A Question of Freedom

A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison

By: Reginald Dwayne Betts

Narrated by: Sean Crisden

At the age of 16, R. Dwayne Betts - a good student from a lower-middle-class family - carjacked a man with a friend. He had never held a gun before, but within a matter of minutes he had committed six felonies. In Virginia, carjacking is a "certifiable" offense, meaning that Betts would be treated as an adult under state law. A bright young kid, he served his nine-year sentence as part of the adult population in some of the worst prisons in the state. A Question of Freedom chronicles Betts's years in prison, reflecting back on his crime, and looking ahead to how his experiences and the books he discovered while incarcerated would define him.

Utterly alone, Betts confronts profound questions about violence, freedom, crime, race, and the justice system. Confined by cinder-block walls and barbed wire, he discovers the power of language through books, poetry, and his own pen. Above all, A Question of Freedom is about a quest for identity - one that guarantees Betts's survival in a hostile environment and incorporates an understanding of how his own past led to the moment of his crime.

©2009 R. Dwayne Betts (P)2018 Tantor

Institutions Matter

Betts provides an insightful view of prison life and how it influenced him and many others. Check it out!

Totally enjoyable

Almost every sentence was read like poetry. I never stop listening…I just fell asleep. A thousand, maybe ten thousand stories in one book. I know I will read again.

Story of Hope

This book provide insight into the mindset of a teenager, making a bad decision that led him to prison and left him “marked” for the rest of his life. It is also a story of hope, encouragement, and possibilities. It is a reminder that we are our only limitations.

outstanding

thank you Mr. Betts. you have put into words my feelings. simply a masterpiece

a poignant & powerful answer

what is the cost of walking away from a bad idea a minute too late?
the answer lies within...