Justice 101: Redefining Rehabilitation — From Norway to Pennsylvania

Kevin Amir Bowman is the CEO and Founder of Just Better Men, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and transforming trauma into purpose through mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement. Through his work, Kevin is committed to restoring hope, building resilience, and creating systems of support for young people and families in underserved communities. 

Kevin was promoted to CCIP Advocate Coordinator with the Philadelphia Anti-Drug Anti-Violence Network (PAAN), where he works closely with individuals and families impacted by gun violence, substance use, and community trauma. He is also a proud member of a coalition of formerly incarcerated and professional men who regularly enter some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Philadelphia to engage directly with troubled youth.  

In addition to his leadership roles, Kevin serves as a Credible Messenger at the Youth Study Center, where he mentors justice-involved youth using his real-life experiences, restorative practices, and accountability-based guidance to inspire change and growth. He is also actively working to launch the Little Scandinavian Project at the Abraxas Juvenile 

Detention Center, Riverview County Facility, aimed at supporting rehabilitation through structured programming, emotional development, and positive reinforcement. 

Through faith, leadership, and service, Kevin Amir Bowman continues to be a powerful voice and presence in Philadelphia bridging gaps, restoring dignity, and creating pathways to success for the next generation. 

Steven L. Chanenson, JD is a Professor of Law and the Faculty Director of the David F. and Constance B. Girard-diCarlo Center for Ethics, Integrity and Compliance at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. He is the former Chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, the current Chair of the Pennsylvania Committee for Suggested Standard Jury Instructions (Criminal), and a Member of the PA Department of Corrections’ Parolee Homicide Review Team. He is also a certified PREA auditor. He is a Managing Editor of the FEDERAL SENTENCING REPORTER and an Elected Member of the American Law Institute and the Council on Criminal Justice. He has received the Kern Memorial Award from the National Association of Sentencing Commissions, the Villanova Law Faculty Award, and the Stevens Public Service Award from the Truman Scholarship Foundation.  

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.A./M.S.), Professor Chanenson received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a law review Comment Editor. He began his career as a clerk to the Honorable Phyllis A. Kravitch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He later clerked for the Honorable William J. Brennan, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States. While at the Supreme Court, he also served in the Chambers of the Honorable David H. Souter. Before joining the Villanova faculty, he was a litigation associate at Jenner & Block in Chicago and served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney assigned to the Criminal Division in Chicago.

Stian Estenstad has more than 25 years of experience in the Norwegian correctional field with a particular focus on reentry. With a background in substance use treatment and professional training from the University College of Norwegian Correctional Service (KRUS), he began his career as a correctional officer at Ullersmo Prison and Oslo Prison. He later led a joint prison and probation initiative focused on individuals with repeated periods of incarceration, with the aim of providing stronger and more continuous support during the transition from prison to the community and throughout the period of supervised release. 

In 2004, Estenstad was appointed to establish the Norwegian Red Cross program Network After Imprisonment in Oslo, which he continues to lead today. The program provides comprehensive support to people during and after incarceration, including individual mentoring, vocational training, education, financial guidance, social activities, and opportunities to build new and positive social networks. Estenstad also initiated and leads G26 Reentry Center in Oslo, Norway’s first comprehensive reentry center, has helped coordinate efforts to develop similar models in other European countries, and collaborates with the Scandinavian Prison Project to explore how Norwegian approaches to rehabilitation, reentry, and cross-sector collaboration can be adapted to the American context.

Morgen currently serves as the Deputy Commissioner of Restorative and Transitional Services (RTS) within the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP). The RTS Division oversees programs and services within PDP including education, psychology, substance use, workforce development and training, and reentry amongst other things. Morgen comes to Philadelphia from State corrections in Oregon, New Mexico and Alaska, starting out her career in a maximum security prison in Alaska as an Institutional Probation Officer. She is passionate about reentry and all the vital partnerships it takes to provide holistic support and wraparound services. Morgen has been in Corrections for 19 years and has a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.

Michael J. Zaken, DCJ serves as Western Region Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, where he is a member of the Executive Staff and oversees eight state correctional institutions. During a career spanning more than 25 years, he has served in a variety of correctional leadership positions, including Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent, with experience at three of Pennsylvania’s maximum-security correctional institutions. 

Dr. Zaken holds a Doctorate in Criminal Justice from Pennsylvania Western University, where he received the Jay Albanese Award for Academic Excellence. He also holds a Master of Arts in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Philosophy, from Gannon University. In addition to his correctional leadership experience, Dr. Zaken previously taught criminal justice as an adjunct professor at the Community College of Beaver County and has instructed several training courses for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Training Academy. He is also a United States Marine Corps and Desert Shield/Desert Storm veteran.