San Quentin News

Written By Incarcerated - Advancing Social Justice

Spanish Facilitator Impacts Lives

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Lucia De La Fuente impacted the lives of 10 Spanish-speaking San Quentin prisoners with her skills as a counselor and teacher.
“She taught me how to deal with my traumas. I can own up to my crime and hold myself accountable for it,” said Manuel Murillo, one of her students.
De La Fuente is one of three volunteers that recently launched Victim-Offender Education Group (VOEG) for Spanish-speaking prisoners.
“It’s the other Spanish facilitators like her that are essential and important to help me express my feelings and emotions. It’s not only a change for me; it’s a change for everyone in the group. Now I have more confidence,” Murillo added.
VOEG is a self-help program inside San Quentin that adopts restorative justice practices to find healing for both offenders and survivors.
“This program is about forgiveness and accountability. They go together,” said De La Fuente. “It’s about being accountable for the harm and forgiveness and it is about being accountable for the good they’ve done. Everyone has a different process for forgiveness.”
In 2012, De La Fuente, a Mexican student, entered the United States on a visa to research Restorative Justice to earn a Ph.D. Her journey with VOEG began in a restorative justice facilitator training with IPP (Insight Prison Project), where she met former VOEG Program Coordinator Sonya Shah and VOEG facilitator Lesli Pastora Reyes.
Reyes recognized De La Fuente’s potential and invited her to co-facilitate the first Spanish VOEG with Steve Granville.
After the third phase of training, which was held inside San Quentin, her belief in restorative justice was confirmed. De La Fuente witnessed a group of inmate facilitators model exercises from the curriculum. “That’s when I decided to go nowhere and stay here,” said De La Fuente.
As a Mexican citizen, De La Fuente understands the importance of serving the underserved community. “There was a cultural component that was missing (from VOEG). Everyone grew up in a different place. There’s something about having the same heritage. You don’t need to explain yourself all the time, because everyone gets you,” said De La Fuente.
When the class began, De La Fuente, a soft-spoken petite young woman, was uncertain of her role as a facilitator. “The day that I met the group, I was afraid to say the wrong things and hurt them,” she said.
Two years later, on Jan. 16, 10 Mexican men completed the first Spanish VOEG class. In class, the men shared what they took from the program and expressed how De La Fuente helped change their lives.
 

|“This program is going to help me

to fully understand the impact of my criminal

behaviors and keep me from living a criminal lifestyle”|

 
“She was there every step of the way when I had a hard time understanding the assignments. She was willing to stop and break each step down so I could understand it,” said Jose Segura, who was recently found suitable for parole after serving 20 years. He aims to continue using what he learns out in the community. “This is going to help my kids because I can open up and better communicate with them. I can now be an example of their positive change.”
Eduardo Gonzalez said, “She helped me understand the process of my crime — who I was then and who I am now. I use to have a difficult time expressing my feelings and emotions. This program is going to help me to fully understand the impact of my criminal behaviors and keep me from living a criminal lifestyle.”
Reyes said of De La Fuente: “She was really timid — not sure if she was ready to facilitate. Now she is so confident in her abilities. (The participants) call her ‘The General.’ She is not shy. When she sees something, she’ll call it for what it is. I’m more flowery.”

Screen-Shot-2016-01-20-at-6

Lucia de la Fuente


 
“Working with (De La Fuente) helps us see the best in men,” said Reyes. “It’s helped her confront some things that she wasn’t ready to. It’s healed us both.”
After discussing the impact of the program, inside facilitators Arnulfo T. Garcia and Jorge Heredia presented certificates of appreciation to De La Fuente and Reyes on behalf of the participants. Both accepted the certificates with tears.
The students “have taught me that it’s okay to be in a vulnerable place,” De La Fuente said. “I didn’t know how to say no to people. I wanted to please everyone even though I didn’t want to. Now I can say no, because if I’m not OK, I can’t be OK for someone else.”
Despite the success of her experience, De La Fuente admits it is difficult being away from her country. “Life was hard in America trying to adjust to western culture.” Aside from receiving a national scholarship, she struggles to find income.
De La Fuente plans to continue with VOEG and wants to expand restorative justice abroad. “I want to keep doing this with the youth and women,” said De La Fuente.
Re-energized and clear with a vision, De La Fuente hopes to one day implement programs like VOEG in Mexico and different locations in Latin America. What drives her to continue her restorative justice endeavors is remembering the injustices that exist in her native land.
In two years, De La Fuente is scheduled to receive her doctorate in social change, focused on restorative justice, from California Institute of Integral Studies.

