San Quentin News

Written By Incarcerated - Advancing Social Justice

Inmate firefighter dies in the line of duty from fallen tree

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A prison firefighter died in the line of duty May 24 after a 3,000-pound, 105-year-old tree fell and struck him in the head while he was clearing brush in the Hoopa Valley area in Northern California.

Matthew Beck, a 26-year-old prisoner serving a six-year term for burglary, was operating a chainsaw at the time and did not hear his Cal Fire captain shout, according to articles by KQED and the Los Angeles Times.

When the 120-foot Douglas fir tree fell, the captain rushed over and asked one of the other firefighters to get Beck out from under the tree, according to KQED. That prisoner sawed off a section of the tree, put Beck on a board and moved him out of harm’s way, but he died from major head, neck and back injuries before a helicopter could get to him. Another inmate was also hit by the tree and knocked off balance but was not injured.

According to KQED, the supervisor had trouble contacting the agency’s Emergency Command Center in Humboldt County because his hand-held radio did not work due to the remote location. That captain had to run to his vehicle and drive for a quarter-mile before he was able to use the mobile radio.

“…it is a tragic event when we lose one of them”

A Cal Fire preliminary report cited by KQED found that fire officials had noticed the tree before it fell. “The hazard tree was identified prior to the road work being started and estimated to be outside the work area,” it reported.

State workplace regulators are investigating CDCR in connection to Beck’s death, said the KQED report.

California uses about 3,900 state inmates, who fight fires and work on infrastructure projects. Inmates get paid $2 a day, and $1 an hour while fighting an active fire, allowing the state to save about $90 million a year.

Beck was the fourth inmate firefighter killed in the history of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) conservation camp program. Last year, a female inmate was struck in the head by a falling boulder while fighting a fire in Malibu.

Following the incident, the CDCR issued a statement. “The inmates who year after year help protect our communities from the devastation of fires perform a valuable public service, and it is a tragic event when we lose one of them,” said Scott Kernan, state corrections secretary.

According to Reuters, Beck was expected to be parole this October.

Iowa elementary schools uses isolation as punishment

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Elementary school children are being placed in makeshift prison cells. Multiple Iowa school districts are using this controversial isolation as punishment, according to a website article at ScaryMommy.com.

A controversial new type of punishment, tiny pine boxes with little to no light or ventilation called “seclusion enclosures,” is designed to confine children and discipline them, said the article, written by Cassandra Stone.

“If I was to do what they did, it would be child abuse .Why is it OK for the school district to do that to a child?,” said Tammy Mims, a former resident of Cedar Rapids.

Iowa defines corporal punishment as “intentional physical punishment of a student” using “unnecessary physical force.” These rooms are able to slide by Iowa’s ban on corporal punishment, reported the article.

“If there is indeed a situation where a child is harming themselves or others, there is no doubt a school official should intervene immediately. But is a six foot Pine Box of Terror really the best way to do that?” Stone asked.

Parents and guardians who have children in Iowa school districts have been complaining about seclusion rooms since they started sprouting up last year, the article said.

Mims, guardian for a little girl who was locked inside one of these rooms, said she could hear the girl screaming to be let out in the background, according to the article.

State rules say parents have to be notified the same day the punishment occurs. Mims received a call informing her of the girl’s punishment.

A complaint filed earlier this year describes some of the seclusion rooms as “a plywood box lined with foul-smelling black horse stall mats” and flooring made of recycled tires.

“Since when did we start criminalizing kids as a form of discipline?” Stone asked.

Legally, parents don’t have to offer their consent, “probably because no parent of sound mind would ever consent to their child being locked inside a dark, hot, smelly makeshift closet at school,” the article said.

The intended use for these rooms is to serve as a drastic “time out” for violent kids, but that hasn’t stopped teachers from confining kids for minor grievances, like stepping out of line at recess, the article said.

Students can spend up to an hour in seclusion rooms; schools need “special permission” to extend their time beyond that, the article reported.

“While many of the concerns have already been addressed, the district will continue to develop and implement systemic changes that positively impact the learning environment for all students,” said Kristin Pedersen, community affairs coordinator for the Iowa City Schools District in a statement to USA Today.

“We trust school districts with our children’s lives – Iowa schools can do far, far better by parents and students. Further traumatizing them seems inhumane and unnecessary,” the report concludes.

Pups on Parole celebrate its 10th anniversary with 478 dogs adopted

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Trainer showing inmate the handling of a pup

Trainer showing inmate the handling of a pup

The Pups on Parole program at California Correctional Center (CCC) celebrated its 10th anniversary, with 478 dogs adopted so far.

