If you want to change your life, you need to start working on yourself while still in prison, a former cop-turned-convict-turned-counselor advised a group of inmate writers.
If you think change will start when you get out, that won’t work, Douglas Butler recently told members of the San Quentin Journalism Guild.
“You have to practice in here, right now, to get clean and sober,” he added.
Butler served seven years as a police officer in Oakland, but later spent 20 years inside San Quentin State Prison for second-degree murder.
He has returned to San Quentin several times, encouraging inmates to turn their lives around and to join outside rehabilitation programs, such as those he works with.
After being free for nearly 11 years, Butler spoke Feb. 13 to the Journalism Guild – a group of prisoners who write articles for the San Quentin News.
HISTORY IN PRISON
As a source of inspiration, he discussed the history of his case and how life in San Quentin from 1984 to 2004 motivated him to change into a better man.
“The very first time I stepped foot inside my cell, I took one look around and told myself, ‘I don’t belong here,’” said Butler.
From that point forward, Butler was determined to gain his freedom by all positive means necessary.
“I surrounded myself with like-minded people, and associated with other men who shared my goals and commitments.”
He made a pact with another inmate, promising that they both would work hard to get out of prison.
PROGRAMS
Butler took advantage of many of the programs San Quentin has to offer. “San Quentin is considered the Mecca for programs in the prison system,” he said.
He spent a lot of time in the prison law library, studying and doing research. He eventually started working inside the library.
He explained how he was denied parole numerous times. “Every time I was denied parole, I would challenge it in court,” said Butler.
Even when he didn’t win relief at the board or in the courts, he said he still managed to learn something new.
“I believe in order for you to be successful, you have to be resilient,” said Butler.
He told Journalism Guild writers that he kept both the district attorney and the police officer who arrested him abreast of his rehabilitative efforts and progress in prison.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
He emphasized the importance of networking and maintaining a support system. “When you get out of prison, you’re going to need some type of support,” said Butler. “If you don’t have a support system, then create one.”
The police officer who arrested Butler was promoted to captain. This same captain wrote a support letter to the parole board saying he felt Butler was no longer a threat to society.
On Aug. 17, 2004, Butler was granted parole and released by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Since his release, Butler, now 60, has achieved many accomplishments on his road to redemption. He has established himself as a community activist involved in community programs such as Men of Valor, a transitional housing program for parolees.
MEN OF VALOR
He proudly revealed that former lifer and San Quentin News staff member Watani Stiner is currently occupying one of the beds at Men of Valor.
Butler also works for a community program called the Cypress Mandela Training Center (CMTC), based in Oakland.
CMTC is a pre-apprenticeship construction training program that began in 1993 in response to the 1989 San Francisco Bay Area Loma Prieta earthquake.
The program provides training, certification and employment in a wide array of construction trades such as carpentry, ironworkers, cement masons, operating engineers and green-collar jobs.
CMTC is available to all members of the public, including ex-felons. Construction jobs are union jobs and begin at $18 an hour.
RECIDIVISM
Butler talked about how lifers have the lowest recidivism rate of committing new crimes and returning back to prison.
“The success rate of the guys we work with is very good,” said Butler.
“People who get out and get into his program get treated with respect,” said Arnulfo T. Garcia, editor-in-chief of the San Quentin News. “I’ve got a lot of respect for the man. He keeps coming back.”
“What is character?” Butler asked. “Knowledge builds character… it’s never a waste of time,” he continued. “A man with real character is the same way all the time, even when he thinks no one is watching ….and you never know who is watching.”
The CMTC website is www.cypressmandela.org.
–Contributing writers to this article: Wesley R. Eisiminger, Rudy Moralez, Marcus Henderson and Kevin D. Sawyer
