Preston Thorpe: Software Engineer and Incarcerated Individual

A Unique Path to Tech: From Incarceration to Software Engineering

Preston Thorpe is poised to begin a career as a senior software engineer with a forward-thinking technology firm, requiring only his presence at the company’s location.

For approximately half a year, Thorpe dedicated himself as a consistent and valuable volunteer to an open-source initiative spearheaded by Turso, a database solutions provider. The quality of his contributions quickly garnered attention, leading to a job offer from Turso’s CEO, Glauber Costa.

It was during this process that Costa discovered a remarkable aspect of Thorpe’s background. “Upon reviewing his GitHub profile, I found his disclosure regarding his current incarceration,” Costa shared with TechCrunch. “This is a situation unlike any I’ve previously encountered.”

Serving Time, Building a Future

Indeed, Thorpe is currently in the eleventh year of his sentence, serving time for offenses related to drug distribution. Despite this, he has been employed full-time by the San Francisco-based, venture-backed startup since May, working remotely from his prison cell.

Costa initiated contact with Thorpe in January to gain a deeper understanding of his character. “Our subsequent conversations involved extensive discussions about the transformative experiences that led to his present circumstances,” Costa explained. “Learning his story only deepened our admiration for him as an individual.”

A Rehabilitative Program

Thorpe’s employment is facilitated by a pioneering program within the Maine correctional system. This initiative provides incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to engage in remote work while still in custody, and has demonstrated significant positive effects on rehabilitation.

Having experienced homelessness as a teenager, Thorpe turned to illicit activities, procuring drugs through the dark web, which ultimately led to his initial imprisonment at the age of 20.

After a brief period of release, he faced renewed challenges. Lacking financial resources and a stable living environment, he was re-arrested just fourteen months later.

From Despair to Hope

“I acted incredibly foolishly,” Thorpe admitted to TechCrunch during a video conference from prison. “I had lost all hope and resigned myself to this life, believing it was my inescapable fate.”

This program offers a pathway to a different future, demonstrating the potential for rehabilitation and the value of second chances within the tech industry.

A Renewed Opportunity

Preston Thorpe had resigned himself to his fate, but a twist of fate offered a second chance. His transfer from a New Hampshire correctional facility to Mountain View Correctional Facility in Maine occurred shortly before the onset of the pandemic, unexpectedly opening a path toward rehabilitation.

“The environment in Maine was markedly different,” Thorpe recalled. “The arrival of COVID-19 shortly after my transfer provided a unique opportunity – a period of reduced external pressure where I didn’t feel compelled to prove myself. It was a time for introspection, and I began to believe a normal life might still be attainable.”

Thorpe’s newfound hope led him to enroll at the University of Maine at Augusta through remote learning. Concurrently, Colby College considered an unusual proposition: hiring an incarcerated graduate student as an adjunct professor. Maine Department of Corrections Commissioner Randall Liberty, recognizing the potential, authorized the arrangement.

“Following careful deliberation, I approved the proposal, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive,” Commissioner Liberty explained to TechCrunch. “Students are able to visit him at the prison, and he can offer them tours of the facility. This fosters a diverse exchange of perspectives, enriching the learning experience for all involved.”

Currently, approximately 30 inmates, including Thorpe, are employed through the Earned Living Unit, a facility designed for inmates demonstrating consistent good conduct. All earnings from remote employment are subject to a 10% state deduction, alongside any required restitution payments, legal fees, or child support obligations.

“Maine has truly been a pioneer in this field,” stated Haley Shoaf, co-executive director of Unlocked Labs, in an interview with TechCrunch. Unlocked Labs, Thorpe’s previous employer before joining Turso, specializes in hiring both current and formerly incarcerated engineers to develop educational software for correctional facilities.

“The state of Maine established crucial infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate remote education,” Shoaf noted. “Once this infrastructure was in place, it significantly broadened the range of opportunities available to inmates.”

Effective Correctional Strategies

Having dedicated 43 years to law enforcement, Commissioner Liberty experienced a pivotal shift in his approach to rehabilitation following his service in Iraq.

He explained to TechCrunch that this deployment fostered a deeper understanding of post-traumatic stress and its impact, which directly influenced his perspective on corrections. He began recognizing the damaging consequences of incarceration itself, including the effects of isolation.

During his tenure as warden of the Maine State Prison – a facility he visited with his father as a child – Commissioner Liberty initiated programs designed to address the underlying factors contributing to criminal behavior. These included substance abuse, mental health concerns, and educational gaps.

“My goal is to articulate the benefits of this approach to individuals across the political spectrum,” he stated. “The financial compensation received by individuals like Preston often surprises people. However, I emphasize that prioritizing community safety, fiscal responsibility, and support for victims necessitates this type of investment.”

The U.S. criminal justice system faces a significant challenge with recidivism – the tendency of former inmates to re-offend and return to custody. This cycle imposes a substantial financial strain on states and taxpayers. Commissioner Liberty, however, possesses data demonstrating the value of expanding access to education and addiction treatment.

He argues that simply incarcerating individuals and releasing them with increased trauma is a flawed strategy. “Numerous states experience return-to-custody rates exceeding 60%. Maine, in contrast, maintains rates of 21% to 23% for men, and a remarkably low 9% for women. Furthermore, participation in college programs correlates with a return rate of only 0.05%.”

Under Commissioner Liberty’s leadership, Maine prisons have also witnessed a reduction in violence. A maximum-security facility reported just seven assaults on staff last year, a substantial decrease from the 87 assaults recorded in 2017.

Shoaf emphasized the importance of humane treatment, stating, “Treating individuals with respect allows them to reach their full potential.”

Thorpe’s personal journey serves as a testament to the success of Commissioner Liberty’s initiatives. The software engineer acknowledges his past mistakes but expresses a profound sense of transformation.

“It feels as though I’ve awakened from a dream,” Thorpe shared. “The memories of my previous life and the circumstances that led to my imprisonment seem distant, as if they belonged to someone else.”

Thorpe has devoted the past three years to intensive self-study, focusing primarily on programming and online learning.

Costa noted that Thorpe’s motivation stemmed from both a genuine interest in the field and a desire for positive recognition, a desire that was ultimately fulfilled.

Within the open-source development community, where anonymity is common, Thorpe was evaluated solely on his contributions. This marked the first time in over a decade that he could establish an identity based on his skills – a passion for Linux and relational databases – rather than his criminal record.

“Prison often forces individuals to accept a criminal identity,” Thorpe explained. “Providing someone with a career path instills a sense of purpose.”