Amanda Howell Departs From San Quentin

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Amanda Howell, inside coordinator for the Prison University Project (PUP), has left the nonprofit organization that provides Associate of Arts degrees at San Quentin to pursue her own academic goals.
Howell impacted hundreds of students’ lives through her work as a PUP volunteer before becoming a full-time staff member. However, Howell said she didn’t anticipate how much her own life would be impacted.
In 2011, Howell first ventured inside San Quentin as a volunteer English tutor. She had been uncertain about this decision. “I was conflicted because I was working several jobs and applying for school at the time,” said Howell.
Howell’s views changed when she met PUP’s executive director, Dr. Jody Lewen, in volunteer training in November 2010. “She is the only person I know that can talk for hours and keep you interested,” said Howell.
Prior to PUP, Howell’s career was headed toward the music industry. “Music is definitely one of my passions. I’ve been around music all my life; my parents were musicians,” said Howell. She once worked as a management assistant with the Neville brothers and the Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars.
In 2008, the music industry took an economic downturn and she was laid off. “I took it as an opportunity to move on.” Her positive outlook led her back to what she originally wanted to do — which was to get into public policy and criminal justice.
Fortunately, PUP provided an opportunity for Howell to create change. “Everyone deserves high quality of education. It’s a human right,” said Howell.
Howell gained a greater appreciation for her students as she witnessed them overcome life difficulties. “You don’t know what you will do until you are placed in certain situations – the negative things like making poor choices and bad decisions. The students I work with here are by far the most motivated students I’ve ever worked with.
“I’m amazed at the resilience of students, like their efforts to earn a degree. It’s incredible and inspiring to be there and see people’s family and friends come and support the graduates.”
The students also appreciate Howell’s efforts to keep PUP operating efficiently. “I have the utmost respect for her work ethic and the way she carries herself,” said recent graduate Sa Tran.
“Amanda has been my direct supervisor since I came to work for PUP, and she has been a great boss. In everything she does, it’s obvious that she cares about the students,” said inmate Tommy Winfrey.
Raised in Pasadena, Howell majored in Mass Communications at the University of California at Berkeley. In her four and a half years working inside San Quentin, Howell admits that it was tough being away from her mom, Barbara Bolan. “It’s been a journey for her too,” said Howell, who is an only child.
Howell’s father, Dan, passed away when she was 13. Her father’s sudden death forced Howell to become more independent and gain “inner strength.” “You can do anything; you just can’t do everything,” said Howell re- fl ecting on her father’s advice. She adds, “I want to uphold his legacy, one that he would be proud of.”
When Howell’s family is not around, she feels supported by the PUP staff. “We’re doing a unique job. My co-workers have become a family. They understand so much. We know each other so well that it’s like we have our own language at this point. This job would be impossible to do without people to rely on.” Howell adds, “There are over 350 students and everyone has different needs, so we have to rely on each other. So that’s what makes it so hard to leave – this is family.”
As Howell’s time at San Quentin comes to an end, the experience gained through PUP has shaped her outlook on life. “My entire trajectory in life has been impacted by this. It completely changed what I want to do in life,” said Howell. She plans to focus her career on re-entry and transitional housing.
Reflecting on inmates’ re-entry problems, she said, “People go into housing and the decks are stacked – they are way in the middle of nowhere. How can we expect people to strive when they are sharing a tiny space, being moved from place to place, living in a community where schools are failing and lack economic stability?
“There has to be a better way. Rent is being driven up so high that people are being forced out of their own community. These are some of the things that led me into the fi eld where I’m looking to go.” –Richard Richardson contributed to this story

