THE FRC CONNECT
Early Life
Frank is of Italian ancestry, with his father hailing from Teano, Italy, and his mother being an Italian-American who was born in the United States. His father worked as a milkman and also sold fruits in the Federal Hill neighborhood where he grew up.
While attending Central High School, Frank worked odd jobs to supplement his income including working as a shoe-shiner and dishwasher.
After completing his bachelor’s degree, he began working as a high school teacher, handling government classes while also taking up a degree in law at night, at the Suffolk University School of Law in Boston. He left his teaching job after completing a law degree and passing the bar exam. He also briefly served with the military, joining the Rhode Island Army National Guard (RIARNG).
Personal Life
Judge Frank married Joyce for over 50 years, – they’ve been living in Providence with five children, and now they’ve had seven grandchildren and two grandchildren. Two of his children went into politics, with the oldest, Frank T. Carpio, serving as Rhode Island’s General Treasurer.
Career
After practicing as an attorney from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, Caprio’s career climbed as he was chosen to the Chamber of the City… He served for six years and then became the Delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention.
During his time in the position, He was elected as a Delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention and also participated in five Democratic National Conventions, events held to help nominate presidential candidates for the Democratic Party..
He also continued his interest and work with the academy, the chairman of the Board of Governors for Higher Education in Rhode Island, held responsible for big decisions with many of the major higher institutions for education in the state.
Judge Carpio entered the spotlight when a TV show focused on his courtroom, “Caught in Providence,” started airing. People’s across the globe immediately fell in love with the unusual interest in the drama and realistic interactions that exist inside these the show.
Judge Caprio is also a partner in the Coast Guard House Restaurant in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Charity Work
Judge Caprio is the founder of the Antonio Caprio Scholarship Fund, which is named after his father, which aims to help high school students in his area gain the proper funding and educational opportunities they need. He’s established scholarships with Providence College and the Suffolk University School of Law, and created programs to give the people of Rhode Island more accessibility in terms of legal services, especially in big neighborhoods.
Caprio has also been involved in the Boys Town of Italy, the Nickerson House Juvenile Court and Rhode Island Food Bank. In 1983 he was the Co-Chair for the Rhode Island Statue of Liberty Foundation (raising funds for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island). Caprio was also a member of the Board of Regents of Elementary and Secondary education and the Governor’s Pre-K thru 16 Council on education. He is a member of the President’s Council at Providence College
Awards
Caprio was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law by his alma mater Suffolk University Law School in 1991 and Providence College in 2008, and also received an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from the University of Rhode Island in 2016. In August 2018, Caprio received the Producer’s Circle Award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival.
