Carlos M. Christian made bad choices at a young age.
At thirteen, he became involved with the distribution of illegal drugs and eventually served ten years in prison. From nineteen-years old until he was twenty-nine, Christian was locked away from society with nothing to do but think.
All that time could have been wasted...but Christian took an unusual path: he graduated from Marion Technical College for business management with a 3.83 GPA and dedicated himself to improving his own life and the lives of those around him. Upon leaving prison, he beat the odds. Instead of returning to his old life of crime, Christian got a job, bought a house, and got custody of his son.
An alarming 76 percent of American prisoners are rearrested within five years-so how did Christian buck the trend? The truth is that he found strength and purpose within himself...and the rest followed.
In 2011, Christian founded the Starts Within Organization (SWO) to help other convicts become positive, restored citizens. And in Prison without Bars, a guide for those who want to take value from prison time, Christian shares practical advice about prison education, support groups, and some deeply moving personal revelations. Remember: when healing and personal development start within, no one is beyond redemption.
About the Author: At age thirteen, Carlos Christian became involved in the drug trade-eventually leading to a ten-year prison sentence. He was incarcerated at the Marion Correctional Institution in Marion, Ohio, from age nineteen to twenty-nine. During his sentence, Christian was dedicated to his rehabilitation and becoming a positive role model. He graduated from Marion Technical College majoring in business management, with a 3.83 GPA. In addition, he successfully completed an Administrative Office Technology vocational program. Upon his release, Christian had support from his friends, family, and a case manager. After he obtained employment, Christian relocated to Columbus, where he became a homeowner, gained custody of his son, and began to mentor incarcerated individuals in penitentiaries and county jails.
During Christian's prison sentence, he realized that he had seen more individuals being released from prison and returning than he had of individuals being released from prison and going on to lead positive lives in the community. Christian founded the Starts Within Organization (SWO) in 2011 because of his determination to help currently incarcerated men build the same solid foundation-pre-and post-release-that he was able to build. SWO is based on the principal that individuals must start within themselves and start within their current situations. SWO is a nonprofit organization that combats the alarming recidivism rate that hinders the growth of communities across the nation. By strategically placing these men in career fields related to their skills and knowledge, SWO is working toward the goal of becoming the organization that offers a model reentry program in the nation.
Christian began his work with Action for Children in 2010 as a facilitator for TAPP; Father Factor. Using the Father Factor curriculum, he has helped nearly four hundred fathers across central Ohio. TAPP; Father Factor is about building better parent-child relationships and opening doors to positive communication between coparents. As a father himself, Christian knows how impactful fatherhood can be. He understands how a father's role within a family can positively or negatively affect children's social and emotional development. Christian consistently strives for excellence when working with fathers because he knows that by bettering families, we are bettering the community as a whole.