Lifers Hold Origami Workshop for Children’s Hospital

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Inside San Quentin’s Interfaith Chapel, 15 convicted murderers and lifer inmates came together to fold hundreds of origami hearts for patients at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital.
The inmates’ goal was to uplift the children’s hearts and make them feel loved and not forgotten on Valentine’s Day.
At the end of the origami workshops, hundreds of stand-up heart–shaped origami were sent to the hospital and placed on the children’s dinner trays on Valentine’s Day. “Just imagining the smiles on the kids’ faces, when they receive the (origami) hearts, makes it all worth it,” said inmate Upu S. Ama.
The origami event was led by volunteer Jun Hamamoto. She first brought origami to San Quentin in 2012 when she asked prisoners to fold cranes in support of global unity and world peace to be placed on the World Tree of Hope. The Rainbow World Fund (RWF) an Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender (LGBT) based humanitarian aid organization and the Japanese community came together to sponsor the World Tree of Hope.
The cranes made were signed with positive messages from inmates and displayed on a giant Christmas tree inside San Francisco’s City Hall.
The success of the first origami workshop inspired Hamamoto to bring the origami movement inside San Quentin.
Since 2012, she has held countless origami sessions involving different groups in San Quentin, such as the Native Hawaiian Spiritual Group, R.O.O.T.S. (Restoring Our Original True Selves), Buddha Dharma Sangha, Kid C.A.T. (Creating Awareness Together), Free to Succeed, the Native American Culture Group and Project REACH. Hamamoto plans to extend an invitation to more groups.
The Origami Legend
As a part of her Japanese heritage, Hamamoto believes that origami is more than an art project. It can have a spiritual meaning or impact. For example, there is a Japanese legend that if a person folds 1,000 origami cranes he’ll be granted a wish.
During World War II, a little Japanese girl, Sadako Sasaki, contracted cancer from the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. The little girl wished to get well from the cancer and thereby attempted to fold 1,000 cranes to get her wish.
Sadako wrote messages on the wings of the cranes, such as; “I will write peace on your wings, and you will fly all over the world.”
Sadako got up to 644 cranes before she passed away. Her classmates and friends completed her task, which inspired the creation of The World Tree of Hope.
For the inmates it was an opportunity to offer support for the children. “I wanted to give back to the kids,” said inmate Adnan Khan. “I understand that receiving something unexpected can uplift a child. It is similar to receiving mail; it brings joy. I hope I can do the same for them.”
During the origami session, the men were asked to wash their hands and be mindful of the kids’ conditions. For instance, no tape or glue were used to make the origami because they were told tape or glue could negatively affect the children’s conditions.
“Not only was the origami made with careful focus, it also required discipline and puts me in a meditative state of mind,” Khan said.
Sharing similar feelings, inmate Nick Lopez said, “When I’m folding origami, it calms my mind. For the few hours that I’m involved, it takes me away from prison. And knowing this goes to the children inspires me to want to do more.”
Harold Meeks, who attended his second origami workshop, said, “In addition to making hearts, we’ve also made butterflies to send home to family and friends. But what’s most meaningful is it’s an opportunity to build on rehabilitation and give back to the community. It is an honor to give and serve someone who is in an unfortunate circumstance.”

Counselor N. Lee Helps Inmates Seek Rehabilitation

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Correctional Officer N. Lee began working approximately one year ago as the Correctional Counselor I inside North Block of San Quentin. During that time, Lee has helped hundreds of inmates seek rehabilitation through her service as a caseworker.
Before taking the counselor position, Lee became a part of the Honor Guard. Only a few individuals are chosen to become Honor Guards. According to Lee, the purpose of the Honor Guard is to represent and serve the families of fallen officers.
Lee said, “We honor the families; we honor officers and their families through our service.” Being a part of the Honor Guard gave her an understanding that human beings share similar struggles and are connected in many ways, she explained. “Being able to connect in a time of pain and suffering is an honor for me. Our presence during this time signifies that their loved ones will be missed and honored for their works.”
In 2012, Lee faced a life-changing event. Without details, she mentioned that in order to escape misery, “I had to go within my soul and connect spiritually.” Lee’s advice for others going through similar difficulties is: “Keep working on yourself. Some people, in some way, are in prison mentally. True freedom comes from within.”
In her darkest hours, Lee prayed and found strength in a higher power. “When I did that, I got answers. It was obvious. I was overwhelmed with ease and felt liberated.” She said that faith would guide her journey through life.
Although Lee always believed in God, her faith was tested during her ordeal. “I’ve always known God,” she said, “but He has not been the leader of my life. Now He takes priority in my life.” Lee turned a potentially traumatic event into a positive opportunity to reconnect with God. “I had to go through this to find the light.”
Lee’s resilience through adversity also carries over in her work and the way she communicates with inmates. As a counselor, she helps inmates rehabilitate and achieve their goals. “I classify you guys (inmates) in specific programs so that you can succeed at your highest level. It’s not just programs; we try to make everything conducive to the appropriate level so you can reach your goals,” said Lee.
At times, more than 200 inmates are assigned as Lee’s clients; the majority are lifers. Through interactions, she realizes that most lifers share a common goal — to serve their sentence and return to society.
In order for lifer inmates to earn their freedom, they must reflect on the factors that led to their crime. Lee witnesses the challenges facing them when preparing for their parole hearings. “I understand the severity at the parole hearings,” said Lee. “I do my best to obtain the information to prepare inmates for the board. They have to do their part, so I do my part to the best of my ability,” she added.

