San Quentin News

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Polanco family files suit over death of highly-regarded sergeant

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The family of a beloved San Quentin correctional sergeant who died of COVID-19 filed a wrongful death lawsuit against prison officials. The federal civil rights suit claims that his death was preventable and resulted from unsafe conditions at the prison created by “intentional and deliberately indifferent” decisions. “Officials created a … [Read More...]

San Quentin appeals record COVID fines

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San Quentin State Prison was fined $421,880 for COVID-19 workplace violations, the Sacramento Bee reported. San Quentin’s penalties topped the list of roughly 200 employers fined about $4.6 million by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) for COVID-related workplace violations, the June 24 story stated. San … [Read More...]

Federal judge issues vaccine mandate

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Prison personnel and certain incarcerated workers required to be inoculated A federal judge has ordered all California prison employees entering a prison to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have a medical or religious exemption. The order affects all prison workers, including correctional officers. U.S. District Court Judge Jon … [Read More...]

Arthur Yeary brings people and animals to life

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San Quentin State Prison has a diverse population of artists who work in a variety of styles and mediums. Each edition of SQ News seeks to highlight the amazing creativity among us. Arthur L. Yeary is one such artist whose incredible talent shines brightly.  “When I was 13, I started learning how to draw by doodling,” said Yeary. “The … [Read More...]

Robert Guzman’s hands express his father’s legacy

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Robert Guzman is a 54-year-old Native American who found a new life as an artist and amateur counselor in prison. His bloodline includes Ute, Blackfoot, and Mexican. He arrived at San Quentin in 2019. Throughout his 21 years of incarceration, Guzman honed skills he developed as a young boy working with leather, beads, paints, and woodcarvings — … [Read More...]

Hunger strike anniversary sheds light on SHU conditions

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Ten years ago, 10 prisoners in Pelican Bay’s Segregated Housing Unit (SHU) set aside their racial and political differences to work together to file a lawsuit about their conditions and to organize a hunger strike in peaceful protest. They wanted the Pelican Bay administration and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation … [Read More...]

Court orders use of body cams in prison

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A federal court has expanded a mandate that requires California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officers to wear body cameras. “The court order originally only applied to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility,” the Sacramento Bee reported.  Later, the court expanded its order to five prisons to include Kern Valley … [Read More...]

Mental Wellness Month addresses psychological self-care

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When a person starts to serve a sentence in a California prison, depression and despair are leading causes for a mental health crisis. Feeling abused and isolated are added factors.  Salinas Valley State Prison recorded the highest number of suicides during a 10-year period, according to the California Department of Corrections and … [Read More...]

Jerry Welsh finds therapeutic benefit in his intricate beadwork

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Gerald Welsh, 51, who has been incarcerated for 16 years, said he creates bead crafts for therapeutic reasons. “I find peace of mind and it is also a part of my religious belief,” said Welsh. Doing bead work sent him on a “whole different journey,” he said, as it has taken him through self-discovery and helped him to embrace his roots. Welsh … [Read More...]

Remembering Ronnie Goodman: Painter, champion runner, friend

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Living on the streets of San Francisco, Ronnie Goodman was never “homeless,” for his heart was ever at home in his art. “I am inspired by the beauty of this city and its diversity, balanced with the struggles of human despair,” he wrote before he died. “With my brush, I try to capture these raw emotions. Former San Quentin resident Ronnie … [Read More...]

§1170 Resentencing Pilot Program receives funding

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California has adopted and funded a program aimed at correcting inappropriate prison sentences. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Resenting Pilot Program into law in the 2021-22 budget. It will begin on Sept. 1. There are currently nine counties that will be involved in the initial pilot program: Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Riverside, Yolo, … [Read More...]

San Quentin COVID-19 response goes on trial

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For the first time ever, public court hearings were live-streamed via Zoom inside San Quentin. Incarcerated residents convened daily in the chapel to watch fellow prisoners, corrections officials, and medical experts testify about SQ’s COVID-19 outbreak. More than 300 SQ petitioners alleged claims of “deliberate indifference” and “cruel and … [Read More...]

Mt. Tam College classes resume

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A year and a half after canceling all classes due to the pandemic, Mount Tamalpais College (MTC) reopened in-person instruction inside San Quentin on September 14.  Twenty classes are now starting for some 300 students, including more than 50 new college students this Fall 2021 semester.  “It feels so empowering to be back in class,” … [Read More...]

SQ DEAF COMMUNITY DURING COVID-19

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A new community of unique deaf people arrived at San Quentin and had to endure a prison programming change plus a devastating COVID-19 outbreak.  “My COVID experience was awful,” said Jaime Paredes, SQ incarcerated deaf resident. “We were housed in North Block, but were getting quarantined in Badger Unit. We (the deaf community) was on … [Read More...]

IT’S SHOWTIME! WITH AARON TAYLOR

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Being prepared boosted Aaron “Showtime” Taylor from being a sports announcer inside San Quentin to doing the public address announcing at a game for the Golden State Warriors on April 10. “I was prepared for the moment when I got the unexpected email from the Warriors organization,” said Taylor in a telephone interview. The Warriors … [Read More...]

Michael Harris is free after 30 years

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Michael Harris, co-founder of Death Row Records and former San Quentin News editor-in-chief, has finally been freed. Harris was granted a pardon by former President Donald Trump, after serving 30 years in state and federal prisons. We at SQ News send Harris our respect and support on his next journey. We are truly grateful to Harris. After San … [Read More...]

New CDCR contract helps families stay connected

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Reduced phone costs and a tablet program are coming to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the CDCR has announced. A new six-year contract with Global Tel*Link (GTL) will reduce telephone costs starting March 19. All nationwide calls will be lowered to 2.5 cents per minute. Previously calls in California were 7.6 cents … [Read More...]

Random attacks targeting elderly Asian Americans

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Random attacks on elderly Asian Americans are being tied to former President Donald Trump’s assertion that the novel coronavirus is a “Chinese” disease. The U.S. has seen a spike in crimes against a community that has become the victims of hate and rhetoric, a community already considered vulnerable and less likely to report crime, reported … [Read More...]

Chinese community celebrates New Year

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Dancing dragons and loud pops from firecrackers normally mark the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. Due to COVID-19, a lot of celebrations were canceled or scaled down for 2021, called the “Year of the Ox." In Chinese culture, a zodiac sign is given to individuals born that year. There is the year of the Rat, Snake or the Pig. These … [Read More...]

San Quentin reopens limited in-person rehabilitation programs

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After almost a year of modified programming and a massive CO-VID-19 outbreak, San Quentin has reopened limited in-person education and its Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) programming. Under the current COVID-19 emergency protocols, students and substance abuse participants are scheduled to attend in-person classes with … [Read More...]

Cesar E. Chavez inspire reforms

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“Si Se Puede!” (Yes, it can be done!), embodies the uncommon legacy Cesar E. Chavez left for millions of people around the world. “If you’re not frightened that you might fail, you’ll never do the job,” said Chavez, according to Education of the Heart Quotes by Chavez. “If you’re frightened, you’ll work like crazy. Cesar Chavez was a civil … [Read More...]

Incarcerated Reentry Resource Directory

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This resource guide was provided by post-conviction unit interns from UC Hastings and the San Francisco Public’s Defenders Office. Researched and compiled by Ayanna Gandhi, Abigail Swallow, Amy Tao, Violeta Velazquez, Ruby Wilks under the Supervision of Stephen Liebb. Time for Change Foundation (Women) 2164 N Mountain View Ave San Bernardino, … [Read More...]

Black History month celebrates artists and legends

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Dr. Charles Drew (June 3, 1904 -April 1950) was an American surgeon and medical researcher. He researched in the field of blood transfusions and improved techniques for blood storage. He developed large-scale blood banks in early World War II. This allowed medics to save thousands of lives of the Allied forces, according to Wikipedia. To protest … [Read More...]

Q&A with Pulitzer Prize-nominated Ear Hustle

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Once again Ear Hustle, San Quentin’s critically acclaimed podcast, has broken new ground. It was nominated for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for audio recording, It was one of the three finalists for the prestigious award. This American Life with the Los Angeles Times and Vice News won. But for a podcast produced from prison to be acknowledged at that … [Read More...]

COVID-19 vaccinations in CDCR

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Makeshift vaccination stations were erected on San Quentin’s West Block yard in late January to provide those 65 and older and other vulnerable prisoners COVID-19 vaccination shots. Medical and correctional staff were the first to receive the vaccinations earlier that month. Medical staff are in the process of administering the Moderna or … [Read More...]

Ella Baker: Civil and human rights activist

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Ella Baker was an African-American civil rights and human rights activist. She was a largely behind-the-scenes organizer whose career spanned more than five decades. In New York City and the South, she worked alongside some of the most noted civil rights leaders of the 20th century, including W. E. B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, A. Philip Randolph, … [Read More...]

Our honors list for criminal justice work

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San Quentin News would like to honor and recognize these individuals for their work and contributions to social and criminal justice reform. There is no given order to the list; they all have selflessly and tirelessly worked for progressive changes in our criminal justice system, be it through donations, legislation or hard-nosed, on-the-streets, … [Read More...]

Sistas’ With Voices rally calls to new head of CDCR

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Voices of concern, love and a call to action were raised by families, friends and prison reform advocacy groups to welcome a new change in CDCR leadership. Sistas’ With Voices (SWV), a reentry and prison reform and advocacy group, led a rally on October 1 at CDCR headquarters in Sacramento to welcome Kathleen Allison, the new secretary of the … [Read More...]

CDCR plans to close DVI in 2021

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The closure of two of the 35 state prisons has been announced by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Deuel Vocational Institute (DVI), California’s sixth oldest prison, is scheduled to be closed Sept. 30, 2021. The Modified Community Correctional Facility (MCCF) at Shafter was scheduled to close Oct. 31, reported … [Read More...]

Cutting SQ population in half is a risky job

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San Quentin is on the verge of a monumental change after a state appellate court ordered the prison to slice its incarcerated population by 50% to cut back the coronavirus outbreak within the institution, according to multiple news agencies and the court order. Ivan Von Staich, a San Quentin prisoner, filed a court petition claiming that San … [Read More...]

PIA shifted its focus to COVID-19 care

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An emergency medical team and housing facility provided critical care for San Quentin’s sickest patients suffering from California’s deadliest prison coronavirus outbreak.  “By the end of this week, we will have a 220-bed Alternative Care Site (ACS) in PIA (Prison Industry Authority). This will improve our capacity to provide onsite medical … [Read More...]

SB 118 revises compassionate release

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Gov. Gavin Newsome has signed a bill increasing the chance for elderly and ill prisoners to obtain a compassionate release. The measure, SB 118, provides those incarcerated who have been diagnosed with a condition which is determined to either result in death or incapacitation to the point of an inability to perform the activities of basic daily … [Read More...]

Kathleen Allison the new Secretary of CDCR

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CDCR Press Release Kathleen Allison was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Secretary for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) on October 1, 2020. In her over 30 years at CDCR, she has held several leadership roles, including most recently Proposition 17 frees the vote for the formerly … [Read More...]

Gov. Newsom signs prison reform bills into law

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California prison reform got a boost as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed various legislative bills into law. But some of the incarcerated  remain skeptical about whether  there will be any real changes.  Parole for the elderly, prison closures and transgender correctional housing requests are among the changes that the California … [Read More...]

Proposition 17 frees the vote of the formerly incarcerated

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More than 40,000 parolees will head to the ballot box in the future.  California voters approve the Free the Vote Act this November.  The right to vote is an integral part of this democratic process in America, but there is a portion of Californians who are unable to have their voices heard at the ballot box, making Prop.17 a priority bill of … [Read More...]

The stark reality of prison, COVID and the public perception

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The screams of “Man Down!” (the incarcerated emergency medical call) rattle around the various San Quentin housing units. The alert starts the sounds of correctional officers loud boots hitting the pavement and their keys jingling adds to the chaos and the panic when the emergency alarms go off. Medical nurses arrive, covered from head to toe in … [Read More...]

