My name is Matthew Samuel Stephens, I’m 47 years old and like many, I have a lengthy criminal history. I consider my situation to be self inflicted by my selfish decisions. I come from the most loving family anyone could ask for, and, time- after-time, after-time I intentionally made selfish decisions that has cost me my entire adult life to be lived incarcerated and separated from my family. I’m accountable for my actions and I’m doing everything I can to fix the ripple effect my decisions negatively impacted.
My thoughtless behaviors racked up 21 felony convictions and have caused me to live 18 years of my life incarcerated on 5 separate prison trips.
In 2011, I was labelled incorrigible by our Government and sentenced as an Armed Career Criminal. My immediate feelings were remorse and I decided to fix what I’ve created and I began to re-channel my frustrations of my situation and use my prison programs as if I was in college. I disciplined myself on an exercise routine and diet that would reflect our military training. I realized if I want to fix my situation and end my recidivism cycle I needed to fix my thinking and how I perceive situations and how I react to situations. To date, I’ve earned 7 college career certifications including 3 college certificate degrees in social work with (1) Workforce development & community reentry, (2) Addiction & Substance abuse level 1, and (3) Addiction and substance abuse level 2. I’ve earned an associates degree of college credits through an accredited college correspondence courses with very little resources. I’ve also earned 4 additional College vocational certifications; (1) welding, (2) plumbing technology, (3) electric technology and (4) HVAC.
My area of advocacy is in the education and rehabilitation of our offenders, as I’m convinced our Judicial System has the resources to produce a product similar to what our college and military produces which is a long-term career paths for their participants. I believe our rehabilitated and educated ex-offenders are equally influential in our society as our College and Military graduates, and, I believe when we educate and rehabilitate our offenders our Judicial product of ex-offenders will equally replicate our College and Military graduates on a nation wide level.
My second area of advocacy is in sentencing reforms specifically the Armed Career Criminal enhancement. As a recipient of the Armed Career Criminal Enhancement who served 13 years incarcerated, I honestly feel our Judicial goals in my sentencing were met within 2-5 years into my sentence. This leaves the idea that the extra decade I served was “counter-productive”.
My incarceration woke me up in all areas of my life and I truly believe I’m a far better person today. I’ve restored every broken relationship my behaviors destroyed and for the first time in my life I actually have a platform and my 7 college career certifications have given me momentum to push with. I honestly owe my life to our restortive justice programs and without incarceration I wouldn’t even be alive. My desire now is to fuel that fire and advocate for all of us who find ourselves trapped in the bondage of our decisions.
