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.
Allissia’s Story: “I Don’t Deserve to Die”
Too many people in Arizona are serving long prison terms that don’t make communities safer. There are plenty of people locked up who do not pose a risk to public safety yet languish in prison for decades, some of them...Read More
“A Good Man!” When Sentencing Enhancements Add 45 Years
“My roots weren’t strong, and when the storms of life came, I couldn’t hold on,” says Charles Scott, currently serving more than 51 years in federal prison – 45 of which are “stacked” mandatory enhancements. Read More
On Different Sides of a Prison Wall, Two Women Fight for Second Chances
Consider yourself lucky if you’ve got Georgean Arsons rooting for you. Her day job over the years has been in corporate America, but her superpower is criminal justice reform work. She has advocated from her home in Sea Bright, N.J.,...Read More
“Both of Our Mothers Lost a Son That Day”
[UPDATE: Gary Kyles was granted a commutation from Gov. Wolf in July 2022. He is now free.] Gary Kyles has spent his entire adult life incarcerated. Arrested at 18, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at 20. He...Read More
One Woman’s Fight for a Second Chance for Her Best Friend
UPDATE: Sincere was pardoned by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and was released in January 2022. Too many people are serving long prison terms that don’t make us safer, and our laws don’t give them a second chance. Most governors have...Read More
Seriously Ill and Locked Up for Stealing 6 DVDs
Too many people in Florida are serving long prison terms that don’t make communities safer. There are plenty of people locked up like Stephan Stuckey, who do not pose a risk to public safety yet languish in prison for decades,...Read More
Shouldn’t There Be a Place for Redemption?
[UPDATE: Terrell Carter was granted a pardon from Gov. Wolf in July 2022. He is now free.] Too many people in Pennsylvania are serving long prison terms that don’t make communities safer. There are plenty of people locked up like...Read More
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, and a second chance come together … Read More
Keep Them Home: Travis’ Story
At this moment, thousands of people safely completing their sentences at home are living in fear that they’ll be sent back to federal prison through no fault of their own. A memo from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued...Read More