Free to Succeed: Ernest Boykin
“2027” is written boldly on the back of Ernest Boykin’s phone as a reminder of the year he would have been released, had he not...
A Lifetime of Remorse and Service to Others
Too many people in Pennsylvania are serving long prison terms that don’t make communities safer. There are plenty of people locked up like David Mandeville,...
When a Second Chance Means Powerhouse Advocacy
There’s nothing romantic about prison. But here’s a FAMM story that’s undeniably romantic. It’s about what happens when fierce advocacy, Fantasy Football, 35 birthday cards,...
A Racist Disparity, the EQUAL Act, and One Man’s Redemption
The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 reduced the disparity in sentencing for crack cocaine and powder cocaine offenses from 100:1 to 18:1. But true justice...
Motivating everything we do here at FAMM are real people—prisoners, families with loved ones locked up, returning citizens—who experience firsthand our broken criminal justice system. When FAMM started more than three decades ago, it was the stories of these people that defined our mission and our work. And that hasn’t changed.
On this page, you’ll find many different kinds of stories, featuring people of all stripes from all over the country. Each and every one of their stories shows in sharp relief the problems with bad sentencing laws and prison policies. We hope that these stories educate and inspire you, just as they do for us.
Charceil Kellam
When Charceil Kellam was arrested in September of 2006, her family assumed that she wouldn’t spend much time in prison. She had a history of arrests, related to her decades-long addiction issues, but even when convicted, she never spent a...Read More
Success on the Inside: Chad Marks
At age 24, Chad Marks was sentenced to a 40-year federal mandatory minimum sentence. The prosecution offered him a plea deal that could have resulted in a 10-year term if Chad would admit his guilt. Instead, he went to trial,...Read More
Ashley Renee Keeton
In 2011, three days before Christmas, 23 year-old Ashley Renee Keeton was worrying about being able to put toys under the tree for her four young children. Wanting to make some quick cash to buy gifts, she decided to take...Read More
Success on the Inside: Jorge Maldonado
UPDATE: Jorge was released in November 2021 after serving his sentence. I still think about wrestling. I watch it here in prison every Monday and Tuesday. I wrestled for over 25 years, in many countries. You can see my videos...Read More
Ainsley’s Story: The Value of Speaking Up
UPDATE: Ainsley’s husband Jeff was released to a halfway house on February 26, 2019. “I’m never getting married again,” I told my lawyer as we walked out of the county courthouse. I was feeling free and at the end of...Read More
Paul Houser: A Sentence That’s “Just Not Right”
“Those people don’t want to hear about a poor country boy’s sad story.” — Paul Houser Paul Houser’s story is sad, but it is well worth hearing. He’s now 11 years into a 60-year sentence for drug crimes. How he...Read More
Connie Farris: Watching Her Husband Die Slowly From Behind Bars
Theirs is a tragic love story for the ages. She’s in prison, and he continues to deteriorate more each day from muscular dystrophy, at this point unable to care for himself. And the BOP wants to keep them apart—even though...Read More
Debra Cupp: Why I Tell My Story
When Debra’s husband Ron died in prison, she was devastated. But then she started telling his story. She’s still in grief, but she’s channeled some of that feeling into action and advocacy.Read More
Success Story: Elizabeth Melson
Elizabeth was a shy child and adolescent who struggled with self-esteem issues from an early age. Problems for Elizabeth became even worse during her teens, around the time of her parents’ separation and divorce.Read More