Andre Matevousian

While pursuing my graduate degree, I immersed myself in studies of prison systems, drawing heavily on works by renowned scholars. I identified with the message in Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates by Erving Goffman. In it, Professor Goffman described “total institutions” as places that isolated individuals from society for extended periods, regulating every facet of their lives. This concept was not abstract to me—I lived it. Rules dictated everything:

• Where and when I slept,
• What and when I ate,
• Where I worked,
• What I could learn,
• How I communicated,
• Even the friendships I could form.
  

In 2005, after leaving the federal prison camp in Florence, Colorado, I transferred to the federal prison in Lompoc, California. By then, Carole, my wife, was working on her first nursing credential in Santa Barbara. She had already relocated multiple times to stay close to me—from Oregon to Fort Dix, New Jersey, then Florence, and now Lompoc. Understandably, she asked me to follow the prison’s rules to avoid further transfers. My writing had been a catalyst for previous transfers, and she worried that more disruptions could derail her progress. To minimize my exposure to transfers, Carole asked me to pause writing for publication until she finished nursing school, and I agreed.

After Carole graduated, I resumed writing. Soon after, St. Martin’s Press published my book Inside: Life Behind Bars in America. Predictably, this led to consequences. An officer locked me in the special housing unit (SHU), accusing me of violating a rule against “running a business.” Although the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) regional office overturned the disciplinary infraction, I still faced repercussions. That’s when I first met Captain Andre Matevousian. As the Captain, he oversaw prison discipline and security. He informed me that, regardless of the overturned infraction, I would be transferred because the prison didn’t want anyone writing books from inside.

That transfer marked a pivotal moment in my journey. I continued my preparations for success at another federal prison camp, ultimately completing my sentence in 2013. Upon release, I began teaching as a professor at San Francisco State University, writing for law journals like UC Hastings Law Journal (Incentivizing Excellence), and advocating for systemic reform at conferences. It was during one of these events—a judicial conference in Sacramento—that I encountered Andy Matevousian again.

In the audience were hundreds of federal judges, U.S. Attorneys, and high-ranking BOP officials. During my presentation, I challenged the prevailing justice model. I urged them to reconsider measuring justice solely by the time people spent in prison. Instead, I proposed a system that incentivized people to pursue excellence, advocating for what I called earning freedom.

After my presentation, Andy approached me to say hello. By then, he had been promoted from Captain to Warden at USP Atwater. He congratulated me on my progress and extended an invitation to visit his institution. I suggested a more impactful idea: introducing a program I’d developed to help incarcerated individuals prepare for success.

In the 2015 era, Wardens rarely supported initiatives led by people who had once served time. The prevailing mindset in the BOP prioritized security over rehabilitation, with many staff members openly dismissing the concept of preparing people for life after release. Warden Matevousian, however, was not bound by the status quo. He behaved as a leader, not merely a manager.

Under his leadership, USP Atwater became the first prison to implement my program, Preparing for Success after Prison. Later, as Warden of the federal prison in Florence, Colorado, he introduced it there as well. By 2023, he had risen to the position of Regional Director, overseeing numerous prisons. In his expanded role, he scaled my program across every facility in his region. His leadership opened doors for me to collaborate with other Wardens, further amplifying the program’s reach and impact.

Andre Matevousian’s trust and vision played a transformative role in my journey. His support not only advanced my career but also helped me bring hope and tools for success to countless others. By believing in the potential for change, he became a catalyst for meaningful reform within the system.

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