Stephen Smith

Home After 23 Years

Stephen Smith was convicted of first-degree residential burglary that he committed to sustain his addiction. Under the “Three Strikes Law,” he received a total sentence of 31 years-to-life. While incarcerated, Mr. Smith maintained an exceptional prison record—a truly remarkable achievement given the hardships of prison life.

Central to Mr. Smith’s rehabilitative journey was his steadfast commitment to programming—substance abuse recovery programming in particular. While incarcerated, Mr. Smith wrote: “The only way for me to become a successful member back in society upon my release from prison is to remain clean and sober. In the past, I allowed a lot of internal and external triggers to cause me to spiral out of control… so, in order to prevent this from happening to me again, I had to recognize these triggers and address them.” 

Through his rigorous programming, Mr. Smith did just that: he identified his triggers and has developed strong coping mechanisms to support himself. Today, Mr. Smith can proudly say that he has remained sober for over two decades.

In June 2020, Mr. Smith was recommended for resentencing by Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen. He was 56 years old and had served 23 years, with 8 years-to-life remaining on his sentence. Mr. Smith currently lives with his brother in Tucson, Arizona. He is surrounded by many other loving and supportive family members who also currently reside in the area.