GREAT FALLS — At-risk youth in Great Falls got a sobering look at prison life Wednesday when inmates from Montana State Prison visited the Alliance for Youth as part of the "Choices in the 406" program.
The program, which has been visiting schools and detention centers across Montana for the past year, brings inmates to share their stories and show how their choices led to life behind bars.
Watch to learn more about the program:
"Essentially, about 60 seconds of my life earned me 60 years in prison, damaging multiple lives in the process. Now, some I live with for the rest of my life," said Richard Sullivan, a 39-year-old inmate serving a sentence for murder.
Sullivan told the group of Great Falls teens about the moment that changed everything.
"I was a ticking time bomb. All of the suffering that I had been suppressing for all those years. It all came out at once. I ended up beating a man to death," Sullivan said.
Fellow inmate Richard Dunn shared his own story of abuse and gang involvement that eventually led to him killing his friend.
"Naturally, I ended up getting life. Life without the possibility (of parole). So I'll never see the streets. I'll never see my kids," Dunn said.
The audience consisted of students in the Great Falls Public Schools Restart program, which offers an alternative for students who are not engaged in a traditional school setting.
The program operates under the direction of former school resource officer Cory Reeves.
Ladonna Bewley, a Choices in the 406 facilitator, said the impact on students is significant.
"Honestly, it's pretty amazing to watch the impact that it was on the kids and how well it's received and how differently it's received coming from the inmates, rather than just your standard person," Bewley said.
For students in attendance, the presentation resonated deeply.
13-year-old Marshall Kathrein said the experience was educational and helpful for his own struggles.
"I'm kind of struggling myself, so that was actually kind of educational. Definitely helped me a lot with things that I'm struggling with," Marshall said.
16-year-old Aurora Nutter appreciated getting a different perspective on crime and its consequences.
"It was nice to get, like, the perspective of what it's like to commit a crime and feel the guilt afterwards knowing that it can ruin someone's life entirely," Nutter said.
The inmates answered candid questions about everything from the dangers of drugs and alcohol to prison food. They emphasized that not a day goes by that they don't think about their actions.
Both inmates left the students with important advice about seeking help when struggling.
"If you guys are going through anything, any kind of trauma, if you guys have any problems, you know, you speak up. There are people out there that will listen. You know, you got a roomful of people here that'll listen," Dunn said.
Sullivan reminded the students of their worth.
"Like, I know, I don't know any of you guys in here today, but I want to be the first to tell you guys that you matter. If you didn't, we wouldn't be sitting here for you guys today," Sullivan said.
Dunn warned the students about the harsh reality of prison life.
"It's a rough life. But, you know, this isn't this isn't a life for anybody, you know, one bad decision to change everything for you," Dunn said.
According to the Montana Department of Corrections, inmates participating in the Choices in the 406 program are rigorously screened and must be low-security offenders who have not committed crimes against children.