“Being able to look in the mirror and say to myself, I did my best. Now tomorrow I have to do better. I have a lot of compassion for humankind. I approach every situation with compassion”

Despite the endless work and obstacles she faces, Lee takes an optimistic outlook on life. “At the end of the day, things are as they should be.” She added, “Being able to look in the mirror and say to myself, ‘I did my best. Now tomorrow I have to do better.’” Her motto is a reminder that there is always room for improvement.
Lee’s career with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also helped her realize that certain parts of the system are broken. Lee expresses concern about sentencing laws and says she cannot understand extreme sentencing. She finds it difficult to grasp why individuals are handed a “135 years-to-life” under the Three Strikes Law. She feels the law should focus on resources like education, trades, drug and alcohol programs, and prevention outlets for the youth instead of harsher sentencing.
During Lee’s early days as a correctional officer, others sometimes questioned her about her position. “I had to remind myself that there’s the law that we abide by, and there are also people’s lives that are at stake.”
She said a lifer who had spent over three decades incarcerated once told her to “be true to yourself.” She added, “His words connected with me. I was happy to know that he paroled the next day.” She further explained that to stay true to herself meant to stand firm in her decisions, despite the outcome, and that the important thing is to continue to learn from the experience.
Looking back on her career, Lee said, “I took a stand for what I believe in.” According to many who know her, Lee’s faith, fairness and balance contribute to her humility.

Prison reform could free 30,000 inmates says CSJ

13 PUP Students Gain New Appreciation for Biology

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Prison University Project’s (PUP) fall 2014 semester ended with 13 students gaining important knowledge and new appreciation for biology.
The biology course was collaborated and taught by professors Xan Chacko, Troy Lionberger, Ryan McGorty, Brock Roberts, Moe Turner, Diane Wiener, and Adam Williamson — all with different backgrounds in biology.
Throughout the course, students discussed basic biology topics that included information flow, cells, evolution, emergent properties and homeostasis.
Students were asked to form hypotheses and conduct experiments to test their theories. Students then were asked to present their independent projects in front of the class at the end of the semester.

Carlos Flores looking at how cells divide under the microscope while the teacher and students observe

Carlos Flores looking at how cells divide under the microscope while the teacher and students observe


Research topics from students included exploring multiple sclerosis (MS) on a cellular level, identifying whether left or right handedness is genetic, understanding consciousness, prisoners’ emotional mindset concerning love and romance, causations of drug addiction, stress and food addiction, environmental factors that cause breast cancer, dangers of human cloning, HIV, cognitive behaviors of domesticated dogs, depression on a cellular level, and inherited genetic factors of breast cancer that explain why specific ethnic groups are at greater risk than others.
PUP also provided a hands-on laboratory that included microscopy, statistical analysis, and discovery of organ function through dissection, according to the course schedule.

