In 1991, at the age of seventeen, Eric S. committed a brutal assault on a female store clerk during a robbery of a thrift store. Charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and first-degree robbery, his case was transferred out of juvenile court into adult court. After a jury trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to a 20-40-year New Hampshire state prison sentence.
In some ways, the crime and sentence could be considered somewhat commonplace in today’s criminal justice system. However, Eric’s story is far from commonplace. His is a story of successful rehabilitation and redemption, helped in a small way by his gaining, while in prison, a B.A. degree from New England College.
On Tuesday, September 25th, in Professor Hubbard’s criminal justice upper-class topics course entitled “Sentencing and Offender-Reentry,” Eric S. recounted for the students and guests the details of his case, and path to prison release and rehabilitation. His crime was committed because of rage built up inside him for years due to a family situation. One day in 1991, that rage boiled over and he robbed a thrift store for a few hundred dollars with the intention of never returning home. Convicted and facing a lengthy prison sentence at a young age, the odds of his gaining early release and succeeding on the outside were heavily stacked against him.
However, Eric S. persevered. He took advantage of every prison program available. Encouraged to complete his GED, he went far beyond that. He received his high school diploma and then was able to begin taking college classes at the prison offered by New England College. In the early 2000’s, New England College had a prison initiative where professors traveled to the prison in Concord and conducted classes. According to Frank Hall, NEC’s Institutional Researcher, in the 1970’s the NEC program had anywhere from 50-100 inmate/students in the prison program.
Eric S. completed his B.A. degree in Psychology. Among other things, his educational achievements and drive helped him convince a NH Superior Court judge that he should be granted a sentence reduction. He was paroled in 2009 after serving eighteen years.
In his talk to the class, Eric S. relayed his prison and re-entry experiences. He talked frankly and honestly to the class about his case, prison, parole release and life on the outside. According to the National Institute of Justice, the rate of recidivism in the United States hovers annually around 66%, or two-thirds. Despite the statistics, Eric has succeeded in re-entry. He has a good occupation now and enjoys life. His talk to the class was articulate, heartfelt and moving. He is an example of what can happen in our criminal justice system despite the typical obstacles parolees find too often in their path. Eric’s path to New England for the class visit was the first time this graduate had ever stepped on campus.
In appreciation of his visit, the CJ class presented Eric with a NEC sweatshirt. At the end, each student shook his hand to thank him, and wish him well.
