San Quentin News

Written By Inmates - Advancing Social Justice

WALL CITY VOLUME 1: Introducing Wall City

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Implementing Arnulfo Garcia’s vision for an outstanding inmate-run magazine

DEDICATION  by Bo Kovitz

I just can’t bring myself to write about Arnulfo in the past tense.

Months into being a free man, Arnulfo was killed in a car accident while on his mission to build a supportive community for the men and women who would follow him across the walls of prison. In recent weeks, I, like everyone who knew him, have had serious trouble coming to terms with what happened. It seems unreal, because he was and is so real to everyone who knew him. His goals are real, his impact is real.

Lately, he’s entered my dreams (in one, he grabbed me by the shoulders and told me “calm down.”) He appears in my mind when I’m thinking and working as a reporter, telling me to rephrase things, ask different questions. He pulls me out of bed in the morning, guides me through my days. 

He’s still here. He’s alive, in all of us.

This is no truer anywhere else than in the San Quentin newsroom, where his closest friends and colleagues are continuing to realize and execute his dreams — which were really the dreams of every man and woman fighting to move forward. Now, with the launching of this magazine, one of Arnulfo’s latest passion projects, we are all moving forward together.

Arnulfo stood at the helm of the highly successful and journalistically innovative San Quentin News and saw Wall City as an opportunity to take it one step further. This magazine represents yet another iteration of Arnulfo’s enduring legacy. 

This is the magic of Wall City: here, Arnulfo has brought together, all at once, the catharsis and liberation of creative expression, the professional development of working in a newsroom, and the rehabilitative power of journalism — as writers seek truth and their subjects’ stories are announced to the world. 

We are publishing his editorial as he wrote it so that he can speak — as loudly and forcefully as always — to you, the audience, so that he can bring you into these walls. We hope, as he does, that you can begin to understand the incredible richness of the stories inside and the men whose lives offer wisdom to everyone, no matter which side of the wall you are. 

And, finally, we want to thank Arnulfo. For guiding us, leading us forward, always and forever.

EDITORIAL by Arnulfo T. Garcia

When the Society of Professional Journalists presented San Quentin News with the prestigious James Madison Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2014, the inmate staff knew they were on the right track as boots-on-the-ground reporters. 

They also knew that more could be done. 

We created Wall City magazine to expand our journalism and stretch our storytelling capacity. The newspaper has offered an unprecedented opportunity for those of us interested in journalism to learn the basics, understand the work to be done and practice the craft. But now we are eager to step beyond the world of newspaper, both in its word-length restrictions and constricted styles. 

Over the last several years, as we have reported various short-term stories and developed our professional relationships with each other, with the community, with prison administration and so forth, we’ve begun to appreciate the unique and truly change-making role journalism can play in the prison context. Incarcerated writers are able to access and communicate stories within prison walls with an honesty and proximity that hardly is possible otherwise. 

The magazine allows our writers to begin to tell important stories with more space and more creative freedom. We can utilize more tools in our journalistic toolbox — writing with candor, vigor, color and so forth … to bring audiences into our world more intimately. This magazine is a place for you to learn about people hardly ever seen and rarely heard of.

We cannot ignore the rehabilitative mission of the criminal justice system. Journalism — evidence-based reporting and storytelling — sheds light on important questions of where we are in that rehabilitative mission. This magazine is a space for our reporters to celebrate the successes and evaluate, critically, the failures. It’s an opportunity for you to hear about men who have successfully reintegrated into society, to learn about programs that transformed the lives of men inside prison walls in inspiring ways, and to think critically about what roadblocks exist. 

Truth-seeking and vulnerability are crucial elements not only in our creative process and our journalistic process but especially in our healing process. Prisons, as they are designed today, are destructive to families. Rehabilitation is about rebuilding those relationships, first with self, then with loved ones, then with community. The only way to begin fruitful and honest conversations is to take honest, fact-driven storytelling across prison walls. 


The name Wall City comes from the very first newspaper published in the 1930s at San Quentin State Prison. Since we are surrounded by walls and live in a small community, we think Wall City is appropriate. 

There will be stories about the energy, vitality and commitment of the broad mix of men and women who come out of prisons every single day — including the changes in their lives and their commitments to the betterment of the community. Preventing people from coming to prison in the first place is the mission that ties them together. People who get out of prison, they get out after changing their lives and go back into their communities. Being open and honest about their past mistakes show they are committed to breaking the cycle — healed people, heal people. 

