San Quentin—Christopher Wadsworth, former chief psychiatrist at San Quentin, was awarded more than $800,000 in a lawsuit that claimed he was retaliated against after he warned that conditions at the prison would endanger inmates, reports The Sacramento Bee. Wadsworth’s complaint alleged that a change in mental health protocol contributed to an inmate’s suicide in 2014. The lawsuit, filed in 2015, concluded this year when Wadsworth accepted a transfer to Folsom State Prison. Oakland—Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) … [Read more...] about News Briefs December 2018
Arizona crisis for low-level drug offenders
Arizona is wasting millions of dollars by imprisoning low-level drug offenders and failing to treat drug addicts, a recent report concludes. “Arizona imprisonment crisis removes thousands of people from the economy and costs tax- payers more than $1 billion each year (for the state Department of Corrections budget)-preventing the state from investing in other critical priorities like education, social services for families, and child safety,” said the report by FWD.us. FWD.us is a bipartisan political group founded by Silicon Valley … [Read more...] about Arizona crisis for low-level drug offenders
Unite the People ballot initiative
In 2017, Unite the People, formerly known as We the People Org, began the process of writing a ballot initiative with a goal of releasing the nearly 3,000 Californians locked up for nonviolent third strikes under our State’s mandatory sentencing law. Although we lacked the time or financial resources to move our initiative to the ballot in time for the November 2018 elections, we started a powerful grass roots movement of dedicated volunteers and family members with loved ones who have been unjustly incarcerated. Our immediate objectives now … [Read more...] about Unite the People ballot initiative
Dear Kid CAT, Vicki and Steve – Project Avary
Thank you for including us on the Project Avary walk in September. It was an truly an amazing day, far more powerful and thought-provoking than me and my husband Steve ever could have imagined. We had many conversations about it since that day, and we really just can’t stop thinking about the men – especially the Kid CAT members – locked up for huge swaths – if not all – of their lives. We had a talk with a man name David, a deeply thoughtful articulate young man who reminded us very much of the sons of some of our best friends. I was so … [Read more...] about Dear Kid CAT, Vicki and Steve – Project Avary
Eddie ‘ET’ Turner – LETTER TO THE EDITOR
“OGs must give back to those they broke away from” I’ve come to realize, after serving 37 years in prison, that we, the OGs, are responsible for the current trend of self-destruction that’s affecting our youngsters. OGs must first and foremost come to grips with the fact that many OGs have done a lot of stupid-dumb stuff. We must acknowledge this fact. It is only through serving long lengths of time and the struggle of dealing with life’s adversities, and the loss of loved ones that we now know what is real about … [Read more...] about Eddie ‘ET’ Turner – LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Bills pending in the CA legislature
AB 665 — Veterans who were convicted of a felony prior to January 1, 2015 who may have suffered various PTSD or other emotional issues as the result of their service to petition for a recall of sentence under specified conditions. This bill passed the legislature but is currently held in the Senate Appropriations Suspense file, pending budgetary action to provide funds for implementation. SB 1242 — Adds language requiring additional conditions to grant parole be codified, including demonstration of remorse and insight, reasonable time … [Read more...] about Bills pending in the CA legislature
UK coding program takes its cues from The Last Mile
San Quentin’s pioneering training program teaching prisoners to write computer code has attracted attention in Great Britain, as well as other countries abroad. The new coding program in the UK was patterned after San Quentin’s Last Mile, a program which is now called Code.7370. The British program opened in the Her Majesty’s Humber Prison in the United Kingdom (UK). “I read about The Last Mile a couple years ago and asked if I could do something similar over here in Europe” “I read about The Last Mile a couple years ago,” Michael Taylor, … [Read more...] about UK coding program takes its cues from The Last Mile
Happy Valentine’s Day From Me To My Love
A message from the men inside to their loved ones: To my loving wife Renee; When I say I love you more, I don’t mean I love you more than you love me. I mean I love you more than the bad days ahead of us. I love you more than any fight we will ever have. I love you more than the distance between us. I love you more than any obstacle that could try and come between us. I love you the most! --Romeo and Renee Bacos The woman who captured my heart and makes me smile. Thank you baby. I love you! No myth or fable, one of the greatest … [Read more...] about Happy Valentine’s Day From Me To My Love