Blues harmonica player Mark Hummel, 63, returned to San Quentin State Prison in August to discuss his music and to play a few tunes for the men in the guitar workshop. Kurt Huget, who teaches guitar on Thursday afternoons, introduced Hummel to the class before playing a blues tune as Hummel played improvised riffs on one of five harmonicas he brought with him to entertain and teach the class. Hummel described the different techniques for playing the harmonica in first position, second or cross position, and third position. Then, he … [Read more...] about World class musician returns to SQ after long hiatus
Robert E. Burton receives first ever Distinguished School award
Robert E. Burton Principal Michael Wheeless, receiving the Distinguished School award from OCE Superintendent Shannon Swain with Warden Ron Davis (Center) The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) Office of Correctional Education (OCE) presented its first ever Distinguished School award to the Robert E. Burton Adult School at San Quentin State Prison in July. An award ceremony was held at the prison to acknowledge “exemplary achievements” the school has made above all 34 other accredited schools within … [Read more...] about Robert E. Burton receives first ever Distinguished School award
Golden opportunities arise from California’s recent changes in sentencing
Craig “Qadree” Birch, 53, was serving a term of 40-years-to-life under California’s Three Strikes Law before his sentence was recalled by the sentencing court for his “exceptional conduct.” Under the newly passed Assembly Bill 2942, he was re-sentenced to 27 years and paroled from San Quentin in May. Birch was arrested in September 1994 in Sacramento County and convicted in March 1995. He served 24 years and eight months for a first-degree burglary with enhancements for prior prison commitments. “It’s a learning experience on how I was … [Read more...] about Golden opportunities arise from California’s recent changes in sentencing
San Francisco adopts free phone calls for inmates
Inmates in San Francisco county jails will be allowed to make free telephone calls, which is expected to reduce these costs passed on to their family and friends. In June, the city’s mayor, London Breed, and sheriff, Vicki Hennessy, announced plans to cut costs of phone calls and commissary items sold to inmates, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. In a statement, Breed said “This change is an important continuation of our efforts to reform fines and fees that disproportionately impact low-income people and communities of color.” … [Read more...] about San Francisco adopts free phone calls for inmates
California’s dark secret: prisoners sentenced under prior guidelines have little hope of ever being released
Some men serving life sentences in California say they’re “political prisoners.” While there’s technically no legal definition for the term, some facts and evidence suggest they may be right. At San Quentin State Prison, there are men who have served 40-plus years, continuously. These men are survivors of carceral Darwinism, having lived through changes in state politics, parole laws, parole boards, restructured prisoner classifications, a prosperous prison guards’ union, crime victims’ influence on laws, changes to the death penalty, and … [Read more...] about California’s dark secret: prisoners sentenced under prior guidelines have little hope of ever being released
Arizona rethinks its ban on prison literature
The state of Arizona lifted its ban on the book Chokehold after gaining national attention for banning the book written about the US criminal justice system policing Black men. “An uproar over the ban of Chokehold: Policing Black Men, including threats of a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, prompted Arizona prison officials to review a publication blacklist and reverse suspending the book,” National Public Radio (NPR) reported. A growing number of state prison systems, including California, bans prisoners from possessing … [Read more...] about Arizona rethinks its ban on prison literature
Bob Goff returns to San Quentin with friends
Bob Goff speaking to the crowd about ambition Bob Goff refers to him- self as a “recovering lawyer” after practicing law for 25 years. In May, he returned to San Quentin, along with some friends, to speak with the inmates who assist the many guests who tour the prison. Goff met these inmates when he toured San Quentin, and he wanted to speak directly to them. He first engaged them in the Protestant Chapel with dialog that involved comedy. Then he asked about their ambitions. “When people know what you want they want to help you,” … [Read more...] about Bob Goff returns to San Quentin with friends
Prison to Employment Connection prepares men for the workforce
PEC staff and inmate volunteers Prison to Employment Connection (PEC) at San Quentin graduated 44 men from its ninth session in June. The week before graduation, more than 40 business, career and education professionals attended Employer Day at the prison to do one-on-one interviews with the men. PEC’s 15-week program prepares men to be “job ready” before paroling. According to statistics from Diana Williams, PEC executive director, 210 men have graduated from the program since 2015. Of that number, 96 have paroled and only one has … [Read more...] about Prison to Employment Connection prepares men for the workforce
Program helps at risk youth through music
John Wallace at his studio John Wallace went to jail and prison19 times, starting at age 18. Then he was sent to San Quentin, where he served two terms and started writing rap lyrics on his last trip there in the prison’s West Block. An initial opening to a career in music happened by chance when Wallace and other inmates created what he described as a “radio show” called K-FU** Radio in the cell block where they would sing, rap and tell jokes at night. He said it was like comedy night in the cell block, and it inspired him to … [Read more...] about Program helps at risk youth through music
Two Marin professional classic musicians join Zuill Bailey to perform at San Quentin
Jeremy Constant, Zuill Bailey and Jenny Douglass performing at San Quentin Protestant Chapel Grammy Award winning cellist, Zuill Bailey, returned to San Quentin State Prison’s Protestant Chapel for a third time to perform for an audience of inmates, staff and outside guests. “Thank you for taking me out of prison for a while,” an inmate in the audience said. It was by far the best turnout for one of Bailey’s performances. The audience kept growing during the performance as inmates and staff trickled into the chapel for the noontime … [Read more...] about Two Marin professional classic musicians join Zuill Bailey to perform at San Quentin