Like most of the incarcerated people at Coffeewood Correctional Center, Jesse Crosson had a routine. He spent August 16, 2021 just as he had spent the nearly 7,000 days he had already been incarcerated — and how he was planning to spend the next 5,000-and-some-odd days ahead of him. He woke up, went to work, worked out, and called his girlfriend, not knowing that he would be released from prison in a few short hours. That day, after 19 years behind bars, Jesse was granted a conditional pardon by the Governor of Virginia.
about jesse
Jesse grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia. As a teenager, he struggled with insecurity and isolation and turned to substance use as a way to deal with his feelings. While Jesse had a few minor run-ins with the law as a kid, he was looking forward to heading off to college and working towards his future goals. Unfortunately, Jesse’s substance use spiraled into an active addiction. Shortly after his 18th birthday, Jesse committed a robbery and a shooting, and was sentenced to serve 138 years in prison, with 109 years suspended.
Jesse’s 32 year sentence was double the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines for the crime he had committed. The judge’s decision and Jesse’s entry into the prison system reaffirmed feelings of worthlessness that he had already felt for years. This motivated Jesse to spend the next three decades focusing on improving, growing, and creating a better life for himself upon his eventual release — despite how far away it seemed. He learned a trade and became a licensed electrician, helped mentor fellow inmates, and in his free time, began writing, even publishing a couple articles while incarcerated. In addition to all of these achievements, Jesse obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in 2018.
Jesse’s commitment to move forward and thrive under less than ideal conditions, as well as 109 letters of support, were cited as a few of the reasons he was granted a conditional pardon in 2021. Jesse had petitioned for clemency almost 3 years before he was released and was not expecting for his request to be taken into consideration. However, Jesse was one of the over 1,000 people that were granted a pardon under former Governor Ralph Northam as part of an overhaul of Virginia’s criminal justice system. According to Governor Northam, “when people make mistakes, and pay their debts, they deserve the opportunity to return and be productive members of society.”
Jesse recalls how strange it was to start his life in the middle of a weekday — going from being imprisoned and believing he would be for another 13 years, to shopping for soap with his mom on the same day. He had spent his entire adult life in prison, and was heavily institutionalized. After having a panic attack at the store because of the amount of choices and new freedoms that he had, Jesse realized he had a lot to unlearn from his experience in the prison system. Upon his release, Jesse went back to normal life as much as he could. He found work, lived with his mom until he and his then-partner were able to buy a house together, and after a friend encouraged him to share his story, began posting on TikTok.
Today, Jesse’s TikTok account, @second_chancer, has amassed over 1 million followers. He uses his platform to answer questions, tell stories from his time in prison, and raise awareness about issues he cares about, like the conditions of incarceration, shortfalls of the criminal justice system, barriers to reentry into society, and the restoration of voting rights. Jesse sees social media as a powerful tool to learn, as it gives us direct access to learn about others’ experiences. Social media can put us in closer proximity to those who have lived a much different life to our own which can help us understand topics that we would have otherwise not known about. With that, social media also fosters community that helps people connect and relate to each other.
In addition to regularly posting on TikTok, Jesse is the founder of a nonprofit organization called the Second Chancer Foundation. Since 2022, the Second Chancer Foundation has provided incarcerated people with mentorship and reentry support for those leaving the prison system. Jesse hopes to be a pillar of support for those on their journey through the justice system, just as many of his own mentors were to him, both in and outside of prison.
Jesse attributes his success to people who believed in him before he believed in himself. Jesse’s vulnerability and story telling abilities have opened up many opportunities for him in recent years. He has spoken at events across the country — including at SXSW earlier this year — and has connected with many formerly incarcerated and justice involved people in the process. He recently returned to his home town after a months-long road trip across the United States, and is eager to continue growing the reach of the Second Chancer Foundation. Outside of his work as the founder of a nonprofit, public speaker, and influencer, Jesse is working on finishing his first book.
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This story is part of our #1in3 campaign, a project to end the stigma and raise awareness of how common it is to have a criminal record.
1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record, which is a lot more common than people think. No one expects to be involved in the justice system, but it can happen to anyone. People of all ages, backgrounds, genders, and income-levels are involved in the justice system. Their pathways vary, but the barriers of a record affect them all. Our hope is that by sharing their portraits and telling their stories, we can change the way people think about people with records and appreciate them for all they have overcome.