The astonishing growth of San Quentin News

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This is a difficult time for the San Quentin News. But it’s not difficult for the reasons that plague nearly every other newspaper in the country. Those newspapers are in trouble because they are running out of readers, who increasingly switch to the internet for their information. The San Quentin News has plenty of eager readers. Its current … [Read More...]

SQ’s Sgt. G. Polanco passes from COVID-19

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Sad news: West Block has lost another guiding light. On Sunday, August 9, Sergeant G. Polanco died from coronavirus. Polanco, 55, a West Block unit Sergeant, is among the growing death list in our San Quentin community. We have lost 26 [29 by printing] of our incarcerated peers, friends, and associates to this deadly disease. Polanco became the … [Read More...]

CDCR and how they’re handing the global pandemic

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California prison officials are doing everything they can to protect incarcerated people from Coronavirus outbreaks, except release half the population. “What we are not going to do is make a bad situation worse,” said Ralph Diaz, Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) at a recent hearing. He cited … [Read More...]

The #STOPSANQUENTINOUTBREAK coalition

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Major protests, media appearances and a growing social media campaign are being led by former San Quentin prisoners, families of the currently incarcerated, prison reform advocates and some government officials. “We (the coalition) continue to agree with public health experts who have said that at least a 50%reduction in the incarcerated rate is … [Read More...]

Eddie Mixon’s Struggle To Survive His Risks

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As Coronavirus deaths escalate in California’s prisons, advocates say medical parole could help stem the pandemic. With a third of the population at San Quentin State Prison infected, the chronically ill and the elderly are scared that without intervention they could be next. [Note: This article was written in June. By mid-July, half the … [Read More...]

The Incarcerated Deaf Have Extra Challenges

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A new community of deaf people has finally arrived at San Quentin Prison. After battles in the courts and multiple fights contesting the ability of the deaf to function on non-handicapped prison yards, officials have conceded that deaf people may attend the programs that they desire, said one ex-prison official. “I love the environment and … [Read More...]

Wardens Broomfield, Allen Describe Their Journeys

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San Quentin’s acting warden, Ron Broomfield, recently accepted an invitation to sit in and speak directly with the incarcerated participants of Power Source, a San Quentin self-help program designed for young adults. But more than talk, Broomfield and Chief Deputy Warden Trent Allen also came to listen to the voices of the young individuals sent … [Read More...]

Mt. Tam College Is Born at San Quentin

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For the first time in history, an incarcerated community has an independent, accredited college program all its own. Newly named Mt. Tamalpais College (MTC) has established residency at San Quentin State Prison. “Everything happening right now is an affirmation of the unique challenges and questions we’ve faced. Every prison should have a … [Read More...]

The Early Warnings Of a Prison Pandemic

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Timothy Hicks wrote the following article well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit San Quentin. It foretells the disaster that would unfold at prisons generally and at San Quentin in particular. The Corona Virus has hit the U.S., prompting a fear is that it may hit prisons, with many questioning its possible impact. “Given the volume of … [Read More...]

Oakland bans the box for housing

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Oakland is the first city in the state to ban landlords from using criminal convictions to reject renters applying for private or public housing. The City Council unanimously passed the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance that prohibits landlords asking about a previous criminal conviction or denying an applicant with such a record. “This is … [Read More...]

SQN Johnson earns first Master’s Degree in 10 years

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Striving for a good education has its challenges for anyone, but for incarcerated students those trials and tribulations are greater. However, one incarcerated man has persevered and has become the first student to earn a Master’s of Business and Administration (MBA) degree at San Quentin State Prison in almost a decade. Michael Johnson, 37, … [Read More...]

144 graduate from Division of Rehabilitative Programs

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San Quentin’s gym includes a sign stating “a second chance at a first class life.” One hundred and forty- five incarcerated people celebrated completing the initial step to acquire that second chance on December 18. One-hundred and forty-five men graduated from recovery and life skills classes designed for transitioning home, allowing men a … [Read More...]

An unusual family visit at San Quentin

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On the first day of 2020, Marion Wickerd --wife of 1000 Mile Club member Tommy Wickerd—shared a special moment with her husband of 15 years: The Wickerds were spending a family visit together at The Q. However, instead of watching the New Year’s Day Rose Parade on television, the two were going to watch to the 4th Annual San Quentin New Year’s … [Read More...]

Prison Truth: The Story of the San Quentin News

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Veteran journalist Ted Koppel got it right when he said William J. Drummond proves to be the right person to tell the tale of San Quentin News (SQN). Drummond’s credibility as the storyteller comes from his long and eventful career as a journalist, UC Berkeley journalism professor and his once or twice a week venture inside the SQN newsroom office … [Read More...]

Executive forms organization to help officials curb recidivism

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A top Google executive has formed a non-profit organization to help prison officials understand which programs work and don’t work to curb recidivism. “In the criminal justice system today-an incredibly large and important and impactful system-we have none of those same abilities. It’s millions of lives, billions of dollars, and we don’t have a … [Read More...]

SQ keeps tradition of giving

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Veterans’ Toys for Tots continues to warm the hearts of many The cheer of Christmas giving filled the San Quentin State Prison visiting rooms as children celebrated the holidays with their incarcerated loved ones in December. “We got absolutely excited!” said 11-year-old Omar Elias, who came to the prison to visit his uncle Ramon Ruelas. … [Read More...]

When sports turn an eye toward prison

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The Sacramento Kings showed love to Folsom State prisoners during a special night of community healing. In a circle within the prison chapel, they shared life experiences before celebrating Folsom’s newly renovated outdoor basketball court. Kings players, owner Vivek Ranadive, coach Luke Walton and others joined filmmaker-turned-social activist … [Read More...]

World renowned magicians tour and perform at SQ

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An international squad of escape artists, grand illusionists, mind readers and tricksters descended on San Quentin State Prison for a special Nov. 26 performance right before Thanksgiving. Set to make their Broadway San Francisco debut later that night, Champions of Magic chose to first visit SQ and dazzle prisoners with theatrical wizardry and … [Read More...]

Bread & Roses perform for Death Row

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Entire concert was videotaped for Death Row viewing Prisoners and outside guest Tony Saunders played a concert for the 700-plus men housed on the world’s largest Death Row inside San Quentin State Prison. More than 30 prisoners from the general population did musical performances in the prison’s Catholic Chapel, but due to the security … [Read More...]

The value of Prison to Employment Connection on returning citizens through job opportunities and connections

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Prison to Employment Connection (PEC) reached a milestone at San Quentin, completing its 10th session and graduating 44 men, who learned how to present themselves to future employers. One of the highlights of the program was Employer Day in November, where 196 interviews took place with inmates inside the prison’s Protestant chapel. They were … [Read More...]

Red Hoop drumming group brings sounds of life to SQ Pow Wow

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The Nevada Red Hoop drumming group brought the sounds of life to San Quentin’s Native American Group Annual Fall Pow Wow. The thumping sounds of traditional drumming filled the prison’s visiting room, blending with the scent of sage, circle dancing and chanting from the outside spiritual elders. The pulsating drumbeats simulate the rhythm … [Read More...]

Advocates launch #MeTooBehindBars for those incarcerated

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Sexual violence and transphobia in prisons are still taboo topics of discussion, even in the midst of some prison reform efforts nationwide. But a group of victims/survivors and advocates launched the #MeTooBehindBars campaign that aims to influence the #MeToo movement and to include the voices of those incarcerated who have or are suffering … [Read More...]

Annual Christmas Banquet brings out the holiday spirit

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The spirit of the holidays filled the San Quentin Protestant Chapel for more than 300 volunteers and prisoners at the annual Christmas Banquet. “It’s such a joyous occasion. It’s the best day of the year for so many of us!” said Fred Cole, one of about 250 men in blue. Some 50 volunteers and the inmates braved the rain and wind on the … [Read More...]

SQ Transgender Day of Remembrance

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For the first time in its history, San Quentin State Prison joined the nationwide movement on Nov. 20 to memorialize 22 transpersons killed by hatred across the U.S. in the last year. “Just because I’m not a part of society doesn’t mean that as a transwoman I don’t matter,” said incarcerated trans activist Lisa Strawn, who spearheaded the … [Read More...]

The Homecoming Project

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Where returning citizens find a warm welcome in the homes of local residents People with room for a boarder are helping provide housing for some former California prisoners. The Homecoming program was launched in 2018 in Alameda County to provide formerly incarcerated people places to live — with plans to expand across the United … [Read More...]

In-Depth: From Eastern Europe, Alexandru Singuru

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Alex is an Eastern European native of Moldova, and his family migrated to Sacramento when he was ten. He went to Highlands High School, playing volleyball, tennis, soccer and cross country running – his favorite sport. At 15, he started playing basketball just to stay in shape, however, he fell in love with the game and has played it ever … [Read More...]

They risk their lives for as little as $2.90 a day

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California's prisoners firefighters receive little benefit for their service on the fire lines More than 3,000 California prisoners help fight the state’s wildfires and are paid well below minimum wages. Inmates who work on active fires are paid between $2.90 and $5.12 a day, and get an additional $1 an hour during an active emergency, … [Read More...]

Hamilton meets Marin Shakespeare at San Quentin

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Renowned acting company finds emotional connection with incarcerated actors Cast and crew members from the Broadway San Francisco production of Hamilton reconnected with the San Quentin community at the Oct. 11 Marin Shakespeare performance. First visiting the historic and innovative prison in June, this time the Hamilton gang filled an … [Read More...]

California law paves the way for ex-felons to serve on juries

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The California jury system came a major step closer to fairly representing their communities and the criminal defendants they deliberate over thanks to newly signed Senate Bill 310. Starting in 2020, most former felons who have served their time and been discharged from parole or probation will no longer be excluded from jury service. “Over … [Read More...]

Alameda County top prosecutor in favor of rehabilitation

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One of California’s top prosecutors says it’s important to keep deserving persons out of prison and to help deserving incarcerated people build a successful life upon release. Progress toward rehabilitation and strengthening reentry programs for “justice involved” people was discussed at San Quentin by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy … [Read More...]

The visionary who resurrected San Quentin News

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Eleven years ago, former San Quentin warden Robert Ayers Jr. pulled the San Quentin News from the dust heap and revitalized the inmate-run publication more than 20 years after it had been officially suspended. Ayers’ decision was a gamble. But it paid off to the benefit of thousands of prisoners and other readers around the world who learn … [Read More...]

Family, community and music fill Makahiki celebration

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Sixty men in “Ocean Pacific Blue” along with 24 community members attended an annual Hawaiian celebration called Makahiki, in San Quentin’s Visiting Room on October 4. Family members drove hundreds of miles to celebrate the feast. “I’ve been to a lot of prisons and there is nowhere like this. It’s all about family and community,” said Louis … [Read More...]

Twelve CDCR prisons are in dire need of repair

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Don Spector, Director of the Prison Law Office: “Prisons are literally crumbling” Twelve of California’s oldest prisons are in need of repair or replacement, according a state-commissioned study recently made public. San Quentin State Prison, California’s oldest prison, built in 1852, is one of the 12 prisons that has “exceeded (its) … [Read More...]

San Quentin workers donate more than $7,000 to non-profits

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San Quentin workers donated more than $7,000 of their paychecks to two non- profit organizations selected by Warden Ron Davis that serve young people in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I took so much from society. Now I can give back,” said Ronald Bruce Carter at the Oct. 15 check presentation. Tracy Herrmann said, “It’s a big difference from … [Read More...]

Air Force vet commits to working with youth organizations

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Will VanBrackle served his country in the U.S. Air Force. Now he serves the Bay Area youth community by helping the kids of incarcerated parents through Project Avary—and by volunteering as a KidCAT facilitator inside San Quentin. A troubled youth himself, VanBrackle faced his own life struggles before finding a path to being of service. “As a … [Read More...]

A journey of recovery and reclamation for Officer Calvo

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Before coming to San Quentin, Correctional Officer Calvo was homeless and living on the streets, alcohol ruining his life. Calvo described himself as a functional alcoholic, who held a job, but was drunk all the time. Due to the progressive nature of alcoholism, his problem got worse over time. Calvo, who is retiring after 18 years at … [Read More...]

