From Prison to Careers in Science

In the U.S., roughly 1.5 million adults are incarcerated, the most per capita in the world. Less than 2% are enrolled in postsecondary classes.

Studies have found that educational programs can lower misconduct and violence within prison and recidivism upon release.

"When your body is actually locked inside a cage, it’s actually pretty difficult to not also allow your mind to be locked inside prison as well. Learning about diabetes was a way for me to break free from that psychological prison," says Stanley Andrisse, an endocrinologist scientist and assistant professor of physiology at Howard University. Andrisse's nonprofit organization From Prison Cells to PhD offers education counseling, mentoring, and support to 100+ currently and formerly incarcerated people annually.

After taking classes while incarcerated and completing his sentence, Christopher Medina-Kirchner transferred into community college, eventually making his way to graduate school where he now works in a lab studying the effects of drugs on behavior and the brain.

"I just couldn’t believe it," says Medina-Kirchner about being accepted into Columbia's PhD program in psychology. "This was a best case scenario. I had never had a best case scenario happen in my entire life until then."

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Produced by: Ari Daniel & Emily Zendt
Illustrated by: Daniela Gamba
Production Assistance: Christina Couch & Christina Monnen
Advisor: Jonathan Chiu
Camera: Milan Daemgen, Riq Dilly, Kayci Lacob, JRE TV

Archival:
The Pixel House
United States by Joel Wisneski from the Noun Project
Storyblocks
Shutterstock

Music: APM

This video was inspired by reporting supported by a grant from the Education Writers Association.

© WGBH Educational Foundation 2022

[booksinbed]

This was great, thank you for sharing. I believe that the more people in our society have good access to education, the better off we’ll all be. That certainly includes the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated.

[rolgonz]

In my humble opinion, someone who has been at the bottom can contribute more to society, than someone born with a silver spoon.

[mlord]

Soooo I spent a year in state prison and have been home for a little over a year and have since enrolled in my local college and am studying astrophysics and cosmology.

[katmore]

Very inspirational video. Great to see that these programs exist & these folks were able to persevere and take advantage of them.

[snowballeffect]

good on these people for coming out on top despite the stupid and draconian drug laws. I'd be interested to know if they went to for-profit prisons or not.

[Chamelionroses]

That sounds like a nice juveniles jail where kids are not abused and given chance of education. Some jails and places of adoption / fostering are not so nice.

[shkluck]

Beautiful! Their work will help so many people and expose the real agenda behind mass incarceration which is modern slave labor.

[Haseri]

What, supporting people makes better people? You mean when I water the whole garden, it looks nicer?

[mascadadelpantion]

At 6:25 I was attempted to say and presented by viewers like you 🤪

I am so sincerely happy that these beautiful people are truly finding a way that they and other people like them can very literally get a second chance at life if they just truly tried 😁 I have family who have actually been through very similar things like this and it does my heart good to hear about these success

[Victor-tldk]

All prisons should have libraries that mirror real world libraries. The government can take away freedom, but it should never take away thought and access to narratives.

Right now prisoners have to import books from family/buy books and their selection is heavily censored. That shouldn't be the case.

But hey, the last place that wants free and independent thinkers in America is prisons.

[pokemonpokemon]

I'm in prison rite now watching this

[SolaceEasy]

Unlock hidden and delayed human potential.

[dazelid]

Love this. Thank you for sharing! <3

[yaraviera]

The best about study its that constant learning

[melaniestarkey]

What I think a lot of people are forgetting is in Christianity Jesus was here for the sick. There are many things that cause illness mentally, emotionally, physically,
and spiritually. A lot of abuse will cause these illnesses and crimes. It's important that we learn forgiveness and want better for all.
There will never be peace in this world until there is peace WITHIN the individual. WHEN YOU GIVE A PERSON HOPE OF AN EDUCATION IT CHANGES THEM FOR THE BETTER

[ziziroberts]

More news like this. Thank you.
Limited funding. Of course.
Meanwhile, Bezos and Musk.
I have a dream.

[noel]

Perfect intro music, I personally do not think this is a good thing, ymmv.

[falsesatsuma]

Dude looks like a knock off mark whalberg

[barbmccafferty]

"Neuropsychopharmacology"? Is that really the best way to describe this field of study? I made it to "neuro-psycho.".. then I lost interest. It may have well been because they both look about the same to me.

[robertbrander]

Soon it will be Scientist Frauds in Prison ! Lock em Up !