The importance of the news forums is to give public safety officials and concerned citizens the opportunity to talk to and interact with inmates who have decades of experience behind bars and have taken full responsibility for their past crimes. The topic is always centered on incarceration, rehabilitation and re-entry. When we report on forums we bring readers into a world that has honest conversations between the inmates and prosecutors, teachers, judges and other concerned citizens. 

When San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon came to San Quentin News, he was so impacted by hearing from men who have served decades behind bars that he brought several senior attorneys from his office back inside San Quentin three times. Gascon did not stop there. He invited dozens of prosecutors from around the country to hear the men talk about their prison experiences. They all went away enlightened about how the criminal justice system actually works and hopeful that rehabilitating offenders is the right thing to do for the betterment for all communities. 

In another forum, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier of San Mateo County heard about incarceration, rehabilitation and re-entry. After hearing from the inmates, she said, “I was taken profoundly by the adjustment that so many of the men made in their lives. Most people have no idea and think that you don’t change.” 

Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez of Barrios Unidos came to San Quentin News to discuss his commitment to the community and to reforming the state’s prisons and jails. He uses his life story and struggles to connect with the prisoners. When they hear how the words of peace and human rights leader Cesar Chavez helped Alejandrez turn his life around, they are encouraged to become peacemakers. 

Something powerful comes from sitting in a circle of men who all have made mistakes in their lives and understand the ripple effect their actions have made in the community. Hearing the changing nature from criminal thinking to social awareness brings a healing to everyone in the community. People talk about pasts that are full of trauma, pain and suffering. The healing component comes from 

hearing stories very similar to your own from someone whose culture is so different from yours. This allows everyone to open up and find his own truth. 

Society, too, should hear these stories, which is why we created Wall City. 

Lower Yard gets upgrade with new guard shack

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When the guard shack fell on San Quentin’s Lower Yard, it wasn’t an accident or an earthquake — it was inmates tearing it down.

Charlie Spence drove a forklift, circling it four times, bringing down the old 7-foot-by-7-foot shack. Watching with anticipation, his co-workers cheered until the final bits hit the dirt.

“Driving the forklift for this project was a challenge,” Spence said. “We had very little room for error.” The certified forklift driver added, “The guys wouldn’t have been happy with me if I tore the roof off. I would have never heard the end of it. This made it fun.”

The shack, with its old and rotten wood, looked ancient — a real aesthetic challenge in the prison known for its historic property and buildings.

When the shack laid in ruin, Spence’s co-workers took to a jigsaw, cutting the old thing to pieces.

Marco Villa, a shop leader, grabbed a sledgehammer and banged away as he yelled, “Look at Marco getting his workout!”

The men used hammers and crowbars to finish off the roof. About an hour later, the crew shoveled and brushed away the leftovers, throwing everything into a dumpster.

It was a team effort, plotting the shack’s takedown on March 21.

Next, the forklift raised the concrete slab, removing what was left from the foundation. Again, the men pounded away with sledgehammers. The cleanup finished, the ground was graded for a new foundation.

While taking down the old shack was fun, the real work came next. These men are all part of a program that teaches them the latest construction technology. They applied these newfound skills to build a new guard shack. 

Yard Shack

Yard Shack

The instructor, Dante Callegari, has graduated dozens of men from this program — so many that outside employers call the prison asking if there are graduates being paroled.

“Most of the students in this program have demonstrated a willingness to learn, which makes my job much easier. It’s another way to help prisoners,” Callegari said. “They learn masonry, roofing, pipe-fitting and, most of all, safety.”

The program is an opportunity for younger men to learn a trade that will carry them for decades, Villa said.

Villa has been in the program about three years. He has experience in framing construction, but at San Quentin he said he has acquired knowledge of the entire construction process.

“We build everything from the ground up,” Villa said. “Foundations, concrete, rebar, trenches, plumbing, setting blocks, floors, walls and roofs.”

Villa also attends the prison’s college program.

“Education is important for everyone; however, working in construction brings value,” Villa said. “This kind of work is essential in everyday life.”

Beltranchuc Tare, another student of the prison’s college program, said learning the ins and outs of construction has provided him with new tools that will increase his chances to obtain a job as soon as he gets out of prison. “Tools that I can teach my son and leave him a legacy,” Tare said.

“I appreciate this education, especially since English is my second language,” Tare said, adding that the vocational program has also allowed him to interact with different races and understand different cultures.

“In the past, I was selfish,” Beltranchuc said. “But working in this environment has allowed me to develop compassion and empathy for others.”

Callegari’s program gives men a real skill set that is transferable to real-time experience. He said his students learn and develop a work ethic far exceeding his expectations.