“Having a goal in biology helps us get to where we’re going faster. There’s a purpose and an end to this”

Student Danny Nha Ho said, “I have gained a great deal of understanding about information transmission, cells, evolution and human disease among other things,” he adds. “The hands-on laboratory experience observing biotic organisms under the microscope was beyond my expectations.”
The lab experiments involved DNA extraction from strawberries, along with dissecting sheep brains and cow eyes, and observing how light causes leaves to float or sink under the microscope.
Microscopy experimentation also looked at how sea urchins cells divided or didn’t divide during fertilization. “I saw the stage of an egg after the fertilization process forms its own ring to prevent other sperm from entering the egg,” said Ho.
“I am more aware of how close living organisms (bacteria, plants, animals, and humans) rely on one another to continue the cycle of life,” said Jerome Boone.
Eddie Herena was amazed at how much information is contained inside each cell. “A cell is as big as the universe,” said Herena. He added, “Having an understanding in biology deepened my interest in science and math.”
Biology gave him clarity and purpose in life, Carlos Flores said. “Having a goal in biology helps us get to where we’re going faster. There’s a purpose and an end to this.”
www.prisonuniversityproject.org

A Prisoner’s Newspaper Frustration

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‘I want to re-order, but I won’t until this is cleared up!’

San Quentin News,

This will be a quick note! I really can’t read the newspaper right now. I just wanted to get the newspaper so others could read. Right before I was [transferred] to this prison I sent you six stamps. While I did get two papers from High Desert, I haven’t got anything else since then. Please just let me know what is going on money-wise. I did get a paper the other day, but that is the first paper I got that was sent here. Since October 2013 the only couple of papers I got were rerouted from “High Desert State Prison.” Please straighten this out for me. I want to re-order, but I won’t until this is cleared up!

Thank you, Billy D.

Editor’s Response:

We (San Quentin News staff) apologize for any delay and inconvenience. We understand that with each transfer the mailing process of every prison mail differs. However, we are doing our part to get you your newspaper in a timely manner. In regard to your issue, we request $1.61 in stamps to cover the postage cost of mailing the paper. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

