Fatherhood in prison transcends generations
San Quentin residents prove that the power of fatherhood can transcend the distance and time that prison creates. Twice a week, Marcus Shepard and his 15-year-old son work out for 45 minutes. Shepard calls his son on the phone or with the incarcerated video visiting app and proceeds to lead them through an exercise routine. After nine years of … [Read More...]
Exceptional conduct leads to sentence recall
Jemain Hunter, 48, paroled in December. He is a co-founder of Arms Down, a self-help, gun-violence prevention program at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Hunter’s exceptional conduct in prison was the impetus for a judge to reduce his 34-year-to-life sentence to time served, with no parole. He served more than 23 years for attempted murder … [Read More...]
San Quentin resident on how exercise helped his rehabilitation
Tyree Huntley has used discipline and exercise to transform his body, his mind, and the way he approaches life. To most objective observers, Huntley is built like a tank. His physique is a product of years of pushups, pull-ups, and rigorous exercise routines. Growing up in Richmond, California, Huntley said he was accustomed to being physically … [Read More...]
Longtime San Quentin volunteers left lasting impression across nation
By T.J. Marshall Admired members of San Quentin’s expanded community, Willis and Linda Rice said goodbye after 25 years of fellowship and service. “We’ve been to a lot of prisons all over America,” said Mr. Rice. “But San Quentin will always be our home joint.” Married 58 years, Mr. and Mrs. Rice have brought music, fellowship, and … [Read More...]
50-year-old non-profit provides incarcerated-trained service dog to disabled person
One dog at a time is being trained in the shadow of a notorious cellblock at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, where lies an oasis of tranquility, training and healing. SQ resident Jared Hansen, 42, never imagined being a part of a dog-training program when he was transferred to the prison. He grew up in San Diego, California, without a dog; … [Read More...]
Self-inflicted deaths in prison increased 70% over 20 years
Every 11 minutes, a person commits suicide in the United States, some while in prison. According to reports from the Bureau of Justice and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, self-inflicted deaths in state prisons increased more than 70% from 2000 to 2024. "Suicide is unlike other causes of death. It’s incredibly … [Read More...]
CTF Soledad resident enjoys old-fashioned hobby
The arrival of the GTL tablet’s e-messaging at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation changed the way incarcerated persons communicated. Messages are transmitted not only faster than snail-mail but also, for at least five messages a week, without charge. One very small group might have lamented this newfangled way of … [Read More...]
Simplicities in life motivate condemned prisoner
At one time, Jerry “Mo Mo” Rodriguez, 52, was one of more than 700+ men on San Quentin’s infamous Death Row. Incarcerated since 1994, he spent 25 years alone in a cell. Today, he is a Peer Specialist worker on the permanent work crew at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, California. In a series of one-on-one interviews, Rodriguez … [Read More...]
Resident works towards restitution by overcoming drug addiction, insecurities
An incarcerated former U.S. Marine Corps veteran speaks about his journey from military service to self-help after years of neglect, drug addiction, and self-realization. Carl Lewis Raybon Jr., 61, was sentenced to 26-years-to-life for the murder of his girlfriend Patricia B. As he sat in the Alameda County Jail, Raybon made a … [Read More...]
Creative talents on display at San Quentin’s second film festival
The captive creativity and immense talent of San Quentin resident filmmakers shone through at the second annual San Quentin Film Festival Oct. 23-24. Residents mingled and networked with film directors, actors and producers, including Jesse Williams of “Grey’s Anatomy,” and Sheryl Lee Ralph, known for many roles on hit shows like “Moesha” and … [Read More...]
Incarcerated person’s smuggled books change his life
A young man’s defiance of a book ban in solitary confinement changed his life, and after his release, he vowed to create prison libraries across the U.S. At the age of 16, Reginald Dwayne Betts carjacked a man sleeping in his car in Fairfax County, Virginia. Convicted in adult court, Betts spent about 10 years in prison, part of it in solitary … [Read More...]
Correctional Construction Management crew big part of Upper Yard remodel
The sounds, smells, and sights of progress at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center have changed from carbon blades cutting steel, to jackhammers, diesel exhaust, and shadows of heavy equipment maneuvering behind a 10-foot-tall security fence. For more than a year, Correctional Construction Management crews (formerly named Inmate Day Labor) have … [Read More...]
