Collaborating with a Killer The Unique Perspective of

Collaborating with a Killer: The Unique Perspective of Prison Life from a Man on Death Row Gordon A. Crews, Ph. D. and Angela D. Crews, Ph. D. Marshall University (WV) Southern Criminal Justice Association, Nashville, Tennessee, 2011

Initial Interest SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 2

Living In Prison: A History of the Correctional System with an Insider's View (2004) By Stephen Stanko, Wayne Gillespie, Gordon A. Crews • I 996, lead author (Stanko) was incarcerated for ABIK & kidnapping of his then-girlfriend • 1999: Stanko sent manuscript to Anderson Publishing • 2000: Forwarded to Greenwood Press • I was nominated as an “academic” to assist Stanko • 2002: Initial draft submitted, but rejected by editor • 2004: Book completed & Stanko released from prison • 2005: Two murders committed by Stanko (on run 5 days) SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 3

Sudden Popularity of “Living in Prison” • April 7, 2005: Book sells for $35. 00 • April 8, 2005: Book sells on EBay for $250. 00 • April 8 -12: Book reported stolen from libraries all across South Carolina SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 4

Personal Hysteria • Saturday, April 9 National hysteria hit me 15 hours away with police contacting me and my campus!!! • Sunday, April 10 Boston/New York – – – – Fox News CNN: American Morning Anderson Cooper 360 Nancy Grace CNN MSNBC Greta Van Susteren Good Morning America • Producer from The Today Show called to say that if he killed again and/or was gone longer than a week, they would have me on! SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 5

Stephen Christopher Stanko Asked what provokes him to act out violently, Stanko says, "Usually it's when I'm confronted with violence. I mean, the only times that it's ever happened is when I was confronted with SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 violence. ” 6

Watch Mommy Die SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 Mass market paperback by Michael Benson • May 2011 • 400 pages • $4. 58 -$6. 99 7

Our Study SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 8

Life Lessons from Death Row: Words of Wisdom While Waiting to Die in U. S. Prisons • • Purpose of Research Scholarly Rationale Procedure Qualitative "Life Lessons" Quantitative Survey of Coping Purpose of Analysis Qualitative Analysis Potential Benefits SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 9

Problems Encountered SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 10

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) • Issues Encountered –Legally Effective Informed Consent –Risk versus Benefit –Permission from Prisons –Academic Freedom? SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 11

“Behind the Scenes”: Unique Access to a Unique Perspective Have a number of writings in the works … SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 12

Stanko's Current Life on Death Row (Since 2006) Awaiting Execution – Stephen Stanko is currently on Death row at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville, South Carolina – A date of execution was set for October, 2007, but is currently stayed for appeals – If the execution does take place, he will have a choice of the Electric chair or Lethal injection – He is the first person to be sentenced to death in Georgetown County in nearly 11 years SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 13

"Behind-The-Scenes" Personal Narrative (Stephen C. Stanko) • Moving From Jail To Prison • Correctional Classification • The Prison Environment • Daily Life in Prison • Surviving in Prison SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 14

Current Efforts and Plans SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 15

Current Efforts • Research Study – Death Row Study (Survey of 3200 on Death Row) • New Book(s) – “The Convict Cookbook” (200+ Recipes in cells) – “The Complete Idiot's Guide to Prison Life & Death” • Crews, & Stanko • Book Proposal Submitted July 2011 SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 16

Any questions? SCJA Nashville, TN: Crews & Crews, August 2011 17