There are 2.2 million people in the nation’s prisons and jails—a 500% increase over the last 40 years. Changes in law and policy, not changes in crime rates, explain most of this increase. The results are overcrowding in prisons and fiscal burdens on states, despite increasing evidence that large-scale incarceration is not an effective means of achieving public safety.
ESPERANZA is a musical stage play depicting one man’s struggle to survive incarceration in the Texas penitentiary system. At a precarious time where prison reform is a hot-button issue, Robert’s firsthand experience lends a perspective that is unrivaled. His self-discipline, determination and drive have been inspirational to many but through ESPERANZA will prove to reach the masses on an unprecedented scale.