'Felon' Author Says, 'Everybody Has To Tell Their Kids Something'
Lawyer-poet Reginald Dwayne Betts for years hid the fact that he had served time in prison. Now, this time in his life is at the center of his new collection of poems.
For years, poet Reginald Dwayne Betts hid the fact that he had served time in prison.
Betts, a lawyer who was sworn into the Connecticut bar two years ago, is finishing up his PhD at Yale University, where he also earned his law degree.
But in his latest collection of poems, titled this once secret part of his identity is a central feature. In raw, emotional language, Betts uses his experiences in the criminal justice system — he served time from ages 16 to 24 — to challenge our understanding of incarceration and
