Another ascendivist manifests as if from thin air.

Ascendivism is the opposite of recidivism. It encourages a focus on success.

Charles Thornton is another example of an ascendivist. Which begs the answer why use a term like "ex-con" to identify a person?  Especially one who has so obviously removed himself from the thoughts and behavior of a convict.

Charles Thornton is a real estate magnate.  But that was not always true.  He was arrested for breaking and entering at the age of 16 years old.  Today, he owns that very same property. 

As a husband, father and grandfather who owns 18 properties Thornton is totally different from the person he was thirty years ago.  That was when he went to Lorton Reformatory, the then local prison for the District of Columbia.

A native of Northeast Washington, DC Charles was a standout on the city's H.D. Woodson High School basketball team.  Only Nineteen years old at the time he was given a ten year prison sentence.  He returned to a city totally changed by the crack cocaine epidemic.  He began using the drug and his life took a turn for the worse.  In only two months his life became a total shambles.

Then came his transformative event and a new direction.  His daughter gave him a look which changed him for ever.  Simply looking away when she saw him triggered a difference in his thinking and behavior.  Thornton joined a twelve step group where he met Joe Lusky.  Lusky inspired Thornton to "get involved with the American system."

Thornton's involvement began with the purchase of his first investment property, which also happened to be Lusky's residence.

Although he no longer develops real estate, Thornton continues working with returning citizens.  He shows them what it takes to reenter society.  He is doing for others what was done for him.

The Demise of the Prison Industrial Complex

Several years ago I came to realize that the Prison Industrial Complex had a chink in its armor. Although it may seem its effects are absolute, in fact they are not. In the last year I have come to realize there are people who go through the PIC, do their time and come out at an elevated level of capability after their incarceration experience.

Ascendivism is a term used to define a focus on success. People who are considered ascendivists include Malcolm X, Vickie Stringer, "Chef Jeff" Henderson, Don King, Chuck Brown, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Judge Greg Mathis. The typical ascendivist takes on a creative endeavor to redefine their thinking and behavior. Additionally, they tend to experience a "transformative event" which causes a break with their past thinking and behavior, usually involving a loved one.

A great deal of research, and study has gone into those who reenter the Prison Industrial Complex within a year. Those who do not are not studied, documented or even named. The primary objective with all the foregoing information is to produce a documentary to inform the public that a great deal of what results from incarceration experience is the ability of the formerly incarcerated person to make choices which are in their own best interest.

Chaz Williams of Black Hand Entertainment is an ascendivist.

Chaz Williams robbed 60 banks. He spent 15 years in federal prison as a result. In 1989 years of appeals resulted in his early release. He turned to the music industry to reinvent himself as CEO of Black Hand Entertainment. The BET Network profiled him in an episode of it's "American Gangster" series.

After a number of bank robberies with several crews of up to twenty people, Chaz was eventually sentenced to serve two terms consecutively totaling 95 years. While in prison he through a number of legal maneuvers had the sentences reduced. One sentence was vacated on a technicality. A 25 and 20 year sentence were changed to run concurrently rather than consecutively. to 25 years.

While in prison he acquired bachelor's degrees in business administration and human service administration. When he was released in 1989, Williams had seven years of parole. Not being able to find a job, which was a requirement of his parole, he decided to go into business for himself.

Black Hand Entertainment initially was a promoter of parties. The concept for the business was formed while Chaz was imprisoned. Through the help of his former fellow inmates the business began to succeed. Williams success led to him doing
after fight parties for Mike Tyson. He was the first promoter to bring Snoop Dogg to New York City. Eventually, he would build a music production studio and produce an album entitled "Black Gangster."

Inspired by the Donald Goines novel of the same name, the album was intended to be a soundtrack to a movie. However, Chaz was unable to acquire the film rights. The music was performed by some of the most successful artists at the time including Jay-Z, DMX, Ja-Rule, and 50 Cent.

Having onetime been 50 Cent's co-manager, today Chaz Williams manages Foxy Brown.

Williams spends time in prison currently, not as a inmate, but as a role model to others. He voluntarily mentors those on the road to success serving as a guide directing them where they hope to go.