Filmmaking team premierès College Behind Bars at SQ

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Acclaimed filmmakers Sarah Botstein and Lynn Novick brought their latest effort, College Behind Bars, to San Quentin for a premierè screening organized through SQ’s Prison University Project (PUP) on Sept. 18. Shot on location inside several east coast correctional facilities, the documentary examines the struggles and triumphs of incarcerated … [Read More...]

TRUST facilitators go home but find new blood to lead

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Great companies and organizations are the ones that can stand the test of time and San Quentin’s T.R.U.S.T rehabilitative group is one of those programs. The transformative group hosted its 14th Annual San Quentin T.R.U.S.T Graduation Ceremony and banquet. The October 10 event honored more than 60 people graduating from three different … [Read More...]

11 annual Walk for a Cure

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A sea of pink flooded the San Quentin Lower Yard as more than 100 prisoners and dozens of volunteers enjoyed a sunny fall weekend to support the fight against cancer. They joined to build, serve and inspire their SQ community in the 11th annual “Walk for a Cure.” “We begin with a lap of silence to remember those we have lost to cancer and show … [Read More...]

Raising awareness during 2nd annual Mental Wellness Week

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—Joe Garcia —David Ditto and Anthony Faulk contributed Incarcerated and outside members of the San Quentin community joined forces to emotionally support one another and raise awareness during the prison’s second annual Mental Wellness Week. “This week is about all of us coming together to encourage hope—no one should feel they have to go … [Read More...]

No More Tears violence prevention program originates from the heart

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As the sun was setting on San Quentin, dozens of incarcerated men and Bay Area citizens gathered in the Protestant Chapel to break bread, on Sept. 14, in celebration of No More Tears, a violence prevention program. Mick Gardner, executive director of the program established in 2002, revealed that in the last three years, 43 participants of No … [Read More...]

San Quentin News staff member David Lê paroles after 13 years

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In prison, David B. Lê, 35, is known to many as “the professor.” After serving close to 13 years of a 40-years-to-life sentence, he paroled from San Quentin in July. “David is a young guy with an old soul,” said Tien, an inmate who did not give his full name. “I already miss talking to David and hearing his not-his-age, insightful advice. I’m … [Read More...]

Professional healthcare workers showed up at San Quentin

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Personal well-being was the theme of the day at San Quentin’s 16th Annual Health Fair. A diverse array of professionals from the healthcare industry ventured inside the walls of San Quentin to educate the incarcerated about physical and mental health. “Everybody matters and their health should be valued,” said nurse Mike, a volunteer, “I’ve … [Read More...]

21st century training for a brighter job future

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By, Juan Haines and Michael Johnson, Senior Editor and Staff Writer. Top officials from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), as well as personnel from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, celebrated the graduation of dozens of prisoners who completed highly touted apprenticeship programs geared to pre-pare them for … [Read More...]

Construction training offers increased job opportunities

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A vocational program is changing lives and instilling hope for a positive future for San Quentin prisoners. The construction skills program enables prisoners to qualify for a number of career certifications and union memberships. “This is a tough program that consists of 640 classroom hours, tests, workbook assignments and 280 hours of … [Read More...]

Celebrating a community led by peaceful intention

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The 2019 Day of Peace Celebration was a festival of music and healing featuring dynamic outsider performers and San Quentin talent. “This music brings tears to my eyes. It’s touching my soul, lowering my anxiety and depression,” said inmate J.O. Chisom. “It’s saving me from my inner thoughts as we speak.” “I feel blessed every time I come … [Read More...]

Concert showcases Mad Mama, the Bona Fide Few, and the Bangers

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The sounds of guitar riffs being shredded and vintage rock ’n’ roll rang throughout San Quentin’s Lower Yard for the prison’s annual Rock Concert. The July 27 event showcased Mad Mama and the Bona Fide Few and punk rock band the Bangers. Mad Mama’s band hails from San Francisco and the Bangers made the trip from Sacramento. The lively … [Read More...]

Oakland Police Chief delivers apology at SQ Barbershop Forum

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Oakland Police Chief Jane Kirkpatrick delivered an encouraging message of respect, hope and an apology for law enforcement misdeeds to more than 200 San Quentin prisoners looking forward to freedom. “We have a future and hope together,” Kirkpatrick said. “You will be given an opportunity for restoration and you will be welcomed home. “When … [Read More...]

Power Source group commemorates first-ever YOP graduation

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San Quentin youth offenders came together on their own—in a grassroots ceremony on June 23, to commemorate the first-ever graduating cycle of the Power Source curriculum. Institutional glitches delayed the officially scheduled graduation in May. But, the incarcerated members of BE-IT (Benefitting Each Individual Together) wanted to make sure … [Read More...]

Town Hall addresses the arrival of deaf prisoners

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San Quentin State Prison will begin housing deaf prisoners, state officials report. “They just want to be a part of the education and self-help pro- grams you enjoy here,” said Kelly Mitchell, assistant deputy director for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The transfers to San Quentin are the result of … [Read More...]

Robert E. Burton receives first ever Distinguished School award

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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 … [Read More...]

Ken Burns brings Country Music to SQ

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Ken Burns came to the San Quentin chapel and delivered an exclusive prison screening of his latest American gospel, Country Music. The July 24 visit brought prisoners up close and personal with the legendary filmmaker and two of his Florentine Films teammates, writer and co-producers Julie Dunfey and Dayton Duncan. “I feel like I’ve met … [Read More...]

An emerging class of peacemakers from San Quentin

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Restorative justice program GRIP continues its legacy of healing with its newest grads After examining their lives, past traumas, their crimes and taking account- ability of it all, nearly 150 incarcerated men underwent a “rite of passage” in San Quentin’s visiting room that ended with the men pledging to live as peacemakers. Guiding Rage … [Read More...]

Getting a rare second chance in prison: How one youthful offender reclaimed his life with the help of others

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Ryan Dietz arrived at San Quentin in 2016 ready to succumb to all the usual pitfalls that await youth of- fenders—substance abuse, cellphone activity and peer- pressured violence. Instead, the 19-year-old found a supportive community of mentors and positive role models that guided him onto a better path and a brighter future. Dietz paroled from … [Read More...]

A walk on the yard sends youth to camp

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“We march in solidarity, we all are behind bars,” were the lyrics of a rap song that blared through a massive speaker on San Quentin’s Lower Yard. The song captured the voices and themes of SQ Project Avary’s 3rd Annual “March for the Next Generation.” The June 22 event had inmate Philippe “Kells” Kelly and Eric McCanty of Project Avary … [Read More...]

California’s out-state prisoners brought back

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The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced that it has ended the practice of housing prisoners in out-of-state facilities. But San Quentin inmates who have served time in private lockups say those prisons are much better than California institutions, even though they dislike the separation from their families. “I … [Read More...]

Hamilton cast and crew visits San Quentin

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The world proved wide enough for San Quentin prisoners and the San Francisco production of Hamilton to come together as one community. At the invitation of SQNews adviser Jan Perry, members of the cast and crew welcomed the June 21 opportunity to take a quick tour of the prison while getting acquainted with some of its incarcerated residents. … [Read More...]

Quentin Cooks culinary program serves up big audience

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A documentary filmmaker spent a year in San Quentin filming a cooking program as it progressed. He found that learning high-end culinary arts changed the way incarcerated people see the world. “The guys really talk about the pride of cooking for the other guys,” said filmmaker Santhosh Daniel, “When you cook for someone else and put your soul … [Read More...]

Prison to Employment Connection prepares men for the workforce

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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 … [Read More...]

Get On The Bus unites families at SQ

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The laughter, tears and warm embraces of family reunions filled the San Quentin visiting rooms during the day-long Get On The Bus (GOTB) event on Friday, May 31. Daughters, sons and grandchildren reconnected with their incarcerated fathers and grandfathers after years—even decades—of separation. Get On The Bus supports family relationships … [Read More...]

Jesse Vasquez, SQN former editor-in-chief paroled

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Jesse Vasquez, 36, former editor-in-chief of San Quentin News, paroled in late May from San Quentin State Prison after spending all of his adult years in prison and a little more than half his life. Vasquez paroled with a different state of mind from the one his 17-year-old younger self arrived with in 2001. “When I was a teenager, I knew I … [Read More...]

Upcoming Events for San Quentin in July

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San Quentin Day of Peace July 13th Lower Yard Ken Burns documentary July 24th Protestant Chapel 11:00-1:00pm San Quentin Barbershop Dialogue July 26th Protestant Chapel 10:00-3:00pm San Quentin Education Graduation July 26th San Quentin Yard Show July 27th Lower Yard … [Read More...]

The Beat Within celebrates 21 years of giving youth a voice

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For the past five years, Dave Inocencio has been coming to San Quentin to lead a writing workshop for The Beat Within publication that he started 21 years ago in San Francisco. He got involved with San Quentin through Karen Drucker, who, at the time, worked with the KID CAT program and emailed him asking him to be a part of it. The first time he … [Read More...]

San Quentin A’s Season Opener

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With 2 ceremonial pre- game pitches, one by an octogenarian, and a national anthem complete with the presentation of the Stars and Bars, the San Quentin Athletics opened their season with a 16-3 thrashing of the San Francisco Mission on 4/20/2019. “It feels good to get back to the game that we love,” said Branden Riddle-Terrell, veteran A’s … [Read More...]

Public Defender Brendon Woods visits SQ

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Brendon Woods, Alameda County’s Chief Public Defender, knows that prisoners take a dim view of lawyers from the PD’s office. And he wants to change that. Woods, 48, and a native New Yorker, is the only Black chief public defender among the 58 California counties. He visited San Quentin and met with inmates and discussed how to make California … [Read More...]

Navigating the unexpected: Improv offers critical life skills

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Roars of laughter filled the classroom as the Prison University Project (PUP) Improv Troupe put on the last of two performances for the spring semester. The April 19 show was a result of everything that the students learned in the Improv for Life class. “Everything that you are about to see has not been planned; it has not been rehearsed; it … [Read More...]

Criminal canines given reprieve through rehabilitation at SQ

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In the County of Marin, some animals that are stigmatized because they are pit bulls are given a second chance. Mack is one of those dogs. He was afforded the opportunity to be trained and prepared for adoption through the Pen Pals program—a 14-year alliance between San Quentin State Prison and the Marin Humane Society. The program connects dogs … [Read More...]

Program helps at risk youth through music

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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 … [Read More...]

Editorial: Marcus Henderson

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I am proud to have worked and walked the journey of prison journalism with a remarkable group of men for the past five years. These dedicated men have produced the award winning San Quentin News while also balancing college and rehabilitative programs. That hard work has paid off for some of those in the newsroom: Six of our fellow staff members … [Read More...]

Wall City Volume 2: If you want it all – look here!

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Everyone who donates $40 or more to San Quentin News this year will get a free gift – a full color 32-page Wall City magazine Volume 2– written and created by inmates. This is the second volume of Wall City – the San Quentin News publication focused on keeping you informed on criminal justice and rehabilitation issues. The all-new spring … [Read More...]

Programas de rehabilitación dan esperanzas a reos

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La estrategia del departamento de correcciones de California para comenzar un programa de rehabilitación más efectivo ha dado como resultado las Undesignated Yards. Estas unidades son para aquellos reos que han decidido abandonar las pandillas o simplemente buscan una oportunidad de salir de prisión. El programa comenzó en el 2018 en la prisión … [Read More...]

San Quentin’s 52nd annual Native American Pow Wow

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Native American spiritual leaders from across California and the na- tion brought the spirit of family and the traditional healing dances to San Quentin’s 52nd annual Pow Wow. Colorful dancers from Oklahoma and elders from Oregon mixed with the local Native American prisoners to celebrate the sacred circle of life. “We came to let the men … [Read More...]

Google attends San Quentin mixer

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The morning of April 11 started with fun and games with participants from Google.org and incarcerated coding students as a way to socialize. The first game, the circle name game, an icebreaker consisted of everyone yelling out his or her name and that of the person next to them as fast as possible, which was easy to see that the day was going to … [Read More...]

