Starting the last week of April, the College Program will launch a series on sentencing policy and sentencing reform.  These lectures will take place at designated locations Friday afternoons from 1-3pm. The first lecture took  place April 24; several others are scheduled throughout May and June. More information about the schedule of presenters will be available at the first lecture.
The lectures will address a variety of issues, including an overview of sentencing guidelines in California and the political climate around sentencing reform; the three-strikes law; mandatory minimum penalties; sentencing juveniles as adults; and the recent ruling on overcrowding.      Experts from Stanford, UC Berkeley, Santa Clara University, the Drug Policy Alliance, and other organizations will present research and lead discussions. The lectures are intended to provide opportunities for students and volunteers in the College Program to learn about sentencing and to gain access to resources on criminal justice policy in California.
The lectures will allow for some discussion, question, and answer, but the presenters will not be able to give legal advice.
Provided By Jody Lewen & Jennifer Scaife
Patten College Program Coordinators, www.prisonuniversityproject.org
 

The Inmate Family Council (IFC) is an opportunity for visitors to have a voice concerning institutional polices that affect family relationships.  The IFC consists of 10 family members and friends of inmates who meet with correctional staff, including the visiting lieutenant and warden, on a regular basis to discuss these issues.  The goal of the IFC is to establish mutual understanding between the visitors and the institution.  The IFC at San Quentin was formed at the request of the state and the first meeting was held on Aug. 1, 2003.
Since its inception the accomplishments of the IFC include the development of the San Quentin visitors’ information brochure and the “Visiting Report Card” survey to provide a vehicle for visitors to express their concerns through the IFC.  Other improvements put in place by San Quentin as a result of IFC efforts include installation of door hooks and a mirror in the processing area bathrooms, an increase in the amount of money a visitor could bring in, installation of bulletin boards to disseminate IFC information and the development of a visual guide to inform visitors of clothing policies.  The IFC has also had input concerning institutional food quality and the quality of institutional medical care.
There are currently openings for additional IFC members. An attempt is made to place members who visit inmates in a variety of housing areas and there is currently a particular need for additional members for the Main and H-Unit visiting areas.  Applicants must be able to commit to a term of two years, attending meetings on the third Friday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and to be able to work with staff and fellow IFC members.  If you are a regular visitor who wants to have a voice in what goes on, now is your chance to do so.  To become a member, please contact Visiting Room Lt. K. Evans (415-454-1460 Ext. 5205). Please consider becoming a member.

In an effort to reach out to prisoners and educate people on both sides of the “wall,” the Anne Frank Center USA, in partnership with PEN American Center, has launched a Prison Diary Program for men and women in American prisons using the Diary of Anne Frank as an inspirational tool. Anne Frank herself was “imprisoned” for two years while in hiding and then was literally imprisoned in concentration camps during the last seven months of her life simply because she was Jewish.
The Anne Frank Center’s diary-writing program provides writers involved with PEN’s Prison Writing Program a blank journal, a pamphlet on diary writing, and a copy of A Diary of a Young Girl. Participants agree to keep their own diaries, writing about their lives and thoughts. When they finish filling their diary, they return the journals to The Anne Frank Center for possible publication on the internet and in print.  If you wish to be a part of this program, write to: Anne Frank Prison Diary Project, 38 Crosby Street 5^th Floor, New York, NY 10013.

In an environment created of iron, stainless steel, cinder blocks and concrete, are an accumulation of men who have committed a mixture of crimes ranging from drug dealing and petty theft to kidnap and murder. In this cruel, man made environment, live individuals who don’t follow the rules, disobey laws and simply don’t get along well with other men and women who are their polar opposites (law-abiding citizens). When we walk down streets, people clench their property and in some occasions, cross the street all in the fear of being robbed or criminally violated in some manner. Currently housed in a population of approximately 5,300, we, the incarcerated men of San Quentin State Prison are viewed as individuals whom society must be protected from. As an incarcerated man, this reporter can happily and easily contest that we are not the cancers of society. But don’t take my word for it; instead, allow me to share with you an interesting dynamic that is in place here at San Quentin State Prison.
