To prepare inmates for release from prison, one of San Quentin’s self-help groups puts them through real-life situations with all sorts of typical complications thrown at them.
Known as Alliance for CHANGE (Creating Hope and New Goals Ethically), or AFC, the group’s mission is to facilitate the pre- and post-release socialization of prisoners, in order to increase successful reintegration into the community.
AFC pursues its mission by creating a unique “virtual” environment, utilizing realistic situations, to teach and encourage participants to embrace community standards.
The Virtual Community helps participants develop parole and relapse-prevention plans. They also learn how to fill out job applications, create resumes and their own cover letters.
Participating inmates are taught what to wear and how to conduct themselves during a job interview, how to establish credit, create a budget, open a bank account and apply for government assistance, if necessary. The course includes filling out an application for an identification card and taking the DMV written test for driving.
Seven participants in the current class have been “virtually” released from a half-way house and forced to reintegrate back into society on their own. They are assumed to be living in an area where the crime rate is high and the income is low.
The AFC Virtual Community “provided” the returning citizens with good-paying jobs and helped them fill out an application for an apartment. They had the choice of whether or not to have a roommate.
Within the first 72 hours, these returning citizens had to report to a parole officer.
Complications arise, however. One individual called “Tick” bumps into a “homeboy” from his old neighborhood gang. Tick considers the guy a lifetime friend.
Another participant, “Tack” runs into his ex-girlfriend, who invites him to come over to her house whenever he finds the time.
So far three parolees in the Virtual Community have already violated parole because they lacked the support system that they needed and relapsed back into their drug-addicted behavior. The other four are struggling to stay focused on becoming productive citizens in their neighborhoods. (See note below: What Would You Do?)
These are some of the typical scenarios thrown at the participants in the Virtual Community.
Aside from the Virtual Community training, the prisoners learn social justice theories, such as Procedure, Distributive, Retributive, Transitional, Community, Restorative Justices and Transformative Justice.
Procedural Justice has to do with how decisions are made and fairly implemented, which makes people feel respected. Consistency, impartiality, participation and transparency are all key principles underlying Procedural Justice.
Distributive Justice means that community rights and resources are evenly applied and that there are common advantages and common burdens in the community.
Retributive Justice is a theory of justice that considers punishment, if proportionate, to be the best response to crime. The retributive model emphasizes deterrence and punishment through the criminal justice process.
Transitional Justice refers to various types of measures throughout the world that deal with human rights issues, including criminal prosecutions, truth commissions, reparations programs and various kinds of institutional reforms.
Community Justice confronts crime by active problem-solving aimed at prevention, control, reduction and reparations of the harm wrongdoing has caused. The goal is creating and maintaining vital, healthy, safe and just communities, and improving the quality of life for all citizens.
Restorative Justice focuses on victims’ and offenders’ needs, as well as the community’s needs, instead of abstract legal principles or punishment. It is based on the belief that offenses occur against individuals or the community, not the state.
Transformative Justice is a theory that justice cannot be obtained by mass incarceration, but through community involvement.
After graduation, AFC encourages inmates to continue participating in their virtual world while learning to deal with the challenges that parolees face as returning citizens.
The latest group of 29 participants began training in February.
Graduates who complete the AFC program are welcomed back as mentors to new participants.