Dr. Gabor Maté lectures at SQ’s Enneagram event

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Once a week, Susan Olesek comes inside San Quentin to help incarcerated men discover the roots of their personalities and how it plays into the way they see everyday life. The program she oversees helps men realize how life experiences mold personalities and how negative experiences create behaviors that turn into serious problems. Gabor Maté … [Read More...]

Kid CAT’s hygiene drive raises money for homeless youth

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A group of San Quentin prisoners collected money and hygiene items for Bay Area homeless youths.  “Even in prison, guys got that spirit of giving,” said Gregory “Eagle” Coates, a member of the youth offender organization Kid CAT.  “It’s always rewarding, especially for the guys that’ve had the experience of being homeless kids … [Read More...]

The cost of reputation in prison: being transgender in prison

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The purpose of earning a reputation in prison is for one reason—survival. However, the cost of survival may take extreme forms.  “When I first came to prison in the 80s, being a transgender meant being someone’s property. We would be used to carry weapons, for sex, to wash and clean dirty workout clothes, but, in that we were also well … [Read More...]

Prisoners contributed their input on criminal justice reform

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Criminal justice reform took center stage at a San Quentin State Prison forum that brought together inmates, social justice advocates, formerly incarcerated citizens and public officials. “Reform has to change, as we all together are changing,” said Assemblymember Timothy Grayson, D-14th District, Concord. “We all still are rehabilitating. … [Read More...]

Ida B. Wells: early Black journalist and activist

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Before Black Lives Matter, and before former San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick took a knee, there was Ida B. Wells. She was a pioneering journalist with a social conscience who laid the foundations of resistance to racial injustice and violence against Black people. “Out of their own mouths, murderers shall be condemned,” wrote Wells in A Red … [Read More...]

Eight emerging artists turn chapel into raucous concert hall

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On an otherwise quiet Sunday evening, nine guitars rang out in harmony and transformed San Quentin’s Catholic Chapel into a raucous concert hall. “This was a great opportunity for us to communicate musically with no boundaries and just let our hair down,” said volunteer instructor Kurt Huget. He showcased eight emerging artists from his weekly … [Read More...]

The ladies of Beauty Behind Bars return to San Quentin

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An all-women’s organization, aimed at inspiring incarcerated people to overcome their despair and anger, visited San Quentin on Nov. 3 for the second time in two years. “There is beauty in any and all situations,” said founder Tiffany Love-Harden inside the Inter-Faith Chapel on the Saturday afternoon. “My bars may be different from your bars, … [Read More...]

Kid CAT Chairman Si Dang’s 2019 youth address

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For many of us who are incarcerated, the ultimate dream is freedom. The question of whether we will achieve that dream, however, often lies in our pursuit of it.  My name is Si Dang, and I am the new chairman of Kid CAT. Over the last 22 years, I have pursued my freedom in a variety of ways, many of them dysfunctional and leading me right … [Read More...]

SQ Shakespeare troupe performs skits about trauma and healing

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Nine original skits put modern personal trauma and healing on full display this past October.  The audience discovers how Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors had inspired a troupe of actors to present original works of how trauma is passed down across generations until a choice is made to heal. The troupe used intimate personal skits to express … [Read More...]

Incarcerated student challenges educators at national conference

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 An incarcerated Black college student challenged the nation’s prison educators to rethink how they consistently force predominant White cultural perspectives onto the non-Whites who fill their classrooms. James King’s voice reached across the country to Indianapolis by way of video, where he introduced an academic paper he co-authored with … [Read More...]

CALPIA GM Chuck Pattillo retires

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 The longest serving general manager in the history of the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA), Charles L. “Chuck” Pattillo is stepping down from that post, but will still assist incarcerated people prepare for good jobs, once released. Pattillo’s effort continue to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in incarceration … [Read More...]

Queens of the Stone Age, Deadsy & Queeny King rock out at SQ

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San Quentin is still on many great musicians’ “must” list of places to perform. Queens of the Stone Age, Queeny King and Deadsy are now among the legends such as Johnny Cash, Carlos Santana and Metallica that have rocked the prison. The Nov. 16 rock concert was the final leg of the “Villains World Tour 2018” for the Queens of the Stone Age. … [Read More...]

Kid CAT banquet honors the forgotten voices of youth

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Kid CAT celebrated the “forgotten voices” of youth at its 2018 annual banquet. “Tonight’s Banquet was about bringing awareness to the youths, who think that their voices are not being heard and are afraid to express how they feel to their parents or caretakers,” said Si Dang, Kid CAT chairman. Kid CAT is a group of men who committed their … [Read More...]

21st century solutions to 20th century problems

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They came from all over the prison and the nation. Scholars dressed in standard blue prison uniforms walked down a staircase that leads from the cellblocks, while a group of civilians hiked down a ramp that leads from a courtyard just inside the entrance to the prison to meet on the San Quentin Lower Yard for the Prison University Project’s first … [Read More...]

Senator and author share challenge of passing SB 1437

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It’s hard to get laws changed, even harder to make any revisions applicable to people already serving their time, nevertheless Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) retroactively transformed California’s felony-murder law with the help of the Re:store Justice organization and others. “Retroactivity was the hardest part, yet it was essential because … [Read More...]

Florida hosts prison reform conference – FICPFM

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More than 50 social justice organizations led by formerly incarcerated people met in Orlando, Fla., last month. The occasion was the second national gathering of the Formerly Incarcerated, Convicted People & Families Movement ( FICPFM ). The first national gathering took place in Oakland in 2016. By Andrew Beale Contributing Writer The … [Read More...]

50 men graduate from California Re-entry Institute

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The idea behind the California Re-entry Institute (CRI) is to begin the re-integration process in prison and continue support services once released. The 18-24-month-to-the- gate program recently graduated more than 50 men in San Quentin State Prison’s Garden Chapel on Sept. 7 from its two programs of Crime Impact Awareness and Empowered … [Read More...]

CCWP advocates mount a fight to end LWOP

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Advocates are mounting a fight to end the other death penalty—life without the possibility of parole. These “hidden death sentences” mean prisoners must live the rest of their lives in “prisons with extraordinarily high suicide rates, with substandard medical, dental, and mental health care and with scant rehabilitative programs. Prisons rife with … [Read More...]

Law enforcement and prisoners come together in Barbershop Dialogue

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Law enforcement personnel and incarcerated men met in San Quentin’s Protestant Chapel on Sept. 21 for a first-of-its-kind forum. The idea came from the 2009 New Year’s Eve killing of Oscar Grant by a BART police officer. Jack Bryson’s two sons were with Grant. “That incident made me become a community organizer,” Bryson said in an interview with … [Read More...]

Project Avary march

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When a parent winds up behind bars, the children suffer the stigma of that incarceration. That was the message from Project Avary attending San Quentin’s 2nd Annual “March for the Next Generation.” The Sept. 8 march brought together prisoners and young adults, who have been affected by having an incarcerated parent. Project Avary (Alternative … [Read More...]

S.Q. Warriors take trophy back

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The San Quentin Warriors won again! For the second straight year, the prison’s premiere basketball team beat the Golden State Warriors squad of staffers 93-85 in a community atmosphere that featured NBA-playoff intensity. The victory had particular significance for San Quentin power forward Harry “ATL” Smith, who paroled a few days after the … [Read More...]

SQ's 2018 graduating class thanked D. Searle

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Families gathered to celebrate their loved ones’ accomplishments at the Robert E. Burton Adult School annual graduation ceremony, held on July 20 in San Quentin’s main visiting room. “This is the first time I’ve been able to complete any type of vocational program,” said Francisco Ortiz, a graduate from the Vocational Plumbing class. “I’m proud … [Read More...]

Former prisoner honored for his achievements

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John Valverde, 50, went from the prison cell to the executive suite, having an occupation listed as “convict,” to an occupation of “CEO.” Now chief executive officer of YouthBuild USA Inc., Val- verde was named winner of the 2018 Brian S. Fischer Achievement Award. “It was amazing to be in a room with so many people who guided me and mentored me … [Read More...]

Common visits SQ music program

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David Jassy playing music for Common and guests Hip-hop artist Rashid “Common” Lynn heard about the positive music being produced from prison by David Jassy, a Grammy-nominated Swedish rapper and producer, and came into San Quentin to meet about a collaborative project. “He has a genuine interest in prison reform,” Jassy said. “They heard about the … [Read More...]

Grammy Winner LeCrae Moore’s inspirational message

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Two-time Grammy-winning rapper LeCrae Moore used a hip-hop performance at San Quentin State Prison on July 24 to deliver inspirational messages and show his Christian faith in action. “On a personal level, I’m here because I have family behind prison walls: my father, my uncle,” LeCrae said.“I’m attracted to being around people I feel like society … [Read More...]

Susan Burton advocating for justice

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Susan Burton was exactly where she wanted to be that day in May— back in prison. It had been twenty years since her last incarceration but this time, she wasn’t in the California Institute for Women (CIW) to serve time. She was there to talk. “Your life matters,” she told her audience of 100 inmates before signing copies of her book for the women. … [Read More...]

29 years in prison is enough for Mike Webb

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After six parole hearings and 29 years in prison, Mike Webb, a beloved Kid CAT member, was found suitable for parole. “Mike Webb is one of the most compassionate and committed persons that I know,” said Charlie Spence, Kid CAT Chairman. “We will all miss him very much, because he has been such a positive impact in our group and in this … [Read More...]

Eddie Hart shares his gold medal experiences

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Eddie Hart, a 1972 Olympic gold medalist, likes to go where he feels the love. He returned to San Quentin State Prison July 20 for the 11th annual Eddie Hart-Ralph Ligons Track Meet to share his time, story and running tips. “When I first came here, I was a bit concerned for my safety,” the 69-year-old Hart said. “Now I look forward to seeing the … [Read More...]

21st Century programs graduate apprentices

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More than a dozen inmates sat in the front row of a prison chapel on June 15 to graduate from one of three well-regarded 21st century training programs. Looking past the graduates to the men who had recently arrived in San Quentin, Warden Ron Davis said, “those of you not familiar with this prison, the guys in blue, this is a celebration of great … [Read More...]

High Desert Prison warden sets the record straight

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By some accounts, High Desert State Prison is one of California’s most notorious penitentiaries. Warden Marion E. Spearman wants to clear up that impression. He argues that the prison, its staff and inmates have undergone change. It’s no longer a prison that just houses young men with youth management problems. “There’s a new vision and mission for … [Read More...]

The show goes on for SQ Shakespeareans

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Drama therapy was in full display on May 18 as a nine-day quarantine ended at San Quentin for inmate performers in the Shakespeare play King Lear — a week later, the prison was on normal program for Comedy of Errors. “First, I was in shock,” said Jason Robinson about West Block getting off the quarantine. “But, Steve Emrick (Community Partnership … [Read More...]

PUP grads take center stage

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“Pomp and Circumstance” played and everyone stood to applaud the Prison University Project’s (PUP) class of 2018 as they took center stage in San Quentin State Prison’s visiting room in June. Nine men graduated and received their Associative Arts degree from Patten University. One of the graduates, Gerald Morgan, welcomed his 98-year-old aunt, … [Read More...]

Voting rights for people with criminal convictions

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Who in California currently has the right to vote? Eligible voters are citizens of the United States, 18 years of age or older as of Election Day. But, what if you’ve been arrested or have a conviction? “Many Californians mistakenly believe a criminal conviction keeps them from voting. Politicians bet on that fact to win elections,” according to … [Read More...]

21 graduates ready to reenter the workforce

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Twenty-two inmates graduated from the Prison to Employment Connection’s (PEC) seventh session at San Quentin State Prison in May. A week before graduation, the men did face-to-face interviews with employers looking to hire qualified formerly incarcerated citizens. More than 40 men enrolled in the program in February to learn about interview skills, … [Read More...]

