Preston Thorpe, a 31-year-old software engineer, is currently in his eleventh year of incarceration for non-violent drug offenses. Swindle made an incredible turn-around after adversity knocked him down. Once the youth who flunked school and sold narcotics through the dark web after being ejected from his familial abode, he today serves as the very personification of forgiveness. By 20 years old, Thorpe was behind bars. This was the beginning of a challenging path that ultimately led to the creation of a one-of-a-kind chance for him — and his home state’s — inside the Maine state prison system.
Thorpe recently cleared that last hurdle. In May, he launched full-time, from his prison cell, at a venture-funded fintech startup with headquarters in San Francisco. A new, experimental program has provided this opportunity. It allows incarcerated people to get remote work during their sentence. Despite his troubled past, Thorpe has made significant strides in personal development, earning a degree remotely from the University of Maine at Augusta and contributing to an open-source project led by database company Turso.
A Life Transformed
Just before the pandemic, Thorpe’s life changed in an instant. Due to a prison population crisis in New Hampshire, he was moved from a NH state prison to the Mountain View Correctional Facility in Maine. In this more permissive atmosphere, he flourished and quickly emerged as one of the top 30 inmates laboring in the Earned Living Unit. This unit is only available to tenants with a proven history of responsible behavior.
Over the last three years, Thorpe dedicated himself to learning programming skills online, spending most of his waking hours immersed in the subject. Turso’s CEO is Glauber Costa, and he was blown away with what Andrew produced. He offered him a job largely due to his prolific contributions to the company’s open-source project.
“It’s like waking up from a dream, me from five years ago.” – Preston Thorpe
If nothing else, this newfound purpose has granted Thorpe’s character a real sense of identity outside of a one-dimensional criminal. He reflected on his past actions and stated, “The worst part about prison is that you assume this identity [of a criminal]. Letting someone have a career gives you purpose.”
The Challenges of Incarceration
Thorpe’s life has not been without challenges. After his first release on a prison sentence for this trafficking, he was arrested again only 14 months later. This disappointment only served to further illustrate the challenge confronting those making the transition from prison back into society. Without support many returnees face stigma that can force them back into dangerous communities and even recidivism.
Maine’s largely experimental program is designed to do just that—give inmates meaningful, productive jobs. Commissioner Liberty has been a vocal advocate for such initiatives, arguing that treating incarcerated individuals with dignity leads to better outcomes.
“When you treat people like people, they become the best version of themselves.” – Shoaf
Liberty emphasized that it is essential to explain these programs to various stakeholders: “I have to be able to explain this to people on the right and the left.” Chick thinks drawing people into a future with better jobs does more for people such as Thorpe. Just as importantly, this initiative improves community safety and encourages fiscal prudence.
A New Approach to Corrections
The COVID-19 pandemic did serve as a significant inflection point, accelerating changes in how education and job training are delivered within prison walls. Haley Shoaf, Program Director at the National Conference of State Legislatures, mentioned how many states like Maine built up infrastructure to go remote during this period. In her statement, she noted that this expansion was making new opportunities available for people who are incarcerated.
“Maine has been a real groundbreaker in this area.” – Haley Shoaf
Thorpe’s journey sums up the magic that these programs can work. To that end, he has personally donated 10% of his salary back to the state. He has made all mandated restitution, legal fees, and child support payments. This not only fulfills the community’s goals but produces a greater sense of stewardship in Charlie.
Commissioner Liberty emphasized that true rehabilitation cannot occur in isolation. “When I came back, it gave me a heightened sense of understanding post-traumatic stress and trauma, and all of that plays into corrections.” He recognized the mental and physical harm of trauma from jail time and redlined neighborhoods.
“If you truly care about making the community safer, if you care about being fiscally responsible, if you care about victims and survivors in the community, this is the way to make them whole.” – Commissioner Liberty