Ascendivism and the alpha male

In "Brothers and Keepers" John Edgar Wideman portrays a contrast between the lives of himself as award-winning novelist and his younger brother Robby serving a life-sentence for robbery and murder.

Jack Johnson = Alpha male imprisoned (criminalized) after refusing to acknowledge the hierarchy of "white" alpha males.

The thirteenth amendment to the US constitution reads:

"Neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction." = "20th-century slaves."

The African Ink Road is evidence that an economy based on scholarship is viable. People who are in prisons could turn into the forefront of a new economic system.

Ascendivism

Etymology of recidivism
Noun

habitual or chronic relapse, or tendency to relapse, especially into crime or antisocial behavior.

Latin recidivus < recidere,

Taken from French recidivste.

The term recidivism originates from Arnould Bonneville de Marsangy's 1844 book "De la Recidive."

Etymology of ascendivism

noun

habitual tendency to achieve a higher state of accomplishment becoming beneficial to society.

Ascendivism is the use of processes of personal transformation creating desirable behavior after experiencing the consequences of undesirable behavior. It may involve treatment, training or neuro-linguistic programming to create thoughts culminating in desirable results. Ascendivism is quantified as the percentage of people who have had incarceration experience who within a year of said experience become benefits to society by not repeating that experience.

Ascend to go up, move up, rise.

Ascendivism is a tendency to rise above a previous condition or mode of behavior, especially advancing to virtuous behavior.

Wilbert Rideau:Ascendivist

Wilbert Rideau was sent to Louisiana's notorious Angola prison in 1961, at the age of 19, for killing a bank-teller hostage after a botched robbery. After 44 years and multiple retrials, he was released on Jan. 15, 2005.

R. Dwayne Betts on the teaching poetry in the DC Public Schools

R. Dwayne Betts on vimeo

Chuck Brown: Ascendivist

Chuck Brown learned to play a guitar in prison on an instrument made by prisoners.

"A System Does What It Is Designed To Do."

Whether it is poorly designed, flawed in its design or well designed, whatever it does, it does so by design.

The system which is called a "Criminal Justice System" is doing what it does by design. The sooner we design a system that creates more Chef Jeff Henderson's, Reginald Dwayne Betts', Vickie Stringer's, Charles Dutton's, and Malcolm Xs etc the sooner we will have an African Ink Road.

Criminal Justice is an oxymoron

Until caucasians came to Africa we did not have prisons. In the 1800s Caucasians were debating the mind of a criminal. At the same time in Africa there was no such thing as a recidivist. Africa did not have prisons. There was no Criminal Justice system like the one in Europe. Criminal Justice is an oxymoron. When there is justice there will be no criminals.

In the face of Mass Incarceration under "The New Jim Crow" what do we do?

One thing we can do is define and reference the reality we are experiencing. That is what powerful people do. Michelle Alexander is providing much needed information. However, she is referencing it from a position of weakness. True the phrase "New Jim Crow" does pique one's attention, but we need to be more proactive. For instance, I have been using the term "ASCENDIVISM" to describe people who have "incarceration experience." If a person is re-incarcerated in a year's time (in some jurisdictions) they are considered RECIDIVISTS. Recidivism focuses on a failure to enter society and not become re-incarcerated. Ascendivism focuses on success. We have to identify, and study those who succeed after an incarceration experience just as the Department of "Justice" monitors those who fail. The purpose is to create a model of success for those who enter the Criminal Justice system and those who we want to avoid it.

During the chattel stage of the MAAFA, there were abolitionists, people livicated to abolishing chattel Maafa. Now we have to focus ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally and economically, not to abolish the "New Jim Crow" but to increase ascendivism among our people. The African Ink Road was an economic system based on knowledge which spanned from Timbuktu in Mali to Kaduna in Nigera. It also reached into Niger and Chad. They wrote libraries full of books, shared knowledge and engaged in economic vitality with each other.

R. Dwayne Betts on the Tavis Smiley show

R. Dwayne Betts on the Tavis Smiley Show

R. Dwayne Betts is a testament to the ability to turn one's life around. Raised in Maryland, his early years showed academic promise. His behavior changed in high school and, at 16, he began a journey that would end with a nine-year prison sentence. After spending most of his teens and early 20s in prison, Betts earned his degree from the University of Maryland, started a book club for boys and is national spokesperson for the Campaign for Youth Justice. A published poet, he's has also written a memoir, A Question of Freedom.

