San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate made a tour of San Quentin and permitted the SQ News and Journalism Guild to ask Newson, who is running for the state governorship, questions about what position he would take toward reforming the California prison system if he is elected Newsom said: he would not sanction the sale of San Quentin to cash in on its real estate value. He also believes that the three strikes law needs work to make it more equitable. And if elected governor, he would take a proactive role in the lifer parole process. Here is what he had to say:
Q:—Arnulfo Garcia: If you are elected governor would San Quentin be more important to you as a prison or would you consider selling the land?
A: —Newsom: I’m not promoting and would not promote the sale of San Quentin. That being said, I would like to see some of the good things happening here expanded in scale. I just was in prison industries, getting these kind of programs expanded, more rehab programs, and really start changing in a positive manner, building on some of the good things that happen here changing the culture of the prison and really focusing on the things that work would be my goal, I don’t want to see the status quo….I want to continue to see improvement. I think that the Secretary is moving in the right direction and I think the state recognizes what is working, we just have to fund what works.
Q:—Arnulfo Garcia: As governor what would be your stance on the three strikes law?
A: —Newsom: My father was on the California Court of Appeals for 15 years and is one of the big vocal critics of three strikes law. I know we made some amendments and changes and were given a little bit more discretion, but I do think it still needs to be tweaked. I think we need to amend it, we need to start fixing it because it’s not just the third strike, it’s the enhancements on the second strike too. For those non-serious, non-sex, non-violent offenses for the third strike, we’ve got to obviously be more sensitive to prescriptive rules, so I’ve got a strong desire to see changes made.
Q:—Juan Haines: Proposition 89 enacted in 1988, requires the governor to personally approve each parole decision that finds a prisoner who is sentenced to an indeterminate term of imprisonment suitable for parole. If you were elected governor, how would you simplify this process?
A: —Newsom: I appoint a lot of folks, hundreds and hundreds of folks. Sometimes they make the right decisions and sometimes I don’t necessarily agree. So I would not be a rubber stamp to a commission, I would have to use my own judgment, but the adequacy of their work I would also want to analyze… But I would take obviously a lot of weight (of their opinion). If you appoint competent people, people that are independent minded, people that are there to do what you think are in the best interest of our community, then I would obviously defer to that, but not absolutely. Obviously I would have to make my judgment based on their analysis and their recommendation, but not rubber-stamp it.
Q:—JulianGlenn Padgett: “California is a firm practitioner of recycling items like cans and other items of waste and garbage. Do you feel that current and constant denials of parole are conducive to recognizing inmates’ rehabilitation and will to improve?”
A: —Newsom: “The idea of recycling people in and out of the criminal justice system, the idea that we are allowing 70 percent plus, in some cases, recidivism is unacceptable, it’s inexcusable. So, the frame of your question is an important one. It’s failing everyone, it’s failing people that are coming out of the system, its failing our community, and it’s failing us in ways direct and indirect. It’s self evident that we dramatically have to improve what happens in the prisons in order to reduce the likelihood that people are going to recycle back in, so, re-entry programs are critical. Looking at step-down facilities and looking at building capacity to support these types of programs I was referencing is important. The secretary was kind enough to identify prison industries and these kinds of programs that are important to him and important to the rehabilitation of our prisoners. Giving people the opportunity to get educated, giving people the opportunity to build a sense of purpose and self-esteem, a sense of discipline and honor, all of those things are critical to reducing the recycling of inmates in the context of people who are finding themselves, as soon as they get out, lost without any hope and with no expectation that their lives are ever going to get off this remarkable journey.”
—Aly Tamboura
For more of the interview with CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate, see sentencing credit article.
“Tennessee is 17.1 percent Black, but Blacks make up 69 percent of all drug-free school zone offenders…” REASON Magazine, January 2018