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Life After Prison: Ty Larkin's story
by Dan Olson, Minnesota Public Radio
March 2, 2003

The nation's prison population the last two decades has grown to record levels. Now, a record number of those put behind bars are getting out. Many are returning to their former neighborhoods. They're looking for jobs and a place to live, and they have a prison record.

Faribault, Minn. — Ty Larkin, 28, can pinpoint when he started down the path to trouble.

"Basically I started making the wrong decisions when I turned 13 years old," Larkin says. "Trying to hang out, smoke weed and drink -- you know, doing all the things my mother taught me not to do."

Larkin recounts his past in a conference room at the Faribault Correctional Facility for Men. There are 1,100 inmates at the southern Minnesota prison. It's at the edge of town on a former state hospital site, surrounded by a high steel fence topped with coils of razor wire. Heavy metal doors, controlled by guards behind thick bullet-proof windows, limit access in and out.

The criminal background check came back and they had to let me go, and it was pretty disappointing. It happened the week before Thanksgiving. - Ty Larkin

Dressed in prison-issued blue denim shirt and pants, Ty Larkin says after he dropped out of high school, his behavior went from bad to worse.

"(I was) selling drugs. I've jacked people. I've done a lot of things I shouldn't have done," Larkin says. Larkin's life of crime ended when he was arrested, charged and found guilty of felony first-degree burglary and assault. He says prison has changed his life. He got a prison job, worked out, lost weight, took classes. He also learned a few of the prison inmates are still pursuing a life of crime.

"They like to know if you got money," Larkin says. "There's extortion, there's all kinds of things in here that can get you to stay longer, or get you shipped out to a different penitentiary."

Larkin says his gang affiliation followed him inside prison, too, even though he renounced his gang membership years ago. One day, another Faribault inmate confronted Larkin about his gang status. There were harsh words, a threat, and then a fight. Larkin says he knew if he gave in to the inmate's threats he'd be under his thumb.

"I didn't walk away, I stood up for myself and we fought," Larkin says. "And I could have been charged with another charge, but things worked out for the best. We both went to seg (segregation) and I lost five days good time. This was his fourth altercation in the past six months, so they shipped him out of here."

The prison conversation with Ty Larkin took place last summer. He was released in August. When he was released, Ty Larkin was ordered to attend weekly meetings with other ex-offenders where they talked about problems. Larkin says the meetings helped keep his spirits up. He's broken no laws. His situation is somewhat better than many ex-cons. He has a place to live -- the house his girlfriend and mother have continued to make payments on.

He landed a job after prison. But the money turned out to be half what was promised, $5 an hour, not enough to live on, Larkin says. He found another job right away -- a retail sales position that he said was going well for three weeks.

"The criminal background check came back and they had to let me go, and it was pretty disappointing. It happened the week before Thanksgiving," Larkin says.

Now, nearly every job Larkin has applied for -- more than 10 so far -- he says the initial interview goes well until they find out about his prison record.

"Then all of a sudden they change when they see what's on the paper. They talk to you totally different, when they come around and give you that reply. 'Well, we can't hire you because of this and this and that.' Their attitude is pretty much snappy, and it's not that welcome-you-in attitude," Larkin says.

Larkin's attitude is upbeat. He believes he'll find work. But he needs more education to get a better job. He's looking for ways to finance the schooling. Another immediate financial reality is paying for a place to live. Larkin needs to re-finance his house so he doesn't lose it.

"If I'm not employed for six months, no company will re-finance me or help me purchase out the contract for deed. So that's when I'm going to start getting nervous," Larkin says.

Ty Larkin and the approximately 4,000 inmates released from Minnesota prisons last year face an uncertain future. Corrections officials say many find work and manage to stay out of trouble. However, as many as one-quarter commit another crime and are put back behind bars.

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