New bill keeps youth offenders out of adult prisons

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) continues to back legislation that gives youthful offenders a second chance at life after committing serious crimes. Most recently, law changes in California have allowed offenders who were under age 25 when they committed the crime to seek a sentence review after serving between 15 and 25 years— depending on the category … [Read More...]

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) aids programs

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  The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) will provide grant funding to the Prison University Project (PUP) and Ear Hustle, an award-winning podcast. Both organizations are based at San Quentin State Prison. PUP offers more than 350 inmates the opportunity to earn their Associate of Arts degree inside prison. Ear Hustle allows inmates to share … [Read More...]

Transforming former inmates with “A Man Like Me”

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From the prison to the streets, the transformation of a man. That’s the subject of “A Man Like Me” – a play created by four former prisoners taking advantage of “The Dads Back!” Academy and TheatreWorkers Project. The academy is a reentry organization, run by Friends Outside Los Angeles County (FOLA), using theater to reintegrate parolees and … [Read More...]

Judy Appel talks justice

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Berkeley Unified School District board member Judy Appel sat down with San Quentin News to brainstorm on solutions to criminal justice issues that she can take to Sacramento, if she wins an assembly seat this fall. “I’m very concerned about our criminal justice system and the way we lock people up for really long times,” Appel said. “We put people … [Read More...]

A look inside the bustling San Quentin prison library

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Every day, the San Quentin State prison library is bustling with activity. Inmates might be ordering books from the clerks at the counter. Other inmates might be sitting at tables, reading books and talking among themselves. The windows in the librarians’ offices provide a glimpse of San Francisco Bay as well as the mountains. In the legal … [Read More...]

Grammy award winning Zuill Bailey performs in SQ

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A Grammy Award-winning cellist, Zuill Bailey, performed an hour-long concert at San Quentin State Prison’s Protestant Chapel. Bailey is considered one of the premier cellists in the world, and yet he decided to play before an audience of prisoners, staff and volunteers in a place where few artists have ever set foot. After achieving so much … [Read More...]

OptionB.Org Support Group Overcoming Incarceration

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OptionB.org believes in the power of community to help people heal. We want to break the silence and isolation that often surrounds adversity. To do that, we’re growing a community that shows people they are not in it alone. To join the Overcoming the effects of incarceration group for support, your loved ones can visit optionb.org/groups. Key … [Read More...]

Life of crime overturned by positive choices

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A variety of rehabilitative programs, including dance, helped Anouthinh Pangthong turn his life around despite a rocky youth and 21 years in prison since the age of 15. “Life in prison can become tedious, doing the same thing over and over. Sparks of violence would break the monotony. When an opportunity came to do something different through … [Read More...]

UC Davis combats prison stigmas with Beyond the Stats

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To combat the stigmas facing formerly incarcerated people at the University of California Davis, two students established the Beyond the Stats program to help the newly returning citizens adjust to college life. The founders of the program, Tina Curiel-Allen and Daniel Mendoza, were also formerly incarcerated. The two established the support group … [Read More...]

SQ parolee serves up more than just coffee in Antioch

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Coffee entrepreneur John Krause can relate to the slim employment prospects most ex-cons face upon parole. As a former San Quentin inmate himself, Krause spent over a decade in and out of prison before opening Big House Beans (BHB). Based in Antioch, BHB’s production facility now roasts thousands of pounds of premium gourmet coffee beans per … [Read More...]

Queeny King performs at SQ

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At age 8, singer-song writer Queeny King sang in a Soviet Union prison. In March, she performed at San Quentin State Prison. Dressed in black bell-bottom pants with buttons along the side and wearing a black blazer with a shiny brown blouse, King put on a look that, on its face, could have been interpreted as belonging to rock, goth, punk or the … [Read More...]

Folsom’s Insight Garden Project

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California women prisoners are learning to go “green” as they gain skills in garden design and environmental education through the award-winning Insight Garden Program (IGP). Folsom Women’s Facility (FWF) and Central California Women’s Facility (also known as Chowchilla) have been added to the IGP’s long list of prisons that are finding … [Read More...]

Death Row inmate freed after serving more than 25 years

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A man who spent 27 years on Death Row walked out the prison gates on April 17, 2018. “He appeared amazed to be on the other side of the wall,” Public Information Officer Lt. Sam Robinson said. About eight people, including family members and his attorney, awaited Vicente Benavides as he exited the prison as a free man. Decades earlier, a Kern … [Read More...]

Youth offenders graduate Pre-Apprentice Program

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STOCKTON -- Ten youth offenders graduated with a marketable job skill after completing the first Pre-Apprentice Construction Labor Program at the N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility. After completing six months of preparation, the young men were certified for construction work and possible union membership, according to the Stockton … [Read More...]

Santa Clara DA discusses solutions to crime

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Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen did something few prosecutors would have the guts to do. He went inside San Quentin and walked across its prison yard, in order to sit down with several inmates to talk about ways to keep the streets free of crime. Rosen’s Feb. 16 visit was not his first. In 2014, he and several members of his staff … [Read More...]

Running from the prison cell to public office

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‘Should we bear the burden of our past when our present has been involved in fixing the future?’ Lewis Conway Jr., a formerly incarcerated man, is challenging disenfranchisement by running for public office in Austin, Texas. “We want people with arrests and convictions to engage in the democratic process,” Bill Cobb, deputy director of the American … [Read More...]

NY’s Hudson Link graduates women

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Incarcerated women made history when they graduated for the first time from a prison college program in New York state. Five women prisoners and one formerly incarcerated woman at the Taconic Correctional Facility received their associate degrees bestowed by Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison. Intimate partner violence accounts for 15 … [Read More...]

Billing inmates $600 by medical provider-CCHCS

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Men who received treatment from hospitals outside the prison were surprised to receive medical bills along with a notice that they had to pay for those services. A 2006 federal court order put California prisoners’ medical care in the hands of the California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS). CCHCS’s budget includes more than $350 million … [Read More...]

Singer/songwriter Neda Boin brings inspiration to SQ

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There is a way to change anger and fear to love, singer-songwriter Neda Boin told an audience of San Quentin prisoners and outside guests. For her, it came after completing A Course in Miracles. Boin came from the Netherlands to release songs from her new album, The Light Has Come, at San Quentin State Prison. About 100 guests attended the February … [Read More...]

New California youth offender bills

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California legislators are introducing two new bills that will affect accomplices of felony murder and youth offenders under SB 260, 261, and AB 1308. The first bill, SB 1437, introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner, will set forth new guidelines for sentencing (certain) accomplices of murder.  “This bill would prohibit malice from being imputed to a … [Read More...]

Robot Chatbot Lawyer for Refugees

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Robolawyer-chatbot tool to complete anti-deportation and immigration paperwork. The use of robolawyer-chatbots promises to be a significant advance in social justice, its supporters say. As with Airbnb and Uber, new artificial intelligence technologies have transformed many industries in the past few years. Now they are seeking to transform legal … [Read More...]

Deportation Crimes Explained

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In Trump’s first six months of 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more than 65,000 immigrants, up 37.6 percent from the same period last year, reports The Washington Post. Almost three out of four of those arrested have criminal records. Immigration advocates question whether ICE is truly prioritizing the most serious … [Read More...]

ROOTS graduates learn inter-generational trauma

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The audience cried and laughed with recent graduates of the Restoring Our Original True Selves (ROOTS) program as they told stories of healing generations of intergenerational trauma and jokes. “For a lot of groups coming from refugee and war-torn situations that have strong disconnections with the generations before them, intergeneration trauma is … [Read More...]

Women complete culinary program

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Eleven inmates graduated from the first Culinary Arts Management program at Folsom Women’s Facility. Vincent Moralez, supervisor of the program, and Jason Doolittle, adjunct professor and executive chef, started the program in 2017 and taught their students everything from serving to cooking, as well as restaurant management, reported The Folsom … [Read More...]

United States leads world in locking up women report

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Individual states of the U.S., along with the federal government, lead the world in putting women behind bars, according to a 2017 report by the Prison Policy Initiative (PPI). Women in the U.S. represent only 5 percent of the world’s female population, but account for nearly 30 percent of the world’s imprisoned women, cites the report, titled The … [Read More...]

Code.7370 host Lance Armstrong

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In a small classroom with popular catch phrases like Think Different and Believe in the Process on its walls, about two dozen San Quentin prisoners waited for a surprise guest—the world-renowned, once top cyclist, Lance Armstrong. “I’ve never been in jail. But I know what it’s like to run afoul of the system,” Armstrong said, on Jan. 11, to inmates … [Read More...]

Veterans’ 29th annual Toys-for-Tots giveaway

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The holiday spirit enriched the Main Visiting Room for five days in December. For two consecutive weekends, the fully decorated seven-foot Christmas tree was the busiest place at San Quentin. Inmates and their families took pictures in front of it. For the 29th consecutive year, Marines from the San Bruno Recruitment Station donated toys for … [Read More...]

San Quentin News’ Senior Editor honored

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For giving a voice to the voiceless, Juan Haines, the San Quentin News senior editor, was honored with The Silver Heart Award by the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. “I was never after the gotcha story or the investigative piece trying to find corruption,” Haines said. “I just wanted to tell regular people’s … [Read More...]

Restoring a community through healing dialogue

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More than two dozen survivors of crime crossed the heavily riveted steel doors at San Quentin to face prisoners convicted of serious crimes, including murder. One of the key conclusions was that a healing dialogue is needed to improve communication between survivors and perpetrators. The event was held Oct. 27-28 in the Protestant Chapel. … [Read More...]

Reconstructing lives through vocational training

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Greg Venegas is helping San Quentin prisoners learn construction skills qualifying them to find excellent jobs when released. Venegas teaches in a program called Career Technical Education Construction Labor Program (CTE) that provides basic training with scissor lift, skip loader, Caterpillar, backhoe tractor, and digging hand ditches. He has … [Read More...]

Lt. Graham retires after four decades of service

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The big day arrives. The number one lieutenant is retiring from San Quentin State Prison. It’s Friday, Nov. 17, and Lt. Donald Graham walks into the Captain’s Porch at 7:03 a.m. as he has done for the past 10 years. “According to a RAND analysis, every $1 invested in such [inmate] education generates at least $4 in economic return,” reports Fast … [Read More...]

Living the good life after prison

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What does it take for a man coming out of prison to be successful in society? It took moral support from community members for formerly incarcerated Nathaniel A. Johnson, support such as that from Pastor Steve “Big Red” Sanderson. “The state typically spends $71,000 a year to house an inmate. It costs about $5,000 total to help put one … [Read More...]

Former San Quentin prisoner advocates for change

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While he was incarcerated, you would see Reginald “Reggie” Hola playing almost every sport, taking first in the Ironman contest or participating in groups aimed at self-betterment and helping the youth on the yard. After paroling and diving into social justice work, people driving around Oak Park, Sacramento, saw Hola’s face on a billboard … [Read More...]

Education organizations trade ideas at national conference

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Exchanging ideas on how to create educational opportunities for incarcerated people and reentry services was the topic of a national conference held in Texas last November. “It was a chance for our different organizations to support each other and think together on how to expand this field of prison education,” said Jody Lewen, executive director … [Read More...]

An evening of educational college entertainment

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While playing keyboard AJ Gonzales sang “Roses Instead,” as an audience of prisoners and community members made their way inside San Quentin’s Catholic Chapel on Dec. 29 for an open mic event. “San Quentin is the biggest program hub I’ve seen, since I’ve been in prison,” said Gonzales, 38, who has been in and out of prison and is scheduled to get … [Read More...]

FBI report reflects historical similarities

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The FBI in 1956 created its secret Counterintelligence Program—COINTELPRO—to take action against Black organizations viewed as subversive. Sixty-one years later, on Aug. 3, 2017, the FBI published an intelligence assessment titled Black Identity Extremists Likely Motivated to Target Law Enforcement Officers. The two FBI approaches had striking … [Read More...]

Racial undertones of America’s penal system

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After the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, one of the first steps toward the mass incarceration of African-Americans was the creation of Black Codes and Vagrancy Laws. “Virtually from the moment the Civil War ended, the search began for the legal subordinating of a volatile Black population that regarded economic independence … [Read More...]