Callegari has been an employee of the California prison system for 28 years. He has taught at California State Prison-Solano and California Correctional Center. He has two credentials granted by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing as well as OSHA training.

Through his teaching, construction technology at San Quentin is reaching new heights in providing training for inmates.

“These men have taken their first steps to better lives,” Callegari said. “These men have learned to make the best of a bad situation.”

A journey to freedom filled with pain and survival

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After serving nearly 30 years behind bars, Duane Holt was a changed man who convinced a parole board that he was no longer a danger to public safety.

Holt’s journey to freedom was not easy. He was diagnosed with cancer in January. The possibility of dying in prison was a reality check, he said. He thought about how his family would be affected by his death.

At the beginning of his incarceration, he felt he’d never make it out of such a violent place. Later he wanted to show his mother that he was not the same person who was arrested for murder nearly three decades ago. However, in 2014, his mother died. He said thinking about his feelings after losing his mother and facing death himself connected him to the pain of the victims of his crime.

The experience also made him reach out to his daughters, Sibyl and Megan. He wants to be a good grandparent to their five children.

Having his own family concerned about his fate made him realize how devastated his victim’s family felt about losing their loved one because of his wrongdoing. He said it was during that time, that he was able to take full responsibility for the life he took.

“That gave me a revelation and deeper understanding on how every life matters,” Holt said. “When I was told that I could go home to my family, I felt grateful and guilty at the same time. My victim’s family will never see their loved one again, because of what I did.”

Holt said he thinks about the victim’s family every day and that one day he hopes to get the opportunity to answer any questions they might want to ask him. 

“They could have appeared before the board and ask that I don’t get released,” Holt said. “But they didn’t do that. They didn’t come. I hope that my release doesn’t bring them any painful memories.”

Rehabilitation and Giving Back:

Holt spent most of his time in prison learning green construction technology and volunteering with a diversion program geared to mentor at-risk youth.

“These are two things I’d like to keep doing,” Holt said. “One day I’d like to own a construction company and also give back to the community by mentoring at-risk youth.”

Holt said what got him interested in giving back to the community was when about 10 years ago someone commented that people respect him for all of the positive things he was doing in the prison.

“When I was told that people listen to me, I thought about being an asset to the community, instead of a liability,” Holt said.

That idea got Holt involved with the SQUIRES program at San Quentin. He said working with the youngsters has taught him how the world has changed and how intelligent kids are today. He said he was able to understand how peer pressure puts the youth on misguided paths.

“With the proper guidance, coming from positive role models, they can achieve anything in life they want,” Holt said.

Holt’s battle against cancer also made him aware of the lack of funding for cancer research. He said he’s open to participating in the cancer walks, just like he did when he supported the Walk Against Breast Cancer while incarcerated at San Quentin.

Message to Prisoners:

“Of course, I don’t look at prisoners like the rest of society,” Holt said. “It took me many years to change my criminal thinking. But when I realized that I didn’t want to be defined by the worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life — the horrible decision that cost the life of another human being — did I begin to change and want to make amends.”

He added, “I was punished for my crime, and I had to prove that I was a changed man, so my message to all prisoners is: ‘Stay in the programs, because there is light at the other end of the tunnel.’”

Holt said the various self-help programs gave him insight as to why he held on to negative thinking. After learning about himself, he was able to talk openly to the commissioners on the parole board and answer all of their questions with confidence.

“I felt good when the commissioners quizzed me a lot about the GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power) program.” Holt said. “I did the work and was able to respond naturally.”

GRIP is a 52-week comprehensive self-awareness program geared toward teaching inmates how to respond to various life-stressors, instead of reacting to them.

Message to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation:

“All prisoners should learn work ethics, because many people come to prison that never held a job,” Holt said. “Rehabilitative programs ought to be offered to everyone, especially these young men before they go back into society.”

He said he noticed that with all the technology in the world today, a lot of kids don’t know how to work with their hands. But he’s seen men in the prison workplace, where there is a lack of technology, but they are good with their hands, “but they lack the intellect or patience to comprehend reading material. So, it’s important for education opportunities to be available while someone is doing time.”

Holt walked out of San Quentin State Prison on Oct. 26, 2016.

Prisoners save correctional officer’s life

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A man is choking on a piece of meat in his throat. Three onlookers see him in distress, and they come to his rescue.

What makes this scenario unusual is that the stricken man was a San Quentin correctional officer, and the rescuers were three prisoners, each serving life terms for murder. Thanks to their quick reaction and the Heimlich maneuver, a correctional officer’s life was saved, and he went home to his family.