–Design Editor,

Phoeun You

S.Q. Get On The Bus Event

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Children traveled from as far away as San Diego to get hugs and kisses from their dads in celebration of Father’s Day June 6 in San Quentin’s visiting room.
“It is very important to have children connect with their parents to show them that they are loved,” said Amalin Molina, executive director for Center for Restorative Justice Works in Los Angeles.
Molina is a coordinator for Get On The Bus (GOTB), a nonprofit organization that brings children to incarcerated parents on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Molina said her connection to the program is personal. She said she overstayed her visa in 1998. Immigration Customs Enforcement arrested her with her husband and sent them to a detention camp in Long Beach. It took 16 months for them to be granted asylum.
During their detention, their three children were in school. “It was a huge struggle without a mother and father in the house. It was difficult being separated from my children, knowing that there was no adult to watch them,” she said. “The fact that the authorities did not find them was a good thing, because my kids were able to visit us while we were detained. They showed us that they are responsible. It was by the grace of God that they made it.”
“Research shows that when children are connected with fathers, they do better in school,” said Karen Vandelaat, a GOTB coordinator. “We believe children have a right to see their fathers.”
“It’s good to see the families come out for the guys who don’t get a lot of visits,” said Correctional Officer M. Lajoie, who has been with CDCR since April.
“I’m giddy,” said inmate Mark Jordan while hugging his daughter, Aleeya. “It’s bitter and sweet. The sweetness is that I get to see my daughter who has grown into a smart and beautiful young lady,” Jordan said. “But, it’s bitter, because being in prison is hard. You begin to understand that the mistakes you made have made it hard on your wife and kid. However, seeing my family gives me a chance to talk freely about why I’m here and not at home.”
“It’s been a while. It’s been five years,” said Patrice Berry, Aleeya’s mother. “When my baby found out about Get On The Bus she packed immediately. The Get On The Bus people provided everything. They truly treated us like guests. It was especially special for people who do not normally get waited on.”
GOTB volunteer/chaperone Karen Vandelaat said, “We’re all just one mistake from being someone in prison. Our message is that inmates are people who made a different choice. It’s a part of humanity to reach out and help. It’s like helping the underdogs.”
Vandelaat chaperoned children who rode in buses that began their journey in Long Beach, making stops in Santa Clarita, Bakersfield and Visalia before arriving at San Quentin.
Inmate Benny Gray’s surprise could not be contained as he watched his son Benny Gray III walk into the visiting room wearing a cap and gown. Gray’s son graduated from Lincoln High School in Stockton the day before the GOTB event.
“This was a perfect Father’s Day,” said Gray III’s mother, Sylvia Maldonado. “I was praying on it. I had nothing to lose. When Steve Emrick called me and said it was OK, I was so happy.”
Emrick is the Community Partnership Manager for San Quentin and the person who had to OK Gray III to come inside the prison with his cap and gown.
Gray III, a wrestler and football player, said his senior year was a struggle. “I made it through by keeping to my books. I just did everything I had to do.”
“I was being mom and dad while Benny was locked up,” Maldonado said. “I had to take him to church. It worked. He started calming down. I left everything in God’s hands.”
Gray III said he plans to go to tech school to learn electrical engineering and then go into the Air Force.
“He’s a good brother,” said his sister Bianca. “He helps me with my homework when I get stuck on it. That’s why I love him very much.”
Gray has about three more years on a six-year sentence. He said, “Since I’m from Stockton, I feel fortunate to have done all my time at San Quentin.” Gray said he is a co-facilitator for Victim Offenders Education Group. He said that he has completed three phases of the religious training program called Boot Camp and goes to church regularly. “Wherever I’m needed, I lend a hand,” he added.
“Programs like this help them [incarcerated men] prepare for life when they come home,” said GOTB volunteer Dominique De Clerck. “They have an early start on building a family bond.”
De Clerck helped chaperone children who rode in buses that began their journey in San Bernardino, making stops in Los Angeles and Antelope Valley before getting to San Quentin.
“We think it is important for families to continue to build a relationship even though one is incarcerated,” said GOTB volunteer Delores Leal.
“The Get On The Bus program is important to connect fathers with their children,” said inmate Troy Phillips’ ex, Zunknie Newell. “He [Troy] is the only dad that my kids know.”
“This weekend was about love for one another, but it was also about the pain in the eyes of the children from so many missing/absent fathers,” Phillips said.
Thirteen-year-old Gerald Salas Jr. popped out from hiding behind a vending machine in the visiting room and surprised his father, inmate Gerald Salas
“The last time I saw him was three years ago,” said Salas Sr., 29. “A Father’s Day visit makes you feel good. It’s a great feeling. It’s the greatest feeling to be with all your children.”
Salas Jr. said he traveled from Illinois to see his father. “When I surprised him, I started crying. Then he started crying. Then everyone was crying.”
“He’s a loving brother, a helping brother, who’s always been there for me,” said inmate Salas’ sister, Tatianna Keagan, 14. Keagan’s advice for families who have incarcerated members: “I would tell other kids to write them. They could always give good advice. My brother is a great dad to his kids and his family. He is a good son to his mom.”
Inmate Salas said he has about three years left on his sentence. “I’m going to reunite my family after this is done,” he said. Salas said he has completed a parenting class since being incarcerated. He said he is working on getting his GED; he attends Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. “You have to stop and think about what you’re doing,” Salas said. “Your anger gets tested every day in prison. You have to learn how to deal with it properly.”
“When I see children leave from the visit, they leave with joy and happiness. It is so beautiful to see children bond with their father,” Molina said. “We’re restoring the lives of the children to get them to connect so when daddy comes home they are not strangers. Reuniting children with their fathers is healing. Children have the right to be loved. They have the right to be kissed. We need to care about our children.”
“It really meant so much to me to spend time with my granddaughter and her to call me grandpa,” said Inmate Darnell “Moe” Washington. “She will always have memories of spending time with her grandpa Moe.”
Inmate John Vernacchio is the visiting room cameraman. “This was my second Get On The Bus event,” he said. “It’s heartwarming because you see families connecting. I almost broke into tears after seeing five family members in a group hug.”
Vernacchio, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, has no children and gets no visits. He said, “I feel blessed because I’ve been in the visiting room for a year and a half and kids come up and hug me. Some of the people who visit here make me feel like I have a family here, at least for the moment.”
It costs between $4,000 to $6,000 to pay for a bus from San Diego to San Quentin, according to Molina. An extra expense stems from the many stops to pick up children along the way to San Quentin, she said. “We don’t want to leave any children behind.”