On this cool May morning, I was blessed with the opportunity to participate in San Quentin State Prison’s 6th Annual Health Fair. This is an event that is hosted by the San Quentin T.R.U.S.T. for the Development of Incarcerated Men in conjunction with the National Trust for the Development of African American Men, the Alameda County Health Department and the Urban Male Health Initiative. The purpose of this event is to promote “Good Health” within self, family and community and to educate the incarcerated men in chronic health issues pertaining to gender, race and age. Every year, Dr. Arnold Chavez of the Alameda County Health Department pours his heart and soul into the recruitment of Health Care professionals for our annual health fair. What was once the hardest sell in the world for Dr. Chavez, has easily become an abundance of professionals who jump at the opportunity to participate in this annual event. Dr. Chavez remarks, “In the beginning, I was only able to get 10 – 15 Nurses and Health Specialists to participate in the event. Now I have over a 100 people each year who try to clear their calendars to participate in this day at San Quentin.” This year’s bunch of enthusiastic professionals included specialists providing information on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s), Risk Reduction, Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Nutritional Values Counseling, Blood Pressure testing, Body Mass Index, Glucose Testing, Cholesterol Testing and yes… Yoga! While Alameda County Health has always been at the forefront of volunteering, this year has brought a group of new faces. Entering the San Quentin health fair arena for the first time were doctors and interns from the University of California, San Francisco which provided information  in the fields of Geriatrics and Nutrition (Healthy Choice Recipes). Mildred Crear, an Oakland native, has been in the Health Care profession for 44 years, currently heads the Black Nurses Association (BNA) and was manning the Glucose Testing table. Mildred, a Registered Nurse who is here for her third visit states, “I return each year to empower people, give information about health care so the men in San Quentin will know and understand their numbers (Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Sugar and Body Mass).” Mildred continues by stating, “I hope the Receivership will improve the health care here in San Quentin and perhaps work together with outside organizations to help this process. Mildred went out on a limb by stating, “Maybe they will make the food better.” Bless her heart! During Mildred’s first visit, she was very skeptical about coming to San Quentin because she feared the unknown. At the end of our day, I was able to ask Mildred how she felt and she responded by simply stating if she could, she would take us all home with her. When she comes in she feels… Comfortable! And has no concerns while she is here and has stated that she feels safer here then she does in her own community at times.
While the focus today is strictly on promoting health, Dr. Gary Mendez, executive director of the National Trust, states in a speech provided to the population attending the fair, In making this statement Dr. Mendez lays down a challenge to the incarcerated men to make a change; and they respond. In droves, the men of San Quentin start showing up and participating in the different booths. As you make your way around the makeshift, “Medical Complex,” a picture of unity shows very clearly. Outside in the front yard, where rows of tables are lined up with professionals providing valuable information to the incarcerated men, genuine smiles, pleasantries and gestures are exchanged by both sides. Those people who were once afraid to be around us are now excited about having us around them. If you paid close attention, you actually saw several members of the T.R.U.S.T. actually working side by side with health care professionals assisting in not only passing out information, but sharing their own health experiences with other members of the incarcerated population thus giving the men a face they can put on this experience.
Katchie Ananda, a 20-year veteran yoga instructor, was asked about her experiences here at San Quentin and how she felt about being here. Her response was simple… “I am just happy to be able to give to your community.” You can see this by the way she consistently kept a full room during the fair as she was teaching men different techniques in breathing, medication, relaxation and concentration. Katchie is here on her second visit to the Health Fair, but is actually a Brown Card holder here at the prison. She remains very active with our population as she teaches yoga class on Fridays. What was probably the warmest part of my day, was watching Ms. Arnette Hayes. Arnette was providing information regarding STD’s and clearly had the most active booth. Arnette, also on her second visit, clearly accepted the role of the “Mother” to the younger members of our population. Her demeanor: cool and calm… And in control.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the picture being painted to you is just a simple artist’s stroke of the brush when compared to the larger mural that has been created… While the focus was on health, this day showed two communities working together hand in hand to accomplish a common goal: promoting good health and a healthy lifestyle. This reporter has witnessed all six fairs that have been presented to the San Quentin population and as an incarcerated man, it is always a pleasure to be present when they take place. It is during these days that we the population show that we may have been a cancer at one period in our lives, but now we are in remission creating a healthy body and soul.