San Francisco Opera debuts at San Quentin

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Add the San Francisco Opera (SFO) to the list of historic performances and celebrities that have passed through the infamous Bastille by the Bay – San Quentin State Prison. “Your facility has a rich musical history,” said Community Programs Manager Alyssa Stone, who introduced the SFO singers. She noted performances at San Quentin by B.B. King, … [Read More...]

100th edition celebration recognizes San Quentin News

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When the San Quentin News was revived nearly ten years ago, a staff of five put together a four-page issue and distributed it to 5,000 inmates inside the prison. Today, the newspaper has a circulation of 30,000, distributed at 36 prisons across the state as well as to individual inmates in 43 states. In addition to news stories and features, the … [Read More...]

CDCR’s Information Officer critiques SQ News

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One of San Quentin News’ biggest supporters is also its biggest critic. Krissi Khokhobashvili, information officer for California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR), who worked for eight years as a journalist, reviews all of the newspaper’s stories, correcting grammar and fact-checking. If there are any mistakes, she’s the first … [Read More...]

Jill Brown reflects on her time as warden

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Former San Quentin Warden Jill Brown’s career allowed her to reinvent herself many times. In the process, she helped to improve the lives of inmates through rehabilitation. Brown started her career working at a state hospital. She later found her way to what was then the California Department of Corrections in San Francisco as a regional parole … [Read More...]

Addressing social justice inequalities

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A roundtable centering on social justice inequalities in America took place Dec. 12 between two unlikely groups at the most unlikely place. Earl Smith, San Francisco 49ers pastor, led a team of Bay Area sports personalities into San Quentin State Prison for a discussion with an audience of about 100 people, including inmates, community volunteers … [Read More...]

Prison to Employment Connection job readiness event

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The Prison to Employment Connection (PEC) program hosted its sixth job readiness event at San Quentin State Prison, allowing dozens of inmates, employers, unions, apprenticeship programs and career path organizations to meet face-to-face. Warden Ron Davis welcomed the employers and organizations, thanking them for their time. “At the end of the … [Read More...]

350 men honor Veteran’s Day at SQ

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Every year, the 11th day of the 11th month in the United States commemorates Veterans Day. It was no different in San Quentin for the more than 350 incarcerated men who once served in America’s armed forces. Nearly a dozen community supporters ventured inside the prison to pay their respect with about 50 of the incarcerated veterans who gathered in … [Read More...]

San Quentin’s Christmas caroling revives special memories

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Nostalgic feelings dampen many inmates’ lives during the holiday season, but Christmas caroling in San Quentin State Prison revives happy memories of home and lightens everyone’s mood. A few weeks before Christmas, prison volunteers, the Protestant Church choir and other inmates parade from building to building sharing the joy of the … [Read More...]

Fallen inmate firefighters and rescue response

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Prisoners around the nation rank high on the emergency first responders list when wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters strike the country, but are a low priority for rescue efforts, according to a 2017 report by Natural Hazards Observer. Critics say inmate firefighters are regarded as expendable. But California officials disagree. … [Read More...]

Ear Hustle wraps up first season with over six million downloads

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The hit podcast Ear Hustle, launched from inside a prison, started its first season with the goal of starting a dialogue about incarceration and humanizing people inside. With 6,268,176 downloads, it has achieved more than it ever dreamed. “I thought people would be interested, but I didn’t think it would be so big,” said co-host Professor Nigel … [Read More...]

Quentin Cooks gets standing ovation from 30 wardens

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                Thirty California prison wardens joined in a rare standing ovation for an extraordinary banquet prepared by inmates of the Quentin Cooks program. “I’ve never felt so proud,” one student said. The third graduating class, supported by graduates of the second class of the Quentin Cooks, earned … [Read More...]

14th annual Health Fair held under smoky skies

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Smoke from the North Bay wildfires loomed over San Quentin, but it failed to derail the 14th Annual TRUST Health Fair. Despite the poor air quality, hundreds of inmates and volunteers braved the elements to give and receive medical services. “It was a debate in our executive office, if we should have the fair or not,” said Steve Emrick, San Quentin … [Read More...]

Beauty Behind Bars visits San Quentin Prison

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Beauty Behind Bars, a female self-esteem program, entered a men’s prison to share how they overcame trauma. Normally, Beauty Behind Bars seeks to free women from the mental incarceration they locked themselves in after abuse by men. However, on Sept. 28, five women of color visited San Quentin State Prison to help the men free their minds. “This is … [Read More...]

San Quentin celebrates life achievements of Arnulfo Garcia

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Traditional Mexican music, accompanied by rhythmic hand clapping, made San Quentin’s Catholic chapel a place of festive eulogy in tribute to Arnulfo Timoteo Garcia. Two large flat-screen televisions showed the once editor-in-chief of San Quentin News relaxing on the prison’s Lower Yard during the 2017 Day of Peace celebration. Those in attendance – … [Read More...]

Veteran benefits helping of the incarcerated

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Johnny Gomez, 50, has been down 21 years, but thanks to being a veteran, he can still help his child. Gomez’s first parole suitability hearing will be in May 2024. “My uncle had fought and died as a Marine in Vietnam, so that’s what I wanted to be,” Gomez said. He was 19 when he made the decision to serve, looking for steady work and a better … [Read More...]

San Quentin Warriors victory over Golden State

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The Golden State (GS) Warriors are national champions, but after their sixth annual road game behind the walls of San Quentin State Prison. They lost 103-102 despite Bob Myers’ 32 points and 31 rebounds performance. The “home team” celebrated the victory by poses with the 2017 NBA Championship trophy. “They earned the win; they out-played us,” … [Read More...]

Project Avary fundraises for kids of incarcerated parents

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Having a parent behind bars was the theme of San Quentin’s inaugural Walk for the Next Generation, which brought to light stories of pain, solidarity, and struggle. The Sept. 10 event welcomed more than 45 guests wearing white and green Project Avary T-shirts with its blossom tree trademark. They mingled on the Lower Yard with more than 200 … [Read More...]

SQN launches new website, sanquentinnews.com

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The Last Mile inmate coding program, Code.7370, has designed a new website for San Quentin News at www.sanquentinnews.com. Inmate Harry Hemphill built the website. He graduated from the coding class in April 2015. His work is the third iteration of the website since it debuted in 2010. “I’ve acquired a lot of technical skills,” said Hemphill. “I’m … [Read More...]

Hip-Hop artist J. Cole visits San Quentin

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Platinum Hip-Hop artist Jermaine Cole (“J. Cole”) used a day off during his tour to come see mass incarceration up close. In a two-hour visit with a juvenile lifer support group at San Quentin, Cole reaffirmed his belief that we need education instead of mass incarceration. Scott Budnick, producer of the Hangover movie series and founder of the … [Read More...]

San Quentin hosts fourth D.A. forum

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San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón took the first step toward establishing a functioning information link between his prosecution team members and the people they send to prison. About a year ago, Gascón created a Formerly Incarcerated Advisory Board (FIAB), and on June 30, it met in San Quentin for the first time. The meeting brought … [Read More...]

Forgiveness and healing demonstrated at Restorative Symposium

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Linda White, who visits the man who murdered her daughter in Texas, spoke about how much forgiveness has done for her at a Restorative Justice Symposium inside San Quentin State Prison. “I was really uncomfortable with all the violent responses to violence,” White said. “It seemed to me that adding more violence onto violence, you weren’t healing … [Read More...]

California’s death penalty remains deadlocked

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The death penalty remains uncertain in California, with legal challenges facing lethal drug use and a voter-approved proposition to speed up executions. California may be close to resuming executions in 2018, though others say there are “too many variables and challenges remaining to make a prediction,” reported Don Thompson of the Associated … [Read More...]

Protesters drawing attention to prison deaths and suicides

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Advocates and families of prisoners have held rallies to protest the deaths and suicides of their loved ones in California prisons and jails. The California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP) and families recently held a vigil in front of the California Institution for Women (CIW) at Corona to focus attention on the continued deaths and suicides … [Read More...]

Celebration of fathers and family with GOTB

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Dozens of children with painted faces posed for pictures to show men doing time in San Quentin what Father’s Day means to them. Thanks to Get on the Bus (GOTB), sons and daughters, mothers and fathers boarded buses on June 2 and traveled from cities as far as Los Angeles to visit their incarcerated relatives. GOTB, in conjunction with the … [Read More...]

San Quentin celebrates Day of Peace 2017

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The rehabilitative spirit flowed deeply at San Quentin’s 11th Annual Day of Peace celebration. The San Quentin community came together on the Lower Yard to build relationship bridges and support the incarcerateds’ transformation. “This is a day I want to share with the spirit of Tiffany Dawn Boyce,” said Carlos Smith, who drew a mural as a memorial … [Read More...]

Inmates striving to become working citizens

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The dozens of employers and organizations that support rehabilitation by visiting San Quentin to interview inmates have captured the attention of the state’s top corrections official. In May, the prison hosted its fifth Prison to Employment Connection (PEC) event in two years. This time, Scott Kernan, secretary of the California Department of … [Read More...]

Quentin Cooks grads serve six-course meal

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Sixty-eight confirmed guests attended the April graduating class of the “Quentin Cooks” held in the H-Unit mess hall. The graduating class prepared and served a six-course meal that was a worthy finish to the 12-week Culinary Arts Program available to H-Unit residents with an Earliest Possible Release Date (EPRD) of 6 to 36 months. Overseen by Chef … [Read More...]

Inmates serving the community 24/7

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Deaths, stabbings, heart attacks and attempted suicides – they are all in a day’s work for the inmates who make up the San Quentin Fire Department. These first responders work hand-in-hand with correctional and outside paramedical staff to save lives. The four-member crew consists of David Clifford, Pedro Cruz, Rolon Morris Sr. and Leroy … [Read More...]

Former inmate brings higher education to prisoners

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After serving 16 years in New York state prisons as a juvenile, Sean Pica has had a fundamental role in bringing college education to prisoners nationwide. For the past 10 years, Pica has been the executive director of New York’s Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison. He also serves on the board of the newly formed Alliance for Higher … [Read More...]

Deadly influenza virus goes unreported by sick inmates

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When a deadly influenza virus swept through San Quentin last February and March, many sick inmates said they were reluctant to report being ill to medical personnel because they feared facing medical isolation in administrative segregation. One inmate died during this year’s influenza season, said San Quentin Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elena … [Read More...]

‘Get on the Bus’ unites children with their incarcerated parents

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Ana González-Lane says she was “pretty scared and freaked out” the first time she came into San Quentin State Prison nine years ago. “It was such a frightening place,” she said. “It’s meant to be intimidating, and it was.” She now realizes San Quentin is not the dangerous place most people believe it to be, after seeing the impact of children … [Read More...]

San Quentin’s own quiet hero

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Nigel Poor, one of three members of a unique prison podcast, Ear Hustle, received an award dedicated to honoring public servants. The Jefferson Award for Public Service is given weekly to one person for his or her behind-the-scenes work in the community. In Poor’s case, her work is behind the walls of San Quentin State Prison. “I was shocked,” Poor … [Read More...]

182 women serving life without parole

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Being sentenced to die in prison is a hard pill to swallow, especially if you are a woman. California women’s prisons house roughly 182 women sentenced to life without parole (LWOP). The women describe themselves as “the lost population.” “My biggest dream was to become a mother and have two children,” Tammy Garvin said. “I lost that with this … [Read More...]

#Nevertheless,ShePersisted

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A new generation of women activists has arisen. Their calling card is the hash tag #Nevertheless, She Persisted. These women are challenging the male-dominated political and economic system and breaking barriers. The phrase “Nevertheless, she persisted” was lifted from the US Senate’s recent decision to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) … [Read More...]

SQN adviser ongoing commitment spans more than 35 years

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Wanted: reporters for an award-winning newspaper. Long hours, lousy pay ($24 a month). Requirements: ability to write coherently and be a prisoner in the California Prison at San Quentin. Back in 1982, that is how an article “Convicts print the inside stuff” depicted San Quentin News in the San Jose Mercury. And that’s when Joan Lisetor was first … [Read More...]

