// SOCIAL EQUITY //
The Devastating Aftermath of Incarceration “It’s equally, if not more traumatizing than prison itself.” —Stephanie Shepard By Gina Kranwinkel, President and CEO, NACB Imagine paying for a crime for the rest of your life. You’ve paid your dues, and now you’re ready to begin life as a free American again. But it doesn’t work that way. The label “felon” restricts your every move, lessening your civil liberties. You’re out of prison but never truly free. This cruel awakening is the reality for ex-offenders. The cannabis industry is focused on releasing those in prison for nonviolent cannabisrelated offenses, but equal attention is needed for the devastating aftermath of incarceration.
“ Prison is tough — coming home is tougher. It’s equally, if not more traumatizing than prison itself.” That’s the reality for Shepard. Now with a purposeful career at The Last Prisoner Project, she’s an inspiring woman who paid her debt to society — only to come home to more suffering, devastation, and heartbreak. On a first-time, non-violent conspiracy charge, Shepard was sentenced to 10 years — the mandatory minimum. Shepard entered prison at age 41. “My term wasn’t 10 years — it was a life sentence.” Her sentence would prevent her from starting a family and denied her precious time with her aging father, who died before her release. She was not allowed to see him before he passed. However, she was allowed to attend his funeral, unescorted, and then she walked right back into prison — as if she never left. Once she was finally released, she had tremendous pressure to function in society immediately. “I had to get a job in two weeks, I took the first job I had the confidence to apply to, a coffee shop,” she said. “I went in with an ankle monitor on and could only work from this time to this time. At 51 years old, being at a coffee shop felt like a disappointment, but I didn’t have the emotional strength to explain to another person how I ended up as a felon, and would you please give me a chance.” “I walk differently in these shoes, I’m overly cautious as I am afraid of going back to prison,” said Shepard. “I still struggle when I see a dispensary and know that people are in there providing for their families and creating
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2021
(Top) Stephanie Shepard with her father, pictured prior to her incarceration. (Bottom) Shepard now works with The Last Prisoner Project to help others imprisoned for non-violent cannabis offenses.