Imagine, if you will, being a prisoner in one of San Quentin State Prison’s most secured and notorious housing units. This is the housing unit where most outsiders consider all hope to be abandoned and lost. This is the place where some say they keep California’s most dangerous, incorrigible, and irredeemable souls. This place that I am speaking of, is California’s “Death Row” or the now politically correct “Condemned Row.” The men and women in California who carrying the title of, “Condemned Inmates,” are the very individuals most people believe cannot be trusted with anyone else other than their own peers (other condemned inmates). They are the group of men and women who have not only given up on themselves, but also their families, communities and ultimately society. They are “Societal Outcasts,” from which nothing positive can come… So they say. If we look back at the history of Condemned Inmates, we will find a myriad of men and women with a wide range of crimes that had an extremely negative impact on societies yesterdays, todays and tomorrows. Most people will continue to focus on that negative light and see nothing else but a man or woman who is now only wasting the state’s time and money… Ladies and Gentlemen, this is far from true, from this world of cement and steel, a rose from concrete can grow.
So let’s take a look at that history again; this time, let’s look a little deeper. If you dig below the surface, you will find a host of Condemned men and women who have reached back out to their families and communities by way of authoring books, letters, periodicals, etc. I will not attempt to make any excuses for crimes committed, but instead I want to make an attempt at shining a light on the compassion that still lies in the hearts of these people who some believe have nothing else to live for. If you listen to what I am saying, and you dig just deep enough, you will find a man by the name of Ross “Patch” Keller. Ross Keller, convicted of murder with special circumstances was given the penalty of a “Death Sentence.” In the early sixties, Ross Keller, the father of a growing son, was faced with a difficult challenge. He like many other incarcerated men placed himself in the situation of not being able to care for his family. Ross Keller’s son was being influenced by the negative influences of society and ultimately began traveling the path of his father. Ross Keller came up with an idea of a program that could possibly help him, help his son. In a desperate attempt, Ross Keller drew up a proposal to create this program. In 1964, San Quentin’s Utilization of Inmates Resources, Experiences and Studies other wise known as S.Q.U.I.R.E.S. was born, holding its first workshop with “at-risk” youth from the San Francisco Bay Area. Although Ross Keller’s son was unable to attend the first workshop, he did eventually gain admittance into a later workshop. However, Ross Keller himself was unable to attend the workshop due to his being a prisoner in this facility.
Today, 44 years later, S.Q.U.I.R.E.S. holds workshops for at-risk youth that are mentored by the incarcerated men of San Quentin. The workshops provide close communication between the youth and the inmate participants, which has proven to be beneficial in many cases. During the sessions, every effort is made to establish a rapport with the youth. When needed, a verbal confrontation may be used by a S.Q.U.I.R.E.S. member to deal with a specific youth. This verbal contact has opened up problem areas which otherwise could have gone undetected. Also included in the S.Q.U.I.R.E.S. session is a tour of the lower exercise yard where the youth come in close proximity of mainline inmates, where the youth are offered graphic descriptions of life and existence at San Quentin. The youth also have the opportunity to tour housing units where they experience being placed in a cell for a period of time.
S.Q.U.I.R.E.S. like many programs in San Quentin State Prison has planted a seed and nurtured a relationship with its outside community creating an environment that is safe for communities to come in and be educated with this incarcerated community. In most cases, parents of teenagers who have trouble with their youth may seek advice from many sources: psychologists, psychiatrists, family counselors, teachers and judges. But few go to a source that speaks with the voice of experience about impulsive acting out and its consequences-incarcerated men, who have committed serious offenses. These men have invaluable information on the cause, as well as the devastating affect, of their behavioral problems.