“While I was eating my lunch of steak and rice, I began choking, and there was no one in sight but the education clerks,” said Correctional Officer A. Cuevas in recalling the March 11 incident, which he will never forget.

“With all the violence between police officers and people in the communities, here we are in a prison with people convicted of murder, and they saved my life,” Cuevas said. “Doing something like what these inmates did opens the door for any prisoners who are in a position to something supportive of public safety, because all lives have value.”

“When I needed help they were there for me, in spite of the crimes they may have committed.”

The prisoners, who have already served decades behind bars, are veterans of self-help groups or have taken college classes at San Quentin State Prison.

One of the prisoners said he doesn’t want to be defined by the person he was 20 years ago and that this act gave him a chance for redemption – to show who he is today.

Two of them were having a conversation, while standing just outside the entrance to the education building at San Quentin. One of them looked over to Cuevas, who was sitting at his desk inside and saw that the officer was choking. Cuevas came quickly from behind his desk in evident panic and distress.

The inmates took immediate action.

Cuevas grabbed one of the inmates by the arms and motioned him for a pat on the back. Another inmate saw how severe the situation was and applied the Heimlich maneuver, which consists of a bear hug around the chest and a strong, sudden squeeze.

The third prisoner in the area said he saw what was happening and offered Cuevas water to clear his throat.

“They came to help me and beat my back until the object was dislodged from my throat,” Cuevas said. “I am thankful because, at the moment, I needed help, and they were there to help me out, even though I’m an officer. I’m still a human being, and they seemed to have recognized that.”

To call for help, one of the inmates attempted to use the telephone, but Cuevas had regained his composure and took the phone to call his supervisor.

“When I needed help they were there for me…”

Cuevas, a nine-year veteran of the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR), said becoming a correctional officer fulfilled a childhood dream of being in law enforcement. He got the idea when he saw one of his cousins in a CDCR uniform.

“After that, I immediately told myself, ‘I’d like to wear one of those uniforms.’”

At the time, Cuevas was living in the US with his father, who wanted him to be educated in Mexico. At the end of each school year in Mexico, Cuevas would return to the US so he could keep practicing English.

On his 17th birthday, Cuevas told his father about his dream of working as a correctional officer.

Cuevas said he was surprised his father agreed so quickly to his request.

The decision required Cuevas to stay in the US to finish his education, but he was told he was too old to start high school in the US, so his father enrolled him into the Job Corps to get his GED. Once he received his GED, he still had to wait until he was 21 before he could apply to be a correctional officer.

When he turned 21, he applied to CDCR but failed the test. Though discouraged, he would not quit on his dream and retook the test. While waiting to pass the test, he enrolled in college.

It would not be easy for Cuevas, as he took the test eight more times before passing.

He admitted that if he would have failed one more time, he would still be a supervisor in the family trucking business.

“The family business is doing fine,” Cuevas said. “And, now I am able to fulfill the dream I had as a kid.” He added, “Since working for the department, and seeing all kinds of people, it has given me a better understanding about the individual.”

Cuevas said that he believes that the prisoners should be recognized for saving his life.

“I see that all prisoners are different and most of them committed their crimes when they were young. Most inmates after many years of incarceration and going through programs in prison have changed their lives around and see us as humans, not just officers with authority.

“This could have been my last day, and any life matters,” he added.

After 22 years Antoine Brown is a free man

PRISON TO EMPLOYMENT CONNECTION (PEC)

Arnulfo T. Garcia a dream continues to prosper

Easter Day Banquet Celebration at SQ

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The doors of the Catholic Chapel were swung open to approximately 250 invited guests on Sunday, April 3. They came to dine, fellowship and listen to the smooth sounds of jazz pianist Matthew Lee Jaspar, a quartet of Spanish musicians and songs by Michael Adams.
As Father George Williams welcomed the congregation, he told them, “The doors to the church are always open and not just to come to eat food. We are here to serve all, at all times.
“Easter is the most important celebration of the Catholic Church; it’s the Resurrection of Jesus Christ,” he added.
Michael Adams opened the Easter Day assemblage with these words: “We are all sharing the love of Jesus Christ here today. The church welcomes all men of all races and all interfaith dominations to share Jesus’ love and to rejoice in God’s love.”
After Father Williams blessed the provisions, 12 line servers filled the plates of the invited guests.
The Easter Banquet had special meaning for many. Robert Tyler explained his feelings: “It’s the coming together of people in the church and non-members that brings the gift of sharing love as a blessing.”
Roger Chavez commented, “The celebration of Easter and to honor Jesus Christ who died for us is what gives reverence to the spirit of the church. I want to give a special thanks to Father George for his tireless dedication to the men here at San Quentin.”
Stephen Pascascio said, “It’s a blessing to see everyone enjoying a pleasant meal and the warmth it brings to share God’s blessings and to thank Father George for his dedication and tireless work.”
Jessie Skinner said, “It’s a glorious day at San Quentin.”
“God is benevolent and merciful,” said Bernard “Abdur–Raheem” Ballard, a Muslim who was invited to attend. “It’s interfaith events like this that show how gracious and merciful God’s blessings are, as we come to share these precious moments with other men of faith.”
 

