Jermaine Hicks Teaches Incarcerated Men Skills He Never Learned as a Child

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 14, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- In 1994, Jermaine Hicks, then 15, was convicted of capital murder in Texas under the state's Law of Parties, a statute that holds participants in a crime responsible as if they committed the act themselves. Hicks was sentenced to mandatory life in prison, a sentence that has now spanned three decades. Today, at 47, Hicks teaches incarcerated men the skills he never learned as a child, reflecting on his journey and the lessons he hopes to impart.

Hicks's story is part of a yearlong initiative called Incomplete Sentences, a collaborative effort by The Millbrook Companies and Lone Star Justice Alliance (LSJA). The third chapter of this campaign examines how a 15-year-old's life can be reduced to a single moment in time, without considering the context that might have shaped his actions. Hicks, who spent his early years moving between Michigan, Florida, and Texas, entered the child welfare system and was moved through multiple foster homes, some marked by neglect and abuse. His family eventually settled in San Antonio's East Terrace housing project, where gang culture was deeply rooted. Hicks found belonging and continuity in the gang, a path that led him to a life of crime.

Hicks arrived in prison unable to read or write. He taught himself with a dictionary, taping unfamiliar words to his cell wall until they became part of his vocabulary. Reading led him to history, and history led him to question the gang identity he had carried since adolescence. He has since earned his GED and a trade certification, completed restorative justice programming through Bridges To Life, and served as a unit leader with the nonprofit EPICENTER. Today, he works as a Peer Educator and Life Coach, teaching a Cognitive Life Skills class to fellow incarcerated men.

Hicks's early life mirrors what researchers have found across the juvenile justice system. A study of 64,329 young people in Florida's juvenile justice system found that 67.5% of those with any adverse childhood experience had four or more, compared with roughly 26% in general population studies. The science of adolescent decision-making has also shifted since his trial. The U.S. Supreme Court held in Miller v.

The stakes are not only historical. Under current Texas law, people sentenced to life for offenses committed as minors may serve up to 40 years before they can be considered for parole. Lawmakers return to Austin in January 2027.

Throughout the next few months, the Incomplete Sentences website and social channels will feature Jermaine's own writing, long-form storytelling about his path from a San Antonio housing project to the front of a prison classroom, and new Research and Resources content on how childhood trauma and adolescent development intersect with the justice system.