UM-Dearborn faculty member describes his journey from prisoner to professor
Aaron Kinzel, a professor at University of Michigan-Dearborn did not follow a conventional path to academia. He found his passion for education during his time in prison, and now he uses his experience to advocate for prison reform.
Kinzel spoke at Central Michigan University Tuesday evening about his journey from prisoner to professor.
Now an advocate for prison reform Kinzel believes "the process is changing" for the better for convicts when they are released.
Kinzel said he witnessed and endured many traumatic events early in his life.
He began breaking into homes with his mother's boyfriend at age five. When he was eight, he witnessed his mother get raped and beaten multiple times by his stepfather. At 15, Kinzel was arrested and put into solitary confinement for assaulting two police officers. His stepfather hired an attorney, who got the charges dropped.
"I didn't learn a lesson," Kinzel said. "I thought I could get away with anything because my stepdad had my back."
Kinzel was pulled over in Maine when he was 18. He said the police officer had his hand on his pistol, which made him feel threatened.
"I pulled my pistol and shot out the window," he said. The shot knocked the officer down, and the officer's partner fired 15 shots into the vehicle from point-blank range. Kinzel drove off, and initiated a high-speed chase. After a day-long search, he was arrested.
He was charged with attempted murder and was facing a life sentence. He ended up getting sentenced to 19 years in prison.
While in prison, Kinzel found his passion for post secondary education. He was released from prison in 2007 and received his Master's degree from the University of Michigan. However, he couldn't find a job, even with his Master's degree.
"Convict will always erase whatever credential I achieve," Kinzel said.
He entered a Ph.D. program at Western Michigan University and was offered a job to teach one class. Now, Kinzel is a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and has had the opportunity to travel to nine countries and over 100 penitentiaries across those countries.
"The United States justice system isn't broken, it does exactly what it is supposed to do: oppress and marginalize certain groups of people," Kinzel said. "My goal is to humanize formerly incarcerated people."
The speech was sponsored by sociology faculty member Elizabeth Bradshaw and Student Advocates for Prison Reform and the Incarcerated. Bradshaw said that Kinzel's story is "unique" and intrigued her enough to bring him in as a guest speaker. She liked that he was able to share how he was impacted by the system.