|“It’s the coming together of people in the church and non-members that brings the gift of sharing love…”|

 
B. Chandler, a man of Jewish faith, said, “I’m here seeking the experiences of other religious worships.”
“I’m very grateful and blessed to be here with the men of San Quentin,” C. Jackson said.
S. Woige said, “It’s a blessed day. God is good all day. Today serves as a reminder that there are times when we must come to appreciate the sacrifices that are taking place all around us every day.”
“Mother Earlene,” a regular visitor to the various religious affairs at San Quentin, was ecstatic. “I’m so happy to be fellowshipping with the guys during Easter Week. Everybody should come and join us in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Marischal Brijido closed with these remarks: “I feel blessed to see all the brothers come together from all around the prison to be in one place for a worthwhile purpose. They are my rock.”

Editor-in-Chief Steps Aside to Pursue Other Dreams

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In 2011 I was asked to step into the shoes of Editor-in-Chief; a job that I knew was going to be difficult, but former Editor-in-Chief Michael Harris had confidence that I could do the job. Until then, I had run from all my problems, afraid to face the unknown.
People always saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself. Michael believed in me and told me with confidence that I was given the opportunity to be a voice for those that were not able to speak for themselves.
As the days, months and years went by, I started to build that confidence that led me to the path of compassion and understanding for others who still struggle like I did. I’m appreciative for someone who understood my struggles and helped me to overcome those obstacles that kept sending me back to prison.
I’ve been at San Quentin for almost eight years and working for the San Quentin News for over six years and Editor-in-Chief for almost five years. I have to say it’s been challenging, but very successful.
Perhaps the proudest moment during my tenure came when the Society of Professional Journalists awarded the San Quentin News the James Madison Freedom of Information Award. The citation praised the newspaper for producing a high-quality publication under extremely difficult circumstances.
 

|“Michael believed in me and told me with

confidence that I was given the opportunity to be

a voice for those that were not able to speak for themselves”|

 
We set out to get the San Quentin newspaper into every prison, and I am proud to say we have accomplished that goal. We went from printing 5,000 copies in 2008 to 15,000 in February 2016. In March we will print 20,000 copies. By August the press run will be 36,000 and by year’s end we will have printed 288,900 copies of the San Quentin News in 2016 at a cost of $55,372. It is our goal to make the paper accessible to every California prisoner who wants one.
At the same time we’ve created San Quentin News forums that allow us to bring in public officials and educators from the community to talk about incarceration, rehabilitation and re-entry. Our last forum with a group of teachers helped them understand how to stop the school-to-prison pipeline. As a result, more than 30 teachers from four different schools contacted us to learn more about our solutions to stop the school-to-prison pipeline.
The time has now come for some changes to pave the way for a new era for San Quentin News. I will be stepping aside as Editor-in-Chief. I will now be the Executive Editor for the San Quentin News editorial board. Malik Harris will be Editor-in-Chief. He is talented, and I have confidence that he is up to his new role.
There will be some more changes in the newsroom, but let me assure you that our goal continues to be your voice, and as we continue to grow we will have your interest at heart.
I want to publicly thank all our staff and advisers for stepping up and helping me be a better leader. I’ve always told our staff that it is not “me,” but “us” as a team that makes our newspaper what it is.
I have already started on a new project, which will be San Quentin’s first prisoner-produced magazine, which will be an expansion to the newspaper. We could not have done this without all our financial supporters. Thank you for the hundreds of letters that have been flowing in from all around the world.

