During a routine sweep by San Francisco’s gang task force, which was created to handle gang-related crimes, Antonio Napoleon was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana at 18 years old.

That was the first of many arrests, resulting mainly from Napoleon’s upbringing.

“I was taught that left was right, and the right way to do things was left,” Napoleon said.

Napoleon was practically born into the Norteño gang and officially joined at 14 years old.

“All the males in my family are connected to the Norteño Street Gang,” Napoleon said.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, children of incarcerated parents are five times more likely than their peers to commit crimes. Napoleon was a victim of this statistic.

“Most of the males in my family are currently incarcerated or spent most of their lives in incarceration. They’re all good people, but we’re a product of our environment,” Napoleon said.

Following his first prison sentence, Napoleon weaved in and out of jail in what seemed to be a continuous cycle. He went to treatment multiple times and even went to a halfway house. Nothing seemed to be working.

The problem was that he lacked the motivation to change. He was used to hustling and doing what he learned in the streets to survive, so getting a job and quitting other bad habits were hard.

“When it comes to doing things that we consider normal like getting a job or going to school, people who learned the street life quit. They quit because they’re not used to barriers and thinking about the certain struggles that go on with normal life,” Napoleon said.

Napoleon found the motivation to change through his family and, more importantly, his children. He wanted to improve himself so his children would not have to go through the same struggles that he did.

“My children were a big part of my inspiration and changing,” Napoleon said.

Napoleon joined multiple second chance programs, including the San Francisco Reentry Council, and he had much more success improving when he fully applied himself.

“Never give up on yourself. It may be rough at first, but the road’s not rocky forever. Take a step forward every day, and you are capable of doing anything,” Napoleon said.

It was difficult, but Napoleon pushed through his struggles with the help of his support system, made up of family and friends. He attributes a big part of his success in rehabilitation to this system.

“I’m here because there were people who loved me when I didn’t love myself,” Napoleon said.

Napoleon has persevered through a lot to get to where he is now and offered advice for others trying to change.

“We kinda get into this mindset that if you’re institutionalized, you can’t do certain things or become what you really want to be in life. It’s possible if you are willing to do the work,” Napoleon said.

Life in and out of prison

According to a study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2016, 47% of state prisoners were parents of at least one minor. This statistic has far-reaching implications: almost half of the prisoners had children who would grow up without their biological parents, increasing these children’s chances of committing a crime to five times more than their peers.

Convicted criminals have a difficult and extensive journey exiting the criminal justice system. A support system is a key to preventing former convicts from returning to jail.

“My support network is a huge part, but also surrendering my will, my pride, my ego, to find out who Antonio really is. Getting out of the criminal justice system is a very hard battle, which is why the support system is so crucial in somebody changing,” Napoleon said.

Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted criminal to re-offend. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, “At least 1 in 4 people who go to jail will be arrested again within the same year – often those dealing with poverty, mental illness, and substance use disorders, whose problems only worsen with incarceration.”

“What started as low-level offenses snowballed over the years, and it turned into a way of life for them,” said Adriane Lee, a probation officer.

After prison, a large majority go to halfway houses, places for people with criminal backgrounds or substance abuse problems to learn or relearn the necessary skills to reintegrate into society and better support and care for themselves. Once released from the halfway houses, people go two ways: either return to their old life or search for a job. 

“Halfway houses don’t provide a support system. They provide accountability. The re-entry council and other second-chance organizations are where you go to get this type of help,” Napoleon said.

According to a study by the Second Chance Business Coalition, one’s criminal record reduces their chances of a second interview by 50%, so former criminals are already at a considerable disadvantage. Many jobs still don’t require background checks, but knowing that companies and people will look at one differently because of their past causes these people to become discouraged.

“You have to deal with stigmatism and the crazy looks people would give you. But that’s their issue. That’s not my issue,” said Victoria Westbrook, a justice-involved person. 

Fortunately, under the Fair Chance Act, it is illegal for most employers in California with five or more employees to ask about an applicant’s criminal record before making a job offer. Employers cannot include questions about an applicant’s criminal record in their help wanted ads, applications, or during a job interview.”

For example, Dave’s Killer Bread is a company that believes in Second Chance Employment and encourages other businesses to do the same. A lack of information or understanding about employing people with criminal backgrounds can make businesses hesitant to explore this option, and Dave’s Killer Bread has a mission to change that. The company works to prevent stigmatism by “hiring the best person for the job, regardless of criminal history.”

Helping people in need

In the past few years, many organizations have been created to turn around the lives of formerly incarcerated and drug addicts. Organizations like Delancey Street Foundation and San Francisco Reentry Council have made a huge impact on the lives of many by housing and providing them with effective rehabilitation programs, but they are only effective if both sides put in the work. 

These organizations rely on people to reach out to them for help to show that they are motivated and want to turn their lives around.

“I think those organizations are great for people who want to and have the motivation to better themselves and not recidivate. Those only work when the motivation is there, so it’s like a tool,” Lee said.