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The San Quentin Community Shows Appreciation to Dr. Julie Lifshay

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Eight years ago, Julie Lifshay PhD, ventured inside San Quentin for the first time, hoping to help prisoners improve their lives. Today, she continues to contribute time and effort by working as an educator and a volunteer to the betterment of countless inmates.
In 2006, Lifshay met Jody Lewen PhD, executive director of the Prison University Project (PUP), at a presentation at University of California, Berkeley. Shortly after, Lifshay began volunteering for PUP, tutoring/teaching basic math, algebra, geometry, statistics, and public health.
While teaching at PUP, Lifshay recalled, “I was clueless about the injustice in our justice system. I had the potential to be aware of it, but I chose like other people to ignore it.”
She further expressed concerns about the way incarcerated people are viewed. “Violence is a wide spectrum. The range between someone with multiple murders and someone with a burglary is wide,” Lifshay said. “However, the public considers it all as ‘violent,’ which results in unfair sentencing. The law clumps up everyone together, whether they committed a serious act of violence or not.”
Lifshay said she realizes prisoners who are enrolled with PUP have the potential to be good citizens. “Prisoners are normal people. They are smart and insightful.”
Despite a positive view of PUP students, Lifshay said she is aware of being in a prison environment and is careful not to get too comfortable.
“You don’t want to be seen as a pushover. You have to draw the line,” said she said, adding, “You also have to leave a part of yourself outside these walls, which is something I had to grow accustomed to.”
Lifshay said she has spent weekends with other volunteers in support of Proposition 36 to change the Three Strikes Law by collecting signatures and tweeting to create awareness. Proposition 36 was passed last November, allowing some non-violent Three-Strikers the chance to ask a judge to reduce their life sentence.
In 2009, Centerforce hired Lifshay to teach prisoners about HIV, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases and other health-related issues in a program called Peer Health Education. Inmate Kris Himmelberger, a graduate of the Peer Health program says he enjoyed the class. “I learned about high risk factors and communicable diseases. The most important thing I got out of the class was that a little prevention could save my life.”
“Her dedication to Centerforce and the men at San Quentin is like no other. One thing I can say about Julie is that she cares with all her heart,” said Sonya Shah, Restorative Justice Program director of Insight Prison Project.
Lifshay has become involved with other programs like, Teaching Responsibility Utilizing Sociological Training (TRUST) and The Last Mile (TLM).
TLM is a six month tech-incubator program that teaches prisoners about technology, helps them to develop a business plan, create a verbal pitch, and turn it into a five-minute demo day presentation. “The Last Mile helps change people’s lives,” said Lifshay.
Lifshay has helped TLM entrepreneurs design their own business ideas.
“Dr. Lifshay has a big heart and I’ve seen it shine through on many of the occasions during my interactions with her. I’ve seen her show up at San Quentin in places like The Last Mile, TRUST and Centerforce,” said Tommy Winfrey, a graduate of TLM.
Jorge Heredia, a second-generation TLM graduate, describes Lifshay as “very valuable to The Last Mile program as a mentor. Since I became a part of The Last Mile, I have witnessed her dedication in helping the participants prepare for demo day. She helped me tremendously with developing my five-minute pitch presentation for the Last Mile. I am very grateful to her for everything she’s done.”
Al Amin McAdoo, who recently graduated from TLM said, “I was extremely nervous before going on stage to deliver my Public Outcry pitch, but what put me at ease was remembering Julie’s words, reminding me to speak to the audience as if I was having a conversation with one of my family members, or a close friend.”
“When I was struggling with my business idea, Julie’s encouragement gave me the strength to push myself harder,” said Jerome Boone, another TLM graduate.
After the last TLM demo day, Lifshay said, “I felt very proud.” She said, watching the graduates overcome their fears was very rewarding.
When asked what she would tell her friends about prisoners, Lifshay said, “I think people need to meet the people inside and see it firsthand.” She said everyone should experience volunteering and see the rehabilitation that transpires within the prison walls.
Lifshay said working inside San Quentin has given her a better perspective of how precious life is. “I have learned to a much greater degree to appreciate what I have.”