R. Dwayne Betts, author of A Question of Freedom and national spokesperson for Campaign for Youth Justice, reflects on his time in prison, his success after his release, the importance of books and the need to be more involved in the lives of young people.

Michelle Alexander on "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness"

Now that we know the attributes of the challenge before us it is possible to redefine the reality around us.

Ascendivism allows us to redirect the effects of an incarceration experience. An ascendivist rises above their incarceration experience to succeed despite that experience after a "transformational moment." As an antidote to recidivism, ascendivism focuses on success.

Michelle Alexander: US Prisons, The New Jim Crow

A new label has been created for people of color who have transcended the effects of an incarceration experience ...ascendivist.

Ascendivists are people like Charles Dutton, Judge Greg Mathis, Reginald Dwayne Betts, Vickie Stringer, Malcolm X, Chef Jeff Henderson, Robert Maupin (Iceberg Slim) Beck and Ralph Waldo "Petey" Green.

They went through the Prison Industrial Complex and came out the other side. They had a "transformational moment" which triggered a permanent change in their thoughts and behavior. The events which follow that event are the model for ascendivists. Ascendivism is a thought process which has not been tracked, monitored or researched like its antithesis, recidivism.

Judge Mathis Prisoner Initiative

Inspiring the incarcerated

Ascendivist Judge Greg Mathis talks with CNN's Don Lemon about his ideas regarding incarcerated individuals.

A group of successes

Ascendivism groups together people who after a period of incarceration rise to a level of success that even people who have never been incarcerated do not achieve. Recidivism however, focuses on failure.

Why does the criminal justice system do that? Who knows. The good thing is now there are a group of successful people who can be used as a model for success to emulate.

Additionally, ascendivists are usually creative types. Then of course there are the greater ascendivists. It seems that the mind of the ascendivist has reached a point where they have a transformative moment. From that point on the same mind which previously used its ability to think for devious thoughts then begins to think creative thoughts.

Robert Downey Jr: Ascendivist

Robert Downey Jr talks about his role as Iron Man and the importance of moral psychology in maintaining himself as an ascendivist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJyGYEJsiCI

The difference between recidivism and ascendivism

The one focuses on failure while the other focuses on success.

Success

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

Often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, it is an adaptation of a poem published in 1905 by Bessie Stanley. No version of it has been found in Emerson's writings.

Bessie Stanley (adapted; erroneously attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Who are the ascendivists?

Ascendivism began as a means to balance the focus on recidivism in the legal system. Recidivisim has been monitored, tracked and studied for years while its antonym, ascendivism has only recently been defined and codified.

Who are the ascendivists? They are people like Robert Maupin Beck author of "Iceberg Slim" and other novels. Others include Stanley "Tookie" Williams, Nick Ashford, R. Dwayne Betts, Chef Jeff Henderson, Don King, Vickie Stringer, Malcolm X, Charles Dutton, Judge Greg Mathis, Robert Downey Jr. and others who had an incarceration experience and rose above it.

Ascendivism - a definition

Ascendivism is the act of a person creating desirable behavior after experiencing negative consequences of undesirable behavior. The desirable behavior is the end result of choosing to create desirable behavior through treatment, training, or some other method to replace the undesirable behavior with behavior producing desired results. It can be quantified as the percentage of former prisoners who become benefits to society by remaining at liberty, the percentage of former substance abusers who continue long-term abstinence, the percentage of former welfare recipients who become financially self-sufficient, or the percentage of former illiterates who attain a literacy level of basic or better on the National Assessment of Adult Literacy survey.

Ascendivism is a tendency to rise above a previous condition, mode of behavior or state of mind; most notably advancing to virtuous behavior.

RECIDIVISM by MICHAEL D. MALTZ

http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/forr/pdf/crimjust/recidivism.pdf

Recidivism is a book by Michael D. Maltz. It is very informative about the issues relating to recidivism. One of the major issues is the lack of a standard measure of recidivism. Although he points out the fact that recidivism is a focus on failure, he does not suggest a remedy. We of course, suggest ascendivism to focus on those who successfully reenter society.

Studying success is the surest way to model it.