Bidding farewell to SQ’s guiding light

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Kathleen Jackson has spent the last nine years inside a prison guiding men, most serving life sentences, to turn their lives around. Nearly 400 of these men, along with volunteers from the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area, packed San Quentin’s Protestant Chapel to tell Jackson they love her and will miss her. “I have been blessed by Kathleen. She … [Read More...]

William J. Drummond receives prestigious journalism award

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The University of California, Berkeley awarded Professor William J. Drummond, an adviser to San Quentin News, the prestigious Leon A. Henkin Citation for Distinguished Service in February for his work as a journalist and academic. In a speech, Edward Wasserman, the dean of the Graduate School of Journalism, cited Drummond’s work at the university … [Read More...]

Prisons trying to help fathers re-establish relationships

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There are 24 million children in America, and one out of three lives without their biological father in the home, the U.S. Census Bureau calculated. When the father is absent it can lead to the following: behavioral problems, abuse and neglect, infant mortality, substance abuse, dropping out of high school, obesity and increased likelihood of going … [Read More...]

Business owner shares his knowledge and energy at DVI

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Three days a week, you will usually find volunteer and business owner Scott Bohlmann devoting his valuable time, knowledge and positive energy to inmates at Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) in Tracy, Calif. “Prison is my sanctuary,” said Bohlmann, 54, explaining why he volunteers his time to teach three different classes to inmates at DVI. “I’m … [Read More...]

Prisons testing new drug to combat opioid addictions

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Some U.S. prisons are testing a monthly injection that could help addicted prisoners stay off opioids, reported The Associated Press (AP). The drug named Vivitrol is injected in the buttocks and lasts for four weeks, the story said. Each shot costs as much as $1,000, the Nov. 20 AP story noted. Experts do not agree on how well it works, but it … [Read More...]

Victims of sexual abuse speak words of forgiveness

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Many incarcerated people believe sexual crimes committed against women and children warrant extreme punishments, but two survivors of childhood sexual abuse visited San Quentin State Prison and spoke of therapy as a better solution. Chelsea Miller, who was molested as a child, and Keith DeBlasi, a sex trafficking victim, attended a Restorative … [Read More...]

Native Americans’ 50 years of struggle

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The San Quentin Native American community is celebrating 50 years of campaigning to protect and preserve their culture. Plans are underway to have another of the Native American Spiritual Group’s Pow Wows later this year. The Pow Wow is only one part of a larger set of activities, which includes honoring elders and traveling the “Red Road,” a … [Read More...]

SQ inmates raised over $30,000 for charities in 2016

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By the end of 2016, San Quentin prisoners and their respective activities groups raised $32,629 in donations for many charitable nonprofit organizations through food sales. Project Avary, a Bay Area organization that provides numerous programs such as summer camps, teen leadership and family unity programs for children of incarcerated parents, was … [Read More...]

SQ hosts conference on incarcerated veterans

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Corrections officials from around the nation, who are working on veterans’ issues, came to San Quentin, where they found new ways to serve ex-military. The visitors also discovered that it is no easy task to get the job done. “San Quentin is different than any other prison in the state,” Warden Ron Davis said at the Feb. 8 meeting in the prison’s … [Read More...]

45 bikes for Christmas, thanks to DVI inmates

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Prisoners at Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) made sure 45 kids got bikes for Christmas. DVI inmates rebuilt the bikes for the Boys & Girls Club of Tracy, reported the Tracy Press. The bike-refurbishing program has been going for five years now, and has grown steadily each year. About 20 inmates in the prison’s vocational auto body repair … [Read More...]

Folsom prisoners refurbish 200 Christmas bikes for needy children

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In inmate in Folsom State Prison’s bicycle program has single-handedly refurbished 200 bicycles that were gifted to local youths for Christmas, the Folsom Telegraph reported. “Each morning Argueta Mauricio...heads off to work where he spends his days restoring and repairing bicycles...within the walls of Folsom Prison where inmates, like himself, … [Read More...]

SQ inmates’ victory lures biggies of podcasting

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The CEO of a major podcasting network, along with other executives, took an eventful trip from the East Coast to meet with the incarcerated men who defeated more than 1,500 entries from 53 countries in a storytelling contest. PRX CEO Kerri Hoffman and Radiotopia Executive Producer Julie Shapiro entered San Quentin State Prison for the first time … [Read More...]

Mexican consulate in SF pays visit to SQ rehab program

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Mexican nationals and other Spanish-speakers imprisoned in California face particularly high barriers to rehabilitation and getting their lives on the right track. That was the assessment of officials from the Mexican consulate in San Francisco who visited San Quentin Prison recently. According to Xavier Issac Delgadillo, who works in the … [Read More...]

San Quentin News hosts nationwide DA forum

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San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, joined by more than two dozen prosecutors from around the country, visited San Quentin to discuss criminal justice policy with 30 inmates participating in restorative justice programs. With 343 homicides in 2017, Baltimore “had the highest murder rate in its history, and by far the highest among the … [Read More...]

Radio journalist wins Bay Area award

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A state prisoner’s feature story won a prestigious journalism award after beating out over 200 entries from more than 100 professionals representing 29 media organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. The broadcast story titled Lady Jay Talks About Being Transgender in Prison won the 2016 San Francisco Peninsula Press Club award for Overall … [Read More...]

SQ inmates experience a spiritual journey to Mecca

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The San Quentin Muslim community was treated to a slide show of the trials and benefits of the spiritual journey to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, that millions of pilgrims throughout the world take. The pilgrimage, known as Hajj, is to visit the Holy Mosque (the House of God). The pictures showed acts of worship performed at Mecca such as the seven … [Read More...]

Veterans and Shakespeare converge tell war stories

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A group of San Quentin veterans joined some Shakespearean actors to portray the traumas they endured in war. Recently, over 30 guests came into San Quentin as our nation’s former heroes performed excerpts from their lives alongside Shakespearean actors. The veterans enacted their war traumas to show the cost of war on the country’s soul. “What we … [Read More...]

Prosecutors visit SQ News seeking public safety

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A team of San Francisco’s leading prosecutors came into San Quentin on Dec. 16, seeking answers to very tough questions about public safety and got eye-opening answers from the kind of people they have convicted and sent to prison. A large part of the solution is curbing criminal behavior in children before they wind up in jail and prison, the … [Read More...]

Writers take guests on emotional journey

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Stories by incarcerated writers swept members of the outside community into a world behind prison walls. Sponsored by the William James Association’s Prison Arts Project, the reading was an opportunity for the incarcerated writers of San Quentin to share their work. Many of their stories articulated personal struggles within the criminal justice … [Read More...]

A journey to freedom filled with pain and survival

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After serving nearly 30 years behind bars, Duane Holt was a changed man who convinced a parole board that he was no longer a danger to public safety. Holt’s journey to freedom was not easy. He was diagnosed with cancer in January. The possibility of dying in prison was a reality check, he said. He thought about how his family would be affected by … [Read More...]

Inmates job opportunities at Employment Readiness Seminar

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A group of San Quentin prisoners got a preview of job opportunities when they are released, thanks to an Employment Readiness Seminar. Thirty-six inmates and 33 outside guests attended the December event, the latest of four job seminars held in the past two years. “We prepare men for jobs,” said Diana Williams to an audience of employers, inmates, … [Read More...]

US prison commissary giants are set to merge

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As prisoners across the nation wage protests over what they consider slave labor for low or no pay, two of the country’s biggest prison commissary companies are set to merge. HIG Capital, owner of Trinity Services Group, a commissary and food-service operator, announced that it would be acquiring Keefe Group, one of the largest for-profit … [Read More...]

Protesters’ vigil at CIW for women who took their own lives

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Alarmed by high suicides rates and other alleged abuses at the California Institution for Women (CIW), about 80 people gathered in front of the prison to protest and remember loved ones who took their lives while incarcerated there. Protesters came holding signs, some shaped like coffins, and wearing T-shirts proclaiming the memory of those who … [Read More...]

Volunteers’ caroling brings joy to SQ inmates

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About 75 volunteers braved frigid weather to bring an evening of Christmas caroling to thousands of inmates in their cells and dorms at San Quentin State Prison. “I saw a lot of joy,” said volunteer Steve Howell, music director at Tiburon Baptist Church. He led a group of about a dozen into H-Unit, a section of San Quentin with five dorms … [Read More...]

Christmas banquet shows volunteers appreciation

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More than 250 prisoners filled the San Quentin Garden Chapel to show appreciation for the tireless work of it volunteers at its 2016 Annual Christmas Banquet. The theme of the event was “I was in prison and you visited me,” quoting Jesus Christ from the Bible, Matthew 25:36. The chapel was decorated with Christmas lights, red and green tables and a … [Read More...]

Discovering what it means to be human

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A diverse troupe of men, dressed as usual in prison blue, broke away from the everyday constraints of incarceration through the artistic expression of dance and dialogue. San Quentin’s Artistic Ensemble put on its latest performance in the prison’s Protestant Chapel on Nov. 18 for an audience of about 150 that included the local community as well … [Read More...]

San Joaquin offers free tattoo removal for a better future

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“People say it’s like bacon, hot greasy bacon touching your skin” said nurse Chris Bendinelli. He was describing the pain of tattoo removal. Dozens of people stood in line for a free tattoo removal program at El Concilio clinic a few months ago. The program is sponsored by the San Joaquin County Probation Department and funded by community programs … [Read More...]

Christmas comes early with VGSQ’s Toys for Tots

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The 2016 San Quentin’s Toys for Tots program came earlier this year. On Dec. 16 chairman Gary Cooper and members of the Veterans Group of San Quentin (VGSQ) decorated the Christmas tree in the main visiting room and received nearly 400 gifts from the United States Marine Corps Recruitment Center in San Bruno. More than half of those gifts were also … [Read More...]

Centinela helps incarcerated veterans with ‘The Fight Club’

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The Fight Club, a Biblically-based program designed to help veterans suffering from PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, came to Centinela State Prison in June. The goal of the program is to see how it can impact prisoner reform, Wayne Hughes wrote in an op-ed for the OC Register. The Fight Club’s framework is formatted like a boxing match with 12 … [Read More...]

Prisoners save correctional officer’s life

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A man is choking on a piece of meat in his throat. Three onlookers see him in distress, and they come to his rescue. What makes this scenario unusual is that the stricken man was a San Quentin correctional officer, and the rescuers were three prisoners, each serving life terms for murder. Thanks to their quick reaction and the Heimlich maneuver, a … [Read More...]

Inmate vets pitch in again to help Marines’ Toys for Tots

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San Quentin inmates have collected $688 that will help make Christmas merrier for underprivileged children. For 28 years San Quentin has participated in the Toys for Tots giveaway program sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps with help from the Veterans Group of San Quentin (VGSQ) formerly known as Vietnam Veterans of San Quentin, according to member … [Read More...]

New SQ dramas tackle issues of social justice

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A prison chapel became an effective platform for incarcerated men to address social justice issues. The Oct. 21 performances, called Parallel Plays, were inspired by themes such as power, oppression, choice, forgiveness, isolation and hope found in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Tempest, as well as in their own lives. “A lot of … [Read More...]

Earth’s main renewable resource? It’s people

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Forty people, damp from rain, gathered in San Quentin’s Protestant Chapel to celebrate what several environmentalists there called the world’s most important natural resource: people. “If you think solar and wind power are the answers to our problems, you’re wrong,” said co-founder Sam Hearnes during his talk about the future of renewable energy … [Read More...]

SQ’s television signal gets an upgrade

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The men in blue now have a wide variety of television channels available for their viewing pleasure just in time for the holidays — and football season. After several years of complaints about the unreliable and fluctuating television signals and many meetings and proposals about upgrading to cable television, the San Quentin administration … [Read More...]