Resident strike team cleans up biohazards
A “strike team” of eight to ten San Quentin residents, trained in biohazard cleanup, stands ready to respond to a biohazard event at all hours. The California PIA Healthcare Facilities Maintenance (HFM) employs and oversees the team. “When people overdose using the synthetic drug spice, they sometimes defecate on themselves,” said resident HFM … [Read More...]
Impaired driving impacts all facets of society
Federal laws prohibit driving under the influence, but they do not prevent drunk-driving tragedies, and people who choose to drive drunk set themselves up to cause harm. According to the Centers for Disease Control, drunk-driving incidents kill around 29 people daily across the United States, one every 52 minutes. The annual toll is more than … [Read More...]
Cultivating healthy relationships a catalyst to favorable environment
San Quentin’s recent celebration of Mental Health Wellness Week reveals how the prison’s cultural shift benefits residents and staff alike. San Quentin Rehabilitation Center held events through the second week of September to bring awareness to mental health while offering support and positive outlets to residents and staff. Some of the events … [Read More...]
Pretrial diversion program offers rehabilitation outside of prison
An offender’s dream is to avoid jail, which is not always possible, but with public support, a new jail diversion program will increase their chances. A program called Executive Treatment Solutions steers minor offenders toward change through rehabilitation to avoid incarceration. Many people in the United States face incarceration for … [Read More...]
Ghost of father’s past does not deter resident’s journey
The shadow of a person’s past can sometimes be a burden that stalks them like a plague. Fortunately, for one man, he has managed to escape his past. Kojo Damani Cluchette is quiet, but when he speaks it’s with the confidence of a man who is sure of himself. He’s dedicated to his passions, an avid learner who has gained the respect of many of his … [Read More...]
Incarcerated-built furniture donated to at-risk youth
San Quentin staff and residents came together in a continued effort to support the homeless at-risk youth of Richmond, California. In collaboration with Tiny Village Spirit, SQRC furthered its aim to build a relationship with the outside community by building furniture for those now living in the new Tiny Homes. Sally Hindman, the Bay Area … [Read More...]
From walking the Row to walking the dog
A former Death Row resident now walks his road of redemption among the general population of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center with a canine companion by his side. Sentenced to death for murder, four attempted murders and kidnapping in 1995, the State of California placed Loi Tan Vo, 52, in SQ’s condemned housing unit where he remained for 29 … [Read More...]
Former Death Row residents thrive at CHCF
No more shackles, cuffs, or escorts bring feelings of anxiety and gratitude San Quentin’s infamous Death Row has been empty for more than a year. The institution’s East Block used to house more than 700 men who have been condemned to die by lethal gas or lethal injection. Where are they now? About 80 prisoners from “The Row” — a name many … [Read More...]
California Health Care Facility residents connect with their roots
Asian Pacific Islanders build up worship service, learn Hawaiian/Polynesian songs and dances “Aloha” is a Hawaiian greeting a group of Asian Pacific Islanders use at the California Health Care Facility, in Stockton, California. Many of them need wheelchairs but are at work to build up their own spiritual worship service. On most Tuesday … [Read More...]
Two San Quentin residents visit California Medical Facility, discuss expansion of Canine Companions
San Quentin residents and their four-legged tail-wagging trainees visited a Northern California prison in an effort to expand the Canine Companions Program. Correctional Officers escorted incarcerated dog handlers Jared Hansen, 42; Chase Benoit, 29; and service dogs Ferguson, Cedric, and Jermone to the California Medical Facility in … [Read More...]
Peer Support Specialists pass state exam
After receiving his results for a rather difficult exam he had taken a month earlier, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center resident Michael Moore walked to the Lower Yard beaming with confidence. He held up a letter from the California Mental Health Services Authority that prominently showed the word “PASS” in capital letters. Moore, 64, had taken … [Read More...]
Day of Peace showcases music, harmony, humanity
Resident Michael Endres said he remembers the day in 2006 when a race riot between Black and Mexican San Quentin residents resulted in a six-month lockdown. “When that incident took place, I didn’t hear anything about any tension.” A year later, in an effort to curb violence in the institution, residents created the Day of Peace … [Read More...]
Overdose Awareness
A day of educational training on life-saving methods critical for incarcerated individuals By Jerry Maleek Gearin and Ben Greenspon Overdose deaths from illicit drug use have been a growing problem throughout California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; therefore, overdose awareness was brought to San Quentin residents. Bay … [Read More...]