The program partners dogs with firefighting inmates. Seven dogs are allowed in the program at a time. However, the program is not intended to benefit only the cuddly canines, according to Lassen County Times.

“I love this program. In my opinion, this is one of the most rehabilitative programs California Department of Corrections has to offer,” said inmate Randy Elson.

When not fighting fires in the area, Elson spends his time working with Ruby, a 2-year-old dog.

“Every time I come back, no matter how long I’ve been gone, she’s always happy to see me,” said Elson.

Rikki Meier, the CCC Pups on Parole liaison, helped the program grow. She has assisted in bringing in dog trainers to help the handlers learn how to best interact with and train the pups for adoption, reported the Lassen County Times.

Inmate Zack Gleason also loves his time working with the Pups on Parole program. He handles a yellow lab/husky mix named Duke, who has a knack for the brand-new agility course.

“He’s a goofball, but he’s really smart. It’s been really fun. We’ve made a good bond. He just loves people,” said Gleason.

Duke was a little distracted by all the friendly faces. He showed great skills jumping through hoops and listening to his handler in front of attendees at the program’s 10th anniversary event in July.

Another inmate, Gabriel Martinez, spoke favorably of the program. He used his skills in wood burning to create the winning barn medallion in 18-22 hours for the Lassen County Arts Council’s fair contest.

“I love it; we all love it here being handlers; it gives us a great sense of responsibility. When we see them go, it’s a little bittersweet,” said Martinez.

Meier said she hopes to lure in more participants to the program, and now the inmates who participate receive Rehabilitative Achievement Credits for their work.

“For me, it’s seeing a dog that’s been running the streets, or in a bad situation coming to the program (and changing) in two days. These handlers completely change the dog’s personality,” said Pups on Parole Coordinator Vicky Reinsel.

Celebrating 10 years of the program, handlers and those involved enjoyed cake and ice cream and reveled in the company of the seven pups currently looking and waiting for the perfect family, reported the Lassen County Times .

Pups on Parole is run by Lassen Humane Society and CCC and coordinates with Lassen County Animal Shelter.

“Love this program, we adopted Rocco into our family in February of this year,” said one message left on the Lassen County Times website. “We can’t imagine not having him as a part of the family. Thank you so much.”

Sierra Conservation Camp hosts Special Olympics softball game

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As part of an effort to reach out to the Special Olympic athletic community, inmates at the Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) hosted Northern California Special Olympics athletes in a friendly exhibition softball game. “People don’t expect a warm welcome when they come to prison,” but that’s exactly what the Special Olympics athletes got, according to a recent article in the Modesto Bee.   

“This is part of our amends and a way of giving back, it’s also finding skills we had within ourselves that we never realized we had,” Ralph Contreras said.

SCC’s New Professionals rehabilitation and career development group has partnered with Special Olympics of Northern California in the past, but this is the first time that the nonprofit group has worked directly with inmates, the Bee reported.

“I think the athletes need to realize that everyone has their problems—some of them are by choices they’ve made and some are not,” said Judy Burton-Andrews, Director of Volunteers for the Special Olympics.

Some of the Special Olympics team members were nervous at first, according to the Bee.

Trepidation melted away despite the 14-foot razor-wire fences that surrounded them. And then it was just another day on the ball field, said Tuolumne County Special Olympics Area Director Dave DeCheney, the team’s coach.

Inmates at the men’s state prison just outside of Jamestown welcomed a group of about 30 athletes, coaches and family members with the Tuolumne County Special Olympics, the Bee reported.

Special Olympics sports training and completion opportunities provide athletes of all athletic levels the chance to play and be part of a team, according to The Union Democrat. 

Staff with the Special Olympics of Northern California and Nevada strive to provide athletic opportunities to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, the Union Democrat reported.

The New Professionals program is one of the more than 40 rehabilitation groups that are held at the prison. Anger Management and Narcotics Anonymous were represented at the exhibition game, reported the Bee.                                       

The opening ceremonies included an abbreviated torch run and the lighting of an inmate-made cauldron — complete with plywood flames. Inmates carried banners during a mock parade of nations.

“They are experiencing how they can change their lives. I’m proud of the other people. They did all this good stuff for us,” said Timmy Robertson, a Special Olympics athlete.

After the game, people at Sierra Conservation Center presented a donation to Special Olympics of Northern California and Nevada, said the Union Democrat.

“It took a lot of courage for the Special Olympics athletes to come to prison today and participate. And it took a lot of courage for inmates to step out of their comfort zones and volunteer,” said Edward Quintanilla.

