Thirteen men sentenced to die by incarceration at a maximum-security prison pushed themselves to enroll in the first face-to-face bachelor’s degree completion program for incarcerated students in the state of California. Sentenced to life without possibility of parole, they pursued higher education as the path toward rehabilitation and transformation, changing the trajectory of their lives. Based on in-depth interviews, each journey is at times heartbreaking, infuriating, and deeply inspiring, as the men work through early childhood traumas, learning disabilities, failures, and guilt. As co-founder and administrator of The Prison Graduation Initiative through California State University, Los Angeles, author Taffany Lim also explores her own growth and evolution as a result of years of investment in each student’s personal success.
By:
Taffany Lim
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781538195802
ISBN 10: 1538195801
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 24 July 2025
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Preface Acknowledgments Introduction The Changing Landscape The Prison BA Graduation Initiative (PGI) The Students Hope, Transformation, and the Ripple Effect Chapter 1: Samual Nathaniel Brown Early Years College The Crime LWOP Turning Point Lancaster—A College Man Transformation The Future Chapter 2: Allen Dean Burnett II Childhood Home Life An Emancipated Minor Crime LWOP Turning Points Education The Future Chapter 3: Billy G. Early Years Crime Change Survival The 10-Year Wall Lancaster The Impact of College in Prison The Future is Now Chapter 4: J.H. Early Childhood Crime College Home Chapter 5: Jason Keaton Early Years Crime Prison Turning Point Transformation Bachelor’s Degree Planning for the Future A College Graduate Chapter 6: Thaisan Nguon Early Years Gang Life Crime Prison Honor Yard Home The Future Chapter 7: Tin Tri Nguyen Early Years Adolescence and the Teen Years Crime The Journey to a BA Degree Transformation Challenges Coming Home The Ripple Effect The Future Chapter 8: Charlie Praphatananda Early Years LWOP Transformation The BA and Transformation Commutation The Future Chapter 9: Risala Rose-Aminifu Early Years The Crime Prison Hope The Road to College The Change The Sky’s the Limit Chapter 10: Jeff Stein Early School Years High School Adulthood The Crime Prison: Hope Lost Transformation Transformation and Hope Graduate Chapter 11: Thomas Franklin Wheelock Early Education Teen Years The Crime Life Without Possibility of Parole A Small Change Within The Power of the Bachelor’s Degree The Classroom A Free and Educated Man Chapter 12: Daniel Whitlow Early Education Crime Prison Golden Eagles Transformation Commutation Dreams for the Future Chapter 13: Chay Dara Yin Early Years Crime Prison Turning Point/Education The Ripple Effect of a Free College Graduate The Future Chapter 14: Reflections Today Glossary Suggested Reading Bibliography Index About the Author
Taffany Lim, Ed.D., is the founding Executive Director of the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good at Cal State University Los Angeles. Prior to her appointment with the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good in 2014, Lim served as the Associate Director for the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, where she developed and managed PBI’s signature Community Policing Training Program. She has spent more than 25 years working with public sector and nonprofit organizations, including United Way, KCET Public Television, the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, and the City of Pasadena’s Public Health Department. Lim specializes in program development, project management, planning, training, and facilitation.