America’s Prisons Need To Focus On Healing, Education and Training

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Prison is designed to break you, not to make you better. Our prison system takes people who have had traumatic lives and puts them in circumstances that expose them to even more trauma—like living in a cage with a stranger or being subjected to riots or having live ammunition fired by correctional officers trying to break up fights involving weapons or being isolated from family, friends and significant others.
People are placed in traumatic circumstances—when they’ve already demonstrated they are not able to handle trauma well, and it hardens them in order to survive. While in prison, people are not provided incentives or opportunity to rehabilitate themselves. Then the system kicks them back out into society, where they find themselves further behind than when they left the streets. When they re-offend, the system puts them in prison for life, under the Three Strikes Law.
When you commit criminal acts, you inflict pain and suffering on others. You lose your connection to the mainstream of humanity. Once connection is lost—to ourselves, to someone else, to our family, to our community—real feelings are lost too.
Disconnection and separation create more pain. When we mindlessly acted out from that pain, we lost our rightful connection in the larger community because we forgot who we really are. I know today that we can reclaim our identity and gather the resources to stay true to ourselves. Reclaiming ourselves begins with remembering those affected by our past actions and refocusing our minds on those who will benefit from our commitment to heal and be of service.
This process of reconnecting with the larger community through commitment and service will gain momentum if a new effort to reform California’s Three Strikes Law succeeds. A reform plan entitled CHOOSE1 proposes to save taxpayers millions of dollars by releasing those prisoners who have already done their time for crimes committed before 1994. With the passing of the Three Strikes Law in March of 1994, thousands of prisoners began serving long sentences for crimes that they had paid for already. It’s been 21 years since the passing of “three strikes” and most inmates who would be released under this reform bill are older and wiser. If we don’t reform the mistakes of three strikes, count on it to continue to increase the prison population and the prison budget. That budget is now more than $10 billion and will only continue to grow.
There is an urgent need to change the injustice that’s been going on for decades. As former Attorney General Eric Holder says, “Today, a vicious cycle of poverty, criminality and incarceration traps too many Americans and weakens too many communities. And many aspects of our criminal justice system may actually exacerbate these problems, rather than alleviate them. As a society, we pay much too high a price whenever our system fails to deliver outcomes that deter and punish crime, keep us safe and ensure that those who have paid their debts have the chance to become productive citizens.”
Former President Bill Clinton says, “We basically took a shotgun to a problem that needed a .22. We took a shotgun to it and just sent everybody to jail for too long.” Actually, Clinton is wrong. We didn’t need a gun at all; what we needed was true rehabilitation.
Crime is a symptom of society’s ills. Most criminals aren’t born evil; they are broken people, mentally ill people or desperate people. Therapy gets to the root of the problem and heals the person. Therapy also provides people with the tools to handle stressful situations. Along with education and vocational training, people are given the skills to secure meaningful job opportunities. An offender doesn’t need a life sentence to stop offending; they need the space and opportunity to better themselves. These investments would allow offenders to become assets to the community, instead of liabilities costing society more and more. CHOOSE1 aims to secure the money saved by releasing the aging three strike population and use it to spread rehabilitative services to all California prisons and lower tuition for college students.

Departing C.O. Plagman Aimed to Gain The Respect of Inmates

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When an inmate first comes into the prison system, the demeanor of correctional officials generally gives him an indication of what prison is going to be like. Rarely is that demeanor upbeat or positive.
Correctional Officer E. Plagman is one of those rare people with a different outlook. His is the voice North Block inmates hear over its PA system on many mornings.
Plagman’s last day at San Quentin State Prison was Nov. 4. He is scheduled to transfer to Old Folsom State Prison.
“We are going to be sorry to lose him. He is definitely going to be an asset at Folsom,” Correctional Sgt. O. Nollette said. “His move to Old Folsom is a step in the right direction.”
Plagman replied, “Since arriving at the San Quentin, where I was first assigned to Badger section back in 2000, I’ve learned and grown so much under the watchful eyes of my mentor Sergeant Nollette.”
The key to being a good officer, he said, is being able to use good communication skills rather than being confrontational.
“I am willing to talk to somebody without judging a book by the cover,” Plagman said. “My word is my bond. I’m an honest person. I’m more willing to work with people and give everyone respect,” he added, “There is that line where I can help people but I can’t go beyond that.
“I feel like I could walk down the tier and do my job professionally,” Plagman said. “That’s because of the respect that goes both ways,” he added, “But, I do know this is prison.”
There have been times where he witnessed violence. His worst day as an officer occurred in 2005. Approximately 250 men rioted in Dining Hall Four as he looked on with his partner.
“We watched these inmates throw trays, kick other inmates, run around swinging at anything and everything that got in their way,” he said. “That experience was a real eye opener. I didn’t get hurt, but it was scary.”
Plagman talked about better days, too.
“My most memorable experience came when I graduated from the academy,” he said. “I knew this life experience would make me a better person at home for my family.”
When asked about the difference between the mainline and the reception center at San Quentin, Plagman said, “I feel like on the mainline, there is progress. When I work with inmates from the mainline, they are respectful. They have goals. It’s easier to do my job. It’s harder to talk to young guys. They haven’t learned the value of respect yet. However, with time and education, I’m sure they will eventually mature.”
Plagman said he sees the importance of offering programs to inmates or at least making them available.
 

