Second Chances: From College to Prison
DETROIT, Michigan -- One hour on a sunny May day in 2013 left Shani Ricks conclusively
changed.
It was the first time Ricks, known as a sweet, well-rounded and educated young lady, had ever
delivered some drugs. The pills were stuffed inside of the purse of the 21-year-old, who was
speeding down the highway from Detroit, Mi to Cleveland, Ohio. The speed was caught by the
Ohio State Police on I-75 hiding in the median of the highway.
In just 45 minutes, Ricks committed her first crime: drug trafficking. This was a felony that
landed Ricks in prison for nearly two years.
I have long distance cousins that have been in prison, and I hear stories all the time in Detroit
about prison, said Ricks, now 24. But, I honestly dont think any of them paint the picture of a
cell door closing and realizing you can't go home.
What Ricks managed to do while she was in the jail cell to when the cell doors finally opened is
a remarkable story. Stamped with a felony, she re-enrolled to Michigan State University and
managed to become the CEO of her own handmade crochet company.
Ricks testimony, shows the lessons she learned in prison and how she managed to turn her life
around.
Some people might say the odds were against Ricks. She was born and raised in the city of
Detroit. Drugs and drug trafficking were common in her neighborhood.
Her arrest in 2013 made her another statistic. Ricks became one of the thousands of citizens
who are in the U.S. justice system. According to the United States Sentencing Commission,
almost half (49.5%) of drug traffickers had little or no prior criminal history.
Early on, her defense attorney made it known that the severity of her crime would possibly place
her in a prison for a maximum of 12 years.
But Ricks lawyer managed to get the plea minimized to a maximum of two years.
During her two years in custody, she scuffled to two different women prisons. She did not grow
cold hearted, resentful or repulsive. Instead, Ricks stayed positive and was determined to make
way while she was in prison.
She used to see other inmates crochet all the time and make interesting pieces.
One day, during clock time, she asked her bunkie (cell bunkmate) to teach her how to crochet.
The bunkie could crochet without any books or patterns. She told Ricks she learned the skills on
her own during her incarceration.
The lesson stuck to her brain like glue.
It really help me get through my time in prison because it was so time consuming, Ricks said.
You have to have a lot of concentration and patience.
Crocheting took her to another place outside of prison in her mind. Thats when she came up
with the brilliant idea to start her own business of handmade crocheted swimsuits when she was
released from prison.
Ricks knew that her record meant that she had no other choice but to prove herself to the
outside world. She participated in facilitated programs and taught other inmates how to do
resumes. She read the book The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black
Women and started mapping out her plan for after release. Other prisoners and prison guards
gave her the nickname smarty pants, but Ricks said it gave her the necessary skills to be
successful after prison.
I coached myself to see society in a way I could me more than what I was when I was
delivering those drugs, she said.
In those unpleasant years being behind bars, Ricks saw other inmates maneuver in and out of
the disciplinary system. National statistics covering recidivism rates for incarcerated drug
traffickers are not favorable for an offender like Ricks. Bureau of Justice Statistics studies have
found high rates of recidivism among released prisoners. But she does not plan on going back.
The federal government and society as a whole do not want to see felons to advance in life,
Ricks said. Felons get rejected for everything, like getting a house in their name, prohibited
from going out of state because of parole and hard to get employed.
Ricks was released in the summer 2014 after serving a year and a half of her two-year
sentence. She was determined not to go back.
The first few months of readjusting to life on the were brimmed with obstacles. When she
applied to get re enrolled into Michigan State University, she was nervous and unsure how to
reveal her criminal history to the admissions office.
Before my incarceration I was a full-time student at MSU, Ricks said. It wasn't like I had done
anything prior to the crime I committed.
Surprisingly, Ricks was not rejected by Michigan State University and employers because of her
criminal record. So, she continued on, taking what good fortunes came her way.
Her outstanding academic performance at Michigan State University for the one semester
earned her a spot on the Deans List, where she studied Economics and was awarded a
scholarship for academic excellence. During that time, she created The Plush Life, a handmade
crochet business for swimsuits and accessories,and is now the CEO. It was one of her dreams
while she was in prison.
She has now transferred to Wayne State University to be closer to her family in Detroit,
Michigan. She also has a full time job and got approved for a condo to start her own family with
her fiance. She plans on showing her son her memoir about her time in prison when he gets old
enough to understand.
Im more than positive the life I live will show him that you can avoid certain mistakes, Ricks
said. You can me more than any mistake you make.
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