The inmates raised more than $1,200 for the Special Olympics through business sponsors and community donations. The prisoners themselves donated $500, money earned while working 8 to 32-cents-an-hour jobs, according to the Bee.                         

SCC houses 2,500 inmates in three separate security levels. The Special Olympics athletes were on the highest security level, where many inmates are serving life sentences. All the prisoners were vetted and cleared by security, reported the Bee.

Inmates train rescue dogs to become adoptable

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Prisoners who train therapy dogs have made a supportive connection with a teenage cancer patient through a program called Pawsitive Change.

Dogs are the link between a group of inmates at California City Correctional Facility and a 14- year-old girl battling cancer, according to a People website article by Amy Jamieson.

“Trying to turn this frown around, but today has been a rough day,” said Chloe, the 14-year-old cancer patient, in a Facebook posting.

She made the post after undergoing a bone marrow transplant and suffering frequent nausea, itching and pain, the article reported.

Zach Skow, the founder of Pawsitive Change, told the inmates about Chloe, and they had a supportive response.

“We go into the visiting room, and the first thing we see is you smiling at us,” said Tod, an inmate in the program, according to the article. “Zach brought a life-size cardboard cut-out of you. Everyone has big smiles on their faces, and are truly happy to see us. It’s a good feeling.”

After Skow brought a cardboard cut-out of Chloe to the prison, many of the inmates were inspired to write her letters. So far, 30 inmates have put pen to paper and sent mail Chloe’s way, according the article.

“The two couldn’t be more different — but in life both have a strong connection to dogs,” stated the article. “Through an intense rehabilitation program created by Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue these inmates train dogs saved from death row.”

The cardboard cut-out gave the inmates an up close and personal connectivity with Chloe, motivating them to be emotionally supportive of her.

Coming from two diverse backgrounds, the inmates and Chloe find common ground in the care and training of rescue dogs.

“Chloe has given them a chance to bond together and honestly express themselves emotionally, something they very rarely do in prison, if ever,” Skow said. “She has given them an excuse to be vulnerable as a group, outside racial lines, which is very, very rare.

“Chloe follows our Pawsitive Change prison program religiously and knows who all of the dogs and inmates are,” Skow said, in the article.

In Chloe’s honor, Skow is hitting the road with her cardboard cut-out in hand to raise money for lymphoma research.

Prison officials provide tablets to reduce violence

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California prison officials say they are working to improve inmates’ access to modern technology, while ensuring they won’t abuse the changes.

“Technology in prisons can provide inmates education, diversions from harmful behaviors, and a lifeline to family support that can ease the emotional stress associated with incarceration,” according to Jason Shueh’s Feb.8 story on the statescoop.com website.

“Our job is to figure out how to control it,” said Russ Nichols, chief information officer for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Projects are now underway to expand controlled connectivity throughout the system, Nichols said.

Nichols met recently with state officials and technology vendors. He told them that in some facilities inmates are already using eReaders that are not connected to the Internet to assist with their education.

“Putting more electronic devices will cut down on prison violence”

Nichols said his office is “debunking that assumption with a vision that embraces connectivity as a key driver of public safety and rehabilitation,” Shueh wrote.

In addition to the eReaders purchased for education, CDCR has partnered with JPay to allow inmates the option to purchase their own eReaders for personal and educational use.

Nichols said his goal is to offer a rehabilitative environment through technology in prisons. It can provide inmates education, diversions from harmful behaviors, and a lifeline to family support.

“We can use that device for educational purposes, let them sit on their bunk and take an anger management class or let them take a class to earn credit to shorten their sentence,” Nichols said.

“Putting more electronic devices will cut down on prison violence, because it gives an inmate an opportunity to be useful to society” agreed San Quentin inmate L. Scott.

Inmate Troy Dunmore from San Quentin added, “It’s a great opportunity for offenders because it helps save space and time. It’s more convenient.”

To those who object to inmates possessing this type of technology, Nichols said, “Incarceration must be more than punitive to be an effective form of rehabilitation,”

Looking toward the future, and his vision for the department’s use of technology, Nichols said, “We are trying to make sure that no matter where you are in a prison, you have connectivity…I want it available to every staff member, to every contractor or private company that comes in for any reason.”

He also touts better security for the prison facilities by using connectivity, according to StateScoop.com. Nichols said the department is researching how increasing technology use can enhance efficiency in areas such as surveillance and parole operations.

He added his staff has equipped all clinical areas of California prisons with internet access.

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