|“I am willing to talk to somebody without judging a book”|

 
“Reception inmates aren’t offered enough programs to help them get their heads straight,” he said. “It would be helpful to provide books to help educate them. We shouldn’t give up on them. This will make it safer for everyone involved. Rehabilitation works, that’s my belief. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
When asked about the Death Penalty, Plagman replied, “I believe in capital punishment. If the law states that you are convicted of a crime, my personal feelings are that the consequences are based on the crime. The law is the law.”
He further elaborates:
“Richard Allan Davis’ crime brought the Three Strikes law, which increased the prison population. A lot of people were punished for petty crimes and given long sentences. It’s my belief when someone commits a heinous crime, that individual should pay for what he did, not the rest of the population. I believe Three Strikes works if you punish the most violent, not the drug addict who steals to support his habit. I believe balance needs to be in play.”
Summing up his time at San Quentin, Plagman said, “My experience at San Quentin is a hit and a miss. I’ve seen good things. I’ve seen staff have babies, grow their families; I’ve seen inmates turn their life around. I’ve seen the other side; officers throw their careers away, and I’ve seen inmates continually do wrong. It’s a reminder to go down the right path. Watching people change helped me change for the better.”
“The one thing I can say is that I made friends, and I appreciate the people around me with integrity. I also appreciate the people who had experience and were able to give me advice, like Sergeant Nollette, who guided me through my roughest patches. I really appreciate the fact that there were times when I was able to help him through his hard times.”
“I am excited to work in another historic prison to further my adventure and knowledge in this career quest,” said Plagman. “It’s important that I take these experiences learned here and trade them with other staff members and inmates.”
Rahsaan Thomas contributed to this story

Reaching Beyond the Future and Walls of San Quentin

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As we reflect upon a year’s worth of hard work, the writers of San Quentin News renew their commitment to the state’s prison population. We recognize that finding a solution to California’s reliance on mass incarceration is a mission that both our staff and readers must take seriously. The vision of the San Quentin News is to lead the way toward a better future for California’s criminal justice system.
Warden Clinton Duffy created San Quentin News in the 1940s to dispel prison gossip about prison policy. This gossip led to conflict among prisoners and the administration, as inmates were misinformed about policies that impacted their lives. He believed that an inmate-run newspaper would give incarcerated individuals a way to spread accurate information.
Since its inception, the newspaper has been shut down several times and for various reasons. But in 2008, Warden Robert Ayers, Jr. brought the paper back in order to disseminate positive information to the inmate population at San Quentin.
San Quentin News is the only prisoner published newspaper recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, and it received the Freedom of Information Award in 2014. The newspaper is distributed to 22 other prisons, making it the farthest-reaching inmate produced media source for the inmate population in the state.
San Quentin News has informed inmates across the state of California about the types of rehabilitative and professional programs available at San Quentin. As a result, there is growing demand on part of our readership that other institutions implement similar programs.
Today, San Quentin News has exceeded the expectations of Wardens Duffy and Ayers.
San Quentin News was introduced to the Obama administration at a reception celebrating public service in October. Thanks to our adviser UC Berkeley Journalism Professor William Drummond, San Quentin News has achieved significant attention among policymakers in Washington D.C.
We now have 14 staffers working daily for the newspaper and a growing class of journalism guild writers ready to contribute to our continued success. As our slogan goes, we are moving forward.
Our staff of creative and intelligent writers are reporting on incarceration, rehabilitation and reentry through the lens of their own prison experience. We bring a unique perspective to the coverage of criminal justice policy that is unmatched by any other news agency. Our coverage includes, but is not limited to, politics, arts culture, journalism, and social justice.
The past four years that I have served as editor-in-chief of San Quentin News have been incredibly formative. This duty is enough to keep me pushing forward in my personal endeavors.
I came to prison as a heroin addict. I have made the choice to change my ways and give back to our community. I have learned so much from being a voice for the voiceless.
It has also been a challenge. We must consistently strive to do better. On occasion, I’ll receive a letter from an inmate who feels we don’t do enough, and as a result of that input I look for ways to improve.
We will continue to shape the discussion and perception about those who are incarcerated. We must remove the stigma that comes with being a convicted felon. Society should no longer associate the label “convicted felon” with failure, and must recognize the value of second chances. San Quentin News staffers know it will take an enormous amount of patience, diplomacy and perseverance to meet these objectives. But, we also know that it is within our ability to take significant strides to do so.
Over the past year, San Quentin News has reached several of its milestones. However, there’s much more to accomplish in the coming year.
A major challenge to our ability to circulate the newspaper across the nation and around the world is our lack of adequate funds. We continue to receive donations on a monthly basis, but are in pursuit of alternative sources of financial support.
Recently, a major foundation has granted San Quentin News $50,000; money that will be used to produce a quality monthly publication with relevant and insightful stories affecting every prisoner in the state of California.
Soon San Quentin News will be embarking on a new project to publish a quarterly 24-page San Quentin Magazine. It is my intention to have the first publication ready for distribution by March 2016.
In its preliminary stages, the magazine will be distributed to a limited number of California prison libraries. However, by 2017, we hope to increase the number to more libraries.
It is our ultimate goal to make the newspaper accessible to every prisoner in the state of California.
We would like to give special thanks to Mr. Paul Cobb, publisher of the Post News Group for helping San Quentin News Staff become members of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Finally, I want to thank all of our journalist advisers who have worked tirelessly to improve our journalism skills. Without them, we would not be where we are today.
Happy holidays to all the incarcerated and to our financial supporters. May the new year bring you a new beginning.