H-Unit VOEG graduates prepare for survivor panel

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“If you want to change the path of your life, go to VOEG,” said Kevin Thompson, a recent graduate of the Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG) from H-Unit. VOEG is one of a myriad of volunteer-organized rehabilitation programs at California’s San Quentin State Prison.  It meets once a week for two hours and usually consists of a dozen inmates, one … [Read More...]

White House Adviser Visits San Quentin’s Coding Program

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Recently, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, had a conversation with senior White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett to talk about the public’s benefit from a computer coding program at San Quentin State Prison. “One of the reasons I came here is to learn directly from you the impact this program is having on your lives,” Jarrett said while standing in … [Read More...]

‘The Mask We Live In’ Premieres at SQ

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Jennifer Siebel-Newsom ventured into San Quentin State Prison on Aug. 11 to premier her new documentary, The Mask We Live In, to an audience of about 150 inmates and her husband Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. The documentary is a cautionary tale about the dangers of hyper-masculinity that’s rooted in American culture. Siebel-Newsom said after learning … [Read More...]

SQN at Oakland’s Night Out for Safety and Liberation

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A national effort for public safety through community-driven methods had the support of those incarcerated at San Quentin. In August, Oakland and 25 other cities around the country led events titled “Night Out for Safety and Liberation.” At the request of the event’s local organizer, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights (EBC), several prisoners … [Read More...]

Private Prison Transport Causes Four Deaths During Extradition

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Four people have died during extradition by the company Prisoner Transportation Services (PTS) since 2012, The Marshall Project reports in collaboration with The New York Times. In 2012, Steven Galack was beaten to death in a transport van by other inmates. Galack had been arrested for failing to pay child support. Two men died from perforated … [Read More...]

California Re-Entry Helps SQ Inmates Succeed on Parole

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Prisons in the United State release nearly 650,000 people every year, and most of them end up back in prison. The volunteers of the California Re-entry Program (CRP) aim to help all those released from San Quentin find the resources they need to succeed on parole. “There are various things that they can help you with that can help you succeed when … [Read More...]

Prisoners Donate $1,200 Avon’s Walk for Breast Cancer

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The 8th Annual San Quentin’s CARES two-day Avon’s Walk for Breast Cancer focuses on honoring loved ones and healing. The prisoners, some who earn as little as 18 cents per hour, contributed $1,200 by making $5 donations. Staff and volunteers donated $800. Guest Peter Bailey, who came with his wife and son, concluded, “I appreciated coming in and … [Read More...]

Student-run Newspaper Drops In on Inmate-run Newspaper

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Several students and faculty from The Pioneer, California State University East Bay’s (CSUEB) student-run newspaper, visited San Quentin State Prison and its media center last month. The visit allowed the aspiring student-journalists, along with CSUEB staff, to have a first-hand look at the prison and its newsroom, where the inmate-run San Quentin … [Read More...]

Kingian Nonviolent Teachings Make Way to SQ

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In a secluded room, tucked away in a corner of a prison yard, about two dozen inmates stood face-to-face, staring at each other, eye-to-eye. They paired off with the person they were looking at to quiz each other about the meaning of family, a place called home, a favorite game and something exciting that happened recently. The exercise took place … [Read More...]

Cala Manager Offers Employment Returning Citizens

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San Francisco’s hottest restaurant has a general manager who believes it is smart business to hire the formerly incarcerated.Opened in September 2015, Cala with its Mexico City star-chef Gabriela Camara is San Francisco’s most talked-about 2016 restaurant, according to Daniel Smith of www.bayarea.com. The Atlantic magazine named Cala the poster … [Read More...]

Battle Brewing Over Prop. 47 Savings Allocation

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There is a battle brewing over who will have a say on how Proposition 47 savings from the recent reduction in criminal penalties will be allocated. The Board of State and Community Corrections determines how to allocate nearly two-thirds of projected Prop. 47 savings (estimated to be $29 million in the 2016-17 budget.) Results from the study out of … [Read More...]

‘Get On The Bus’ Unites Fathers With Their Children

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  In celebration of Father’s Day, dozens of children, many with painted faces, spent the morning of June 17 in a prison visiting room, laughing and playing with their incarcerated fathers. The event, held at San Quentin State Prison, also accommodated 35 adult sons and daughters. “Children and incarcerated people don’t have a voice. They are … [Read More...]

CDCR Secretary Visits San Quentin

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  California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Secretary Scott Kernan visited San Quentin with CDCR Director of Enterprise Information Services Russ Nichols to witness a historic event, the launch of a sophisticated and secure wireless computer server cluster which imitates the internet,. The system allows students in San … [Read More...]

Potential Employers Interview Inmates for Brighter Futures

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A group of inmates who will be looking for employment opportunities once they parole got a head start at San Quentin’s third Employment Readiness Seminar (ERS). A panel of 18 women and men from the outside representing employers, trade unions, apprenticeship programs and other organizations attended the event held in May. “I really believe what … [Read More...]

Coding Students Pitch Apps to Investor

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  It’s hard to imagine an investor going inside a prison to discuss putting his money into a business idea dreamed up by an inmate, but that’s exactly what Jason Calcanis did on June 22 when he visited one of the most innovative prison programs in the world. “If you’re a great coder, you win. The world needs great coders,” Calcanis told the … [Read More...]

Peaceful Prison Protest is Not a Rule Violation

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Senior EditorPrison inmates who participate in peaceful protests do not violate prison rules, according to an April 22 decision from a California appeals court. The ruling is a reaction to a Pelican Bay inmate named Jorge A. Gomez who went on a hunger strike in 2013. Gomez said his refusal to eat was an exercise in free speech, but prison officials … [Read More...]

Billie Mizell’s Calling with Insight Prison Project

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Billie Mizell’s path to becoming executive director of several prison programs that help offenders take responsibility for their crimes was inspired by a traumatic occurrence in Monroeville, Alabama, in the 1980s. “When I was a teenager, just starting high school, a girl who was only a couple of years older than me was murdered in a nearby county,” … [Read More...]

Childrens’ Challenge with Family’s Criminal Record

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Nearly half of the children in America have at least one parent with a criminal record, according to a recent report by the Center for American Progress. There are between 33 million and 36.5 million children, the December 2015 report estimates. Even a minor criminal record can be a life sentence to poverty, obstacles to employment, housing, … [Read More...]

TRUST Spanish Anger Management Graduation

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The first TRUST-sponsored Spanish-speaking anger management graduation was held in San Quentin’s Catholic chapel. The ceremony is one of only a few programs exclusively dedicated to the Spanish speakers at San Quentin. The celebration was nothing like the average self-help graduation that numerous groups put on within the walled city. There was no … [Read More...]

Celebrating 2016 Day of Peace

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By Juan Haines and Miguel Quezada San Quentin News Staff More than 400 inmates and about two dozen Bay Area volunteers mingled on San Quentin’s Lower Yard at the annual Day of Peace celebration to showcase the various self-help programs available at the prison. The May 7 event recognized the late Audrey Auld who performed at last year’s … [Read More...]

80 Committed Men Graduates From GRIP

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By Marcus Henderson Staff Writer The 2016 Guiding Rage into Power ‘GRIP’ program graduated 80 dedicated men. The year program guided prisoners on a deep healing journey inside themselves. “Today these men are graduating from offenders into servants.” Said Jacques Verduin, GRIP Director and host of the event. “This program is ready to … [Read More...]

Opening Day on the Diamond

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Warden Ron Davis showed he had some power in his arm throwing out the opening pitch in the season opener. The San Quentin All-Stars baseball team beat the visiting Bay Area Mission 5-2. John Windham, All-Stars power hitter, smashed a deep double to center field that started a rally in the bottom of the eighth with the score tied 2-2. Windham scored … [Read More...]

CDCR’s New Press Secretary Visits SQ

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Vicky Waters, the new California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) press secretary, toured San Quentin. Lt. S. Robinson, Public Information Officer, gave Waters a tour of the prison’s new Central Health Services Building, one of the general population units, Death Row and the media center. “Her choosing San Quentin as the first … [Read More...]

Outside Guests Flock To SQ Financial Literacy Class

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Outside guests and young incarcerated men flocked to Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll’s Financial Education Class to hear him translate investment jargon into terms they understand. Up-and-coming filmmaker Taylor Laslie drove up from Los Angeles to check out the class. She heard about it from a Life of the Law podcast. Despite being a 2012 Yale … [Read More...]

CDCR’s New Secretary Plans Rehabilitative Efforts

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California’s new prison boss says he plans major changes to boost rehabilitation efforts and cut back on inmate abuses. Scott Kernan said altering the prison culture is his top priority as the new secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, The Associated Press reported on Feb. 10. It’s an us-against-them culture that … [Read More...]

A Look at Peace Day’s History

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The San Quentin Day of Peace committee was established to show fellow inmates ways to reject violence and support peace. The tradition continued May 7. In 2006, interracial strife kept San Quentin State Prison on repeated lockdowns. Just before a yard event to celebrate Black history, all came to a head as a race riot erupted. Afterward, a … [Read More...]

Richmond Gets Re-entry Center

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By David Eugene Archer Sr. Journalism Guild Writer The new Richmond Re-entry Success Center is designed to help people recently released from prison or jail to get back on their feet, broadcast station KQED reports. The center is located in downtown Richmond to be easily accessible to formerly incarcerated people, reported Sukey Lewis for KQED. The … [Read More...]

Kid CAT Banquet Inspires National Juvenile Reform

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Actress Susan Sarandon limped into San Quentin State Prison to learn from incarcerated Kid CAT members how she can help them stop the school-to-prison pipeline. “You are such an asset,” said Sarandon. “If I go into a school, they are not going to listen to me; but they’ll listen to you, and you can make a difference.” Sarandon fell down a … [Read More...]

U.S. Undersecretary Of Education Visits San Quentin

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Another cadre of inmates learning computer program skills hosted a coding demonstration at San Quentin State Prison on March 15. The undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Ted Mitchell, was among those attending the demonstration, which was hosted by the coding program Code.7370. “I have 312 days left to make a difference,” Dr. … [Read More...]

Teachers’ Forum Addresses School-to-Prison Pipeline

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“Teaching is a political act,” said Berkeley High School teacher Hasmig Minassian. “It’s the job for the teacher to fight for the conditions that create safety for students.” Minassian said teachers need to be willing to act decisively for the benefit of the kids, and avoid focusing on policies and practices that don’t work. She was speaking at a … [Read More...]

Enhancements Leave Thousands with Longer Sentences

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Tens of thousands of convicted criminals are in state prison longer than the sentence for their crime due to California sentencing enhancements. The Investigative Unit of “NBC Bay Area News” aired a video on television Feb. 26 about unfair and unjust state prison sentences. Tennessee is 17.1 percent Black, but Blacks make up 69 percent of all … [Read More...]

Three Strikes Initiative Aims to Recruit Registered Voters

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Petitions are being circulated across California, proposing to significantly change the Three Strike Law. The goal is to gather 500,000 signatures by June 17 enough to meet statutory requirements. The law requires the signatures of at least 365,880 registered California voters. Leading the Three Strikes Reform Act of 2016 campaign is CHOOSE1, a … [Read More...]

Re-entry Program Prepares Prisoners for Release

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A self-help program to safely re-integrate men into their communities before they finish their prison term recently graduated more than 40 inmates. San Quentin State Prison’s Garden Chapel served as a venue for the Feb. 5 graduation. The idea behind California Re-entry Institute (CRI) is to begin the re-integration process while the participant is … [Read More...]

TRUST Graduation Honors 88 Prisoners

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Eighty-eight San Quentin men completed the TRUST (Teaching Responsibility Utilizing Sociological Training) program which help prisoners prepare for freedom were honored at a joint graduation ceremony. The graduation featured keynote speaker Joe Paul and the presentation of a check for $1,000 from TRUST members to an organization that supports … [Read More...]

Annual Report Strives End Mass Incarceration

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After more than a decade of research and advocacy to end the harmful effects of mass incarceration, the Prison Policy Initiative (PPI) continues to reach new heights. Throughout its history, PPI has relied on volunteers and interns to gather research information and to analyze and produce reports that raise awareness for policy makers and the … [Read More...]