Report: U.S. Mentally Ill Prisoners Quadrupled

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A 2006 report from the Human Rights Watch concluded that the numbers of mentally ill prisoners in the U.S. has quadrupled since 2000, demonstrating a failure on the part of the prison system, which failed to properly treat mentally ill prisoners.
More than half the prisoners in the U.S. experienced some mental health problem, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. According to reports issues that qualify are: symptoms of major depression, mania and psychotic disorders. In 2006, approximately 705,600 incarcerated adults are in state prisons, federal prisons and local jails also suffer from the growing mental health population. Statistics concluded that 78,000 federal inmates and 479,000 prisoners are in local jails. An estimated 56.2 percent of the prison population suffers from mental health issues. In the adult general population it is 11 percent, according to BJS.
Reports find that doctors have diagnosed a quarter of incarcerated women with a psychiatric disorder. An estimated 73 percent of women in state prisons and 75 percent in local jails have mental health problems.
The growing numbers of mentally ill prisoners should be in hospital treatment programs rather than prisons, According to William Fisher’s article “Mentally Ill in Prison.”
Prison staffs are untrained to handle sick people whose illness can only get worse in prison, said Fisher.
As a result of having untrained prison officials, many staff have “turned to solitary confinement as a way to manage difficult or dangerous [mentally ill] prisoners,” said Fisher. Mentally ill prisoners can remain in solitary confinement for years, further damaging their conditions, Fisher adds.
When the mentally ill prisoners are released back to society, prisoners often leave the mental health system under-treated or not treated at all. Prisoners with mental health problems face a limited qualified staff, lack of facilities and prison policies that interferes with their treatment, according to Humans Right Watch.
While the numbers of mentally ill prisoners increases, prisons remain a dangerous and damaging place for them, said Director of Human Rights Watch Jamie Fellner.
Reports by HRW said that when mentally ill prisoners show signs of their illness such as being noisy, refusing orders, self-mutilating or attempted suicide, prison medical staffs attempt to resolve these disruptive prisoners by isolating them in solitary confinement that can push them into acute psychosis.
Fellner compares solitary confinement for the mentally ill prisoners to torturing an asthmatic by leaving them in a room with no air.
Human Rights Watch reported that people with mental illness, particularly those who are poor, homeless or struggling with substance abuse couldn’t get the treatment they need. When crimes are committed by the mentally ill, punitive sentencing laws mandate imprisonment.
Reports revealed that prisoners with mental illness were likely to have been physically or sexually abused in the past, living with family members with drug abuse problems, and have family members who had been incarcerated. Approximately 42 percent of mentally ill inmates suffered from drug dependence or abuse.
Miami-Dade County Judge Steve Leifman, recognizes the ongoing issues concerning what mentally ill prisoners face in the justice system and is working to do more than incarcerate them. Leifman’s ideas involved focusing on the mentally ill prisoners who commit non-violent crimes to seek out treatment rather than sending them through the prison system.
According to reports, many politicians who considered improving care for the mentally ill prisoners admit that the issue was not their highest priority. Some political leaders fear it would cost taxpayers more money on improving medications to care for the mentally ill that are housed in state hospitals. Former president of the American Psychiatric Association Dr. Francis J. Braceland maintains that “prescription of drugs for the mentally ill was and is a wise policy.”

2009 Study Shows Youth Gang Violence Rising

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Since 1980, gang violence among young people has been a growing problem throughout America, according to a 2009 study.
An innovative gang prevention strategy was introduced to several communities focusing on teenagers involved with gangs and their families.
The prevention strategy supports local organizations that help transition troubled youngsters away from negativity towards being productive members of society.
Supported by law enforcement 65 cities were surveyed that reported serious gang problems.
After the survey, the following suggestions were made:
Community mobilization: This involves a community effort, including ex-gang members, community leaders, and programs.
Opportunities provision: Program development aimed towards education, employment, and gang-involved youth.
Social intervention: Provide services such as schools, grassroots groups, religious organizations, law enforcement and criminal institutions for youth gangs and families.
Suppression: Supervision and monitoring gang youth by agencies of the community, schools, and the criminal justice system.
Organization change and development: Implementing regulations policies by effectively using potential resources, within and across agencies.
The Gang Violence Reduction Program was developed from the research, a project that lasted five years. The results included a decrease in violence and property crimes through the participation with older gang members.
Based on the program, researchers found that there was a decrease in gang participation and a decline in violence and drug arrest.

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