between his story and those of others more privileged let alone those much less so, is chilling.
May his professional career be long and rich with the opportunity to use his experience, empathy, skills and *creativity (*no small component) to do battle for others towards whom the balance of justice has never been tipped.
5
Great article/story. I work at Ohio University for their Incarcerated Print Base Program. I see the struggles students have and the challenges they have to face completing our program. It's very sad, it so difficult for them financially and usually institutions make it even harder for them. I get very frustrated when I hear people make comments such as, they don't deserve to get an education! Why not educate them if they are willing and wanting to make their lives better when they return to society?? Mr. Betts you are an inspiration to not only the incarcerated but to all! Congratulations.
10
@Kim Bail, I have worked with incarcerated students in several Ohio prisons, and found most of them to be intelligent, inquisitive, compassionate and very deserving of another chance to make things right. The majority of people in prison will someday be released. As a country we need to make it easier for them to be reintegrated into society, not easier to turn to crime because they can't find a job or they are thwarted when they try to atone for their misdeeds by making a positive contribution to their communities. I live near OU and was unaware of this program. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
1
Having grown up and still living in Switzerland, I read this moving article.
Thank you for sharing! This article rounds up my impression of the USA. It proves to me that this "free" country is not as free as it pretends. Prejudices are prevalent, economy is working on a small string, people's rights are sometimes overprotected but sometimes not. And if someone falls economicallly, healthwise or otherwise he/she falls deeper than we in Europe could ever imagine.
63
Thank you for bravely opening your heart and talking about your experiences. I am married to a man with a felony record so I understand the stigma that is attached to this reality. My husband committed a non violent crime and was offered no prison time in exchange for a felony conviction. We had no family to guide or consult us and an inexperienced lawyer to represent him so we accepted. Being from a far less punitive European country with low incarceration rates, I did not understand the long term consequences of this decision. There are fundamental problems with this country’s justice system. The accessibility of guns is just one of many factors that contribute to this problem. No adolescent should have access to a gun. Period. This is not some utopian fantasy. There are rebellious young men from unstable homes everywhere in the world. In this country they have easy access to guns. Combine this with a punitive and profit driven justice system and you have a humanitarian disaster. Thank you again for speaking about such a difficult stigmatized subject.
28
This article deserves more comments. Many, many more comments. A great read, an inspiring and at the same time cautionary story, exceptionally told. Thank you, Mr. Betts, Attorney At Law.
42
It's not often that I finish reading a newspaper article and have to wipe happy tears from my eyes. Mr. Betts has walked a journey not many of us have and come out on the other side. It has been years since his conviction, he has completed 4 college degrees, has a family and not reoffended. Yet, he continues to have to jump through hoops that people less accomplished do with no criminal record do not. What does this mean for the thousands of people released from incarceration each year?
I am a person in recovery who has served a short jail term (less than a year). It was more than 20 years ago and I have been clean ever since. I am a social worker, have 3 college degrees and until I moved to Australia, each time I wanted to apply for a job I hesitated because I had to discuss my criminal record. It continues to shape my life.
How long should people pay the price of their mistakes? If a person is convicted of a crime at what point is it the past? When is the sentence in the court of public opinion served? Until something changes, prisons will continue to be bursting at the seams and recidivism rates will not change.
I was moved to tears with this article. Mr. Betts will continue to make a difference in the lives of people he represents.
101
An amazing story that is both depressing and uplifting. A testament to the power and drive to better oneself and escape the specters of past mistakes, but also the hurdles our society puts in front of those who try.
It is my sincere hope we someday find a way to break from this mentality that all who've committed wrongs can not be redeemed and start giving more of them the second chances we currently pretend we give them.
25
This piece, for those with good eyes and open hearts and minds, contains all that is wrong and unhealthy in America. And the tragedies galore are made clear.
Mr. Betts, when I reached the picture of your family, I cried. To me, you are an awesome example of a high being and I am as moved as can be by what must be called your heroism. I send you blessings for success in all you do, as a husband, father, lawyer and breathtaking human being. Thank you for your writing.
40
It is no small feat for anyone to complete law school, but to have done it against the backdrop of years of incarceration is truly awe inspiring. I wonder what all the other formerly incarcerated young men could accomplish if only we gave them the opportunity.
36
Mr. Betts, Congratulations! You are an inspiration and I wish you and your family health and happiness. Thank you for telling your story.
12
Wow! What a powerful and moving piece of literary journalism. As we in Canada might say hear hear! My son has just graduated law school. During his studies he worked on the Innocence Project. I am sending this to him. Thank-you again.
18
One of the most rewarding yet painful times in my life were those few years I was a volunteer teaching basic statistics at Jessup Correctional Institution in Maryland. The students were always interested, willing, industrious and very intelligent. One young man who, for lack of any sophisticated tools, would do statistical calculations by hand - an incredibly arduous task. Invariably they had made a few bad choices and had wound up there in prison - and there was nothing I could do to help them.
One of the best students has gotten released, has become an electrician and is using that as a springboard to even better things.
I hope it works.
This story is a great testament to endurance and perseverance.
28
What a powerful, amazing story.
36
Congratulations and best wishes to all of you. We make it so hard to succeed when released from prison. Many never know how difficult; thank you for sharing your story.
23
Love this inspiring story. Please, please write more about this. Talk and share it with everyone. You are too valuable, to hopeful to stay silent. We need more of you to show us hope.
34
This one goes into my saved folder as a favourite. What a fantastic story. I hope the author will write yet again in 20 years about all the good that he accomplished.
54
A fabulous article from a fabulous person. It is glorious when, for once, the good can triumph.
74
Do we punish forever, or do we ask people to do their punishment and to atone and to turn their lives around?
Mr. Betts has more than atoned for his crime. That he had to jump through so many hoops to become an officer of the court -- when Brett Kavanaugh did not have to do this, and now sits on the US Supreme Court -- demands that we change the way we punish and rehabilitate and reintegrate into society those who broke the law. We must move beyond our puritanical, punitive mindset as a country.
My deepest congratulations to him and to his family.
182
@wikibobo,
The process, right now, seems just right to me.
Convicted felons are just that: convicted. The process should not just automatically restore all rights to every felon- it should be a case by case evaluation.
Mr. Betts can practice law. He appears to be a stand-up and responsible citizen. Good for him! Good for us all!
But Mr. Betts is not representative of most convicted felons. He is an outlier. His is an exceptional case.
Most convicted felons are not Mr. Betts.
Every convicted felon has demonstrated one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt- that they are a criminal. It isn't asking much for them to demonstrate that they are truly reformed before we restore all the rights that come with citizenship.
2
Yes, and so wish Kavaunaugh would have admitted the reckless behavior he participated in as a young man; he didn't, he blamed others for accusing him and he is on our Supreme Court! Of course, Mr. Betts should be able to be an attorney.@wikibobo
3
Why should people continue to be punished after serving their sentence? They should be able to vote upon leaving prison. While in prison help them become positive contributors to society. I think we have an incentive to put people in prison in this country.
3
This article made me cry tears of sorrow and joy. Congratulations to Mr. Betts and his family.
111