Barrios Unidos Visits Newsroom

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The founder and executive director of Barrios Unido, Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez, came to San Quentin on July 19 to discuss his commitment to the community, prison and county jail reform, and the California criminal justice system.
Alejandrez’s life story is no different from that than many men of color who grew up in low-income communities.
He said that he struggled as a youth; at age 13, he stabbed a young man, and at 17 he shot someone. He later became addicted to heroin and used drugs while serving in the Army in Vietnam. Heroin also affected other family members. He suffered from addiction until 1986 at age 37.
His life turned around after he was exposed to the words of peace and human rights from Cesar Chavez while harvesting melons.
“In 1977, I had 11 family members in prison,” Alejandrez said. “Over the years, 35 members of my family went to prison, and today, 20 of them are still in prison, including my grandson.”
“Prisons are not the answer,” Alejandrez said. He said he wants to break the cycle of perpetual incarceration.
“We had a prison cell on display for an art exhibit by inmates from Pelican Bay Prison Security Housing Unit that received much attention,” Alejandrez said. “In constructing an interactive prison cell, we hope to bring insight and awareness of the realities of incarceration. It will provide an opportunity for individuals to step into the environment and get a sense of what it’s like to be incarcerated.”
Barrio Unidos plans to take the prison model to schools, universities, courthouses and other educational events.
Barrios Unidos, formed in 1977, is a multi-cultural nonprofit organization based in Santa Cruz. Its aim is to stop acts of youth violence by promoting self-worth and value. The organization addresses conflict resolution in the community through education and awareness as techniques to unite people.
“We hope to encourage people to support alternatives to incarceration policy and legislation,” Alejandrez said. “It’s a major undertaking, I know, but I’m pushing to rebuild my community. There are so many things wrong in our community today. I travel all over the world to promote the work of Barrios Unidos.”
Alejandrez has been going into jails and prisons like Tracy, Vacaville, Soledad and Salinas Valley “to educate those who think that they are forgotten.”
“When I go into those prisons, I wear Pachuco clothes, like Stacy Adams shoes and Pendleton shirts, so that those who still struggle can relate to me,” Alejandrez said.
Once while walking out of Soledad, a captain told him, “I don’t understand why those guys listen to you, but they won’t listen to me.”
Alejandrez believes safer and stronger communities can happen only through leaders who will face today’s challenges, such as gang activities and violence.
“Advocates and leaders of these troubled communities must build coalitions to overcome these acts of disruption,” he said.
Alejandrez’s cultural, spiritual and non-violent principles come from César Chavez’s fundamental tenets and dedication to social justice and economic equity. He says the voice and words of César Chavez still echo with him today.
“Barrios Unidos is devoted to non-violence,” Alejandrez said. “We are connected all over the United States, despite the fact that we are small. We must teach the youth to face their challenges every day.
“My organization will not accept contributions or any support from beer companies because their values and beliefs destroy the moral fiber of a healthy community,” Alejandrez said.
Recently, Danny Glover’s Profiles Series and Stone Soup for the World featured stories that brought national attention to the Barrios Unidos program.
“We have established silk-screening businesses that put money back into the community to stop the violence,” Alejandrez said. “We are helping the young kids turn their lives around. We are building positive self-esteem and cultural pride through meaningful activities.”
Alejandrez is a graduate from University of California, Santa Cruz, with a degree in communication and media.
For information about Barrios Unidos, write to: Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos, 1817 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062.

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