WINDHAM, Maine — There isn't anything quite like getting lost in a captivating and entrancing read. Books have the power to transport their reader to another world and give them a window into a different life.
For people looking to escape their present situation, that can be enticing, and that philosophy might be especially true for those in prison.
Reginald Dwyane Betts of Connecticut can attest. He went to prison for nine years at the age of 16 after carjacking someone.
He said while he was there, he found solace in using paper and pen to write, but he noticed it was somewhat difficult to get into the prison library to choose a book to read. He said the library wasn't open 24/7, and the window to visit could be tight.
"I was thinking about the fact that I never touched the 'Iliad' while I was in prison. I never touched the 'Odyssey,'" Betts said.
That's why years later in 2020, he ended up creating the national nonprofit Freedom Reads with the goal of bringing millions of books to millions of prisoners.
Betts and his team bring handmade bookcases filled with 500 brand-new books to prison facilities across the country and place them in living areas where prison residents can access the books at any time. Betts said a hundred "freedom libraries" are now in 25 facilities across eight different states. They contain everything from fiction to nonfiction to poetry.
"There’s this notion that books provide stories, but there’s also this notion that books provide a space for us to come together and get to know each other better," Betts said.
Betts said a main goal of his through this project is creating community among those who are incarcerated by starting conversations about literature. He said the same books are also available to prison staff members to try to get them involved in the conversation, too.
"When we talk about recidivism, what we’re really talking about is relationships. What we’re really talking about is people’s ability to nurture and sustain the kind of relationships that make sure they have a support system that will make sure they have job opportunities, that will make sure that they see a vision of the world that is brighter and more expansive than the cells that they might’ve called home," Betts said.
"It fits in well with the Maine model of corrections, where education is central to rehabilitation and redemption for a lot of our folks," Commissioner Randall Liberty with the Maine Department of Corrections said about Freedom Reads.
Cassandra Smith is currently at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center and has a passion for reading. She said having more books available has been a really popular development among women there.
"It’s great when you can relate to a character and tune into that," Smith said. "It takes you away from the reality of where you are and [allows you to] escape a little bit. It’s hard being away from your families and away from home."
Smith said she's inspired by Betts' story of overcoming his criminal history and doing something positive.
"It’s great that there are people in organizations who actually care," Smith said.
"It’s inspiring. It’s inspiring because [Betts] was right where I am," Jonathan Charron, a prison resident at the Maine Correctional Center, said.
Charron said the Freedom Reads books have been a nice addition to the facility. He said he's planning to use his time in prison to go to college and has already signed up for the fall semester.
"I went to college on the streets," Charron said about life before prison. "I dropped out. It was tough trying to work and juggle two jobs and go to school full-time."
Betts said most of the books Freedom Reads provides are in English, but between 10 to 15 percent are in Spanish. You can read more about Freedom Reads here.