The path to prison | Kenneth Eason | TEDxChesterStatePrison 2016

Kenneth Eason grew up in a single-parent family in a poor Philadelphia neighborhood, where statistically 7 out of 10 black men end up in prison. He did end up in prison, but as an career employee. Knowing education was the key, Eason credits his mother’s wisdom and courage to put him on the path to success. Deputy Eason has been employed by the Department of Corrections for 26 years. He started his career with the department in 1990 as a corrections officer at SCI Graterford where he became part of the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Fire Emergency Response Team (FERT), served as a training instructor as well as a mentor. Eason also served as a training sergeant at SCI Graterford and, in 1998,was promoted to lieutenant. In 2012, Eason transferred to SCI Chester as the Training/ Administrative Lieutenant. In 2015 he was promoted to the rank of Major of the Guard and in 2016 he was promoted to Deputy for Facilities Management.