News FeedLetter in Support of Commutation of Sentence of Michael Santos
April 17, 2009
Ronald L. Rodgers, Pardon Attorney
1425 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 11000
Washington, DC 20530
Re: Inmate Michael G. Santos #16377-004
Petition for Commutation of Sentence
Dear President Obama:
I am writing in support a petition for communtation of the sentence of Michael G. Santos #16377-004. He is currently incarcerated in Taft Federal Correctional Institution. I had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. Santos for the first time in February of this year. I am conducting informal research on the subject of business ethics and white collar crime. My research led me to Mr. Santos, who has written numerous books on his experiences in prison as well as the stories of fellow inmates, many of whom are incarcerated for white collar crime.
Upon meeting with Mr. Santos, I will honestly say I did not know what to expect. I have had some experience with incarcerated individuals through youth group prison and youth ministry, so I was not fearful of going to a prison. I was prepared for a hardened criminal who had been institutionalized beyond recognition. After all, being locked up for over 20 years is bound to change a person.
My meeting with Mr. Santos was nothing as I expected. He was warm and friendly and extremely well spoken. His manner of speaking reflected his two degrees earned while in prison. I laughed when he told me his degree was in the same field as the PhD I am earning through the University of Minnesota (Human Resource Development). I spoke easily about my research and asked him for direction in publishing. We talked the entire two hours and could have continued for much longer. I found him to be extremely knowledgeable, helpful and genuine.
However, with all that said, it was not the most striking part of Michael Santos. What struck me the most was how happy he was. He was practically radiating positive energy. Being a University professor, I can easily spot fake people and the ways they try to communicate the opposite of how they feel. I was honestly expecting someone who was a bit jaded about the prison system and had an edge of bitterness about his long incarceration. I expected Mr. Santos to put on a show of professionalism for my benefit so that I would not be uncomfortable. This was not the case.
After the meeting at Taft FCI, I met an old friend for lunch. I struggled to describe the meeting I just had because above all else, I struggled to understand what really struck me about Mr. Santos. Upon further reflection, I now see that it was the combination of his genuine acceptance that his calling in life is to help people flourish in prison and his excitement about his writing and research on prison reform. In addition, he enjoys writing fellow inmates’ stories in order to help people like me to further our understanding about the crimes that are committed and the people behind the crime.
If the prison system’s entire purpose is to (a) punish for crime and (b) retrain individuals for entry into society, I believe the system has more than accomplished its goal with Mr. Santos. Not only has he bettered himself as an individual through education and self reflection, he designs training and mentors others in the system (and outside the system, like me). He is truly giving back to society from outside of society. That should be commended and recognized in the form of letting Mr. Santos give back to society as a citizen, rather than an inmate.
I voted for you. I voted democrat for the first time in my life in this election. People ask me why I voted for you and I say because I can see you are a true leader. I am a self described “leadership junkie”, so I know a leader when I see one. You are a person of integrity. A person who deliberates a decision and then accepts responsibility for it in the end. I know that if you met Michael Santos you would be as impressed as I am with what he has accomplished in prison in order to better both himself and others. He exhibits many of the same qualities you do. Therefore, I ask you to please consider commuting his sentence so that he can bring his expertise and knowledge to the general public sooner rather than later.
Thank you.
Jana Schrenkler
Assistant Professor of Business
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights, box 1529
Winona, MN 55987
507-457-1491
jschrenk@smumn.edu
Thank you Jana!
good luck! I visited your website over the last five years as a result of a family member’s incarceration. I pray that you will receive a serious consideration resulting in a commutation.