A year and a half ago, San Quentin residents were told that a rehabilitation and re-entry team, a supported pathway, and a comprehensive rehabilitation plan to ensure successful re-entry must begin on day one of incarceration.
Many residents said there are some noticeable changes within the prison, but they believe there is still a long way to go. Some said it is the peer-led programs that have had the greatest impact. They believe administrators should use the talented individuals within the prison more.
“Self-advocacy is the biggest thing coming up for me right now,” resident Fonuamana Fuahala said. “We have to want the best for ourselves. What we develop in here will benefit us in life, mentally and physically.”
In the more than 150-page 2024 Reimagining San Quentin report, administrators, individuals, organizations, and residents outlined what a reimagined San Quentin could look like. They offered recommendations on how to carry out that plan. Several of the action items cost little, are cost-efficient, or are already in play by several peer-led groups within the prison.
One action item that residents are unable to do is to increase the collaboration between the correctional counselor and the community resource manager. While many incarcerated individuals would step into a paid position, there are several in the community who would volunteer their time to fill these roles.
“If we help each other and encourage one another to take the initiative, whether it is volunteering time or going to volunteer groups, we have to invest in self and our community. We must be relentless with who we are and what we are about,” Fuahala said.
There are also residents involved in the Youth Offender Program, the Incarcerated Persons Advisory Council, The People in Blue, the Offender/Mentor Corrections Program, and several others that can help ensure every resident’s needs are met through orientations, annual or semi-annual check-ins, and pre-release prep.
“I connect with the younger guys,” YOP mentor Brandon Johnson said. “I believe there are a lot of disconnects and it is important to be involved from day one of arrival.”
Johnson said he reverted back to old behaviors when he first arrived at San Quentin. He was uninformed about available programs and had no one to guide him. In addition, several administrative hold-ups frustrated him.
He said he believes the lack of engagement and support from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation should not deter the residents from supporting, mentoring, and motivating each other. That way, they can come together to provide the tools, resources, and services needed to build a stable and successful rehabilitation and re-entry plan.
“If the community can pull together all the resources available to help create a clear rehabilitation and reentry plan for all individuals, then our community would be safer, healthier, and better. I believe those who have navigated the system and understand the prison are fully capable if relied upon to help,” Johnson said.
The new Peer Support Specialists Program is another group working to welcome and orient new arrivals to begin to take advantage of the rehabilitative programming opportunities.
“If there was not someone there to guide you, the likelihood of falling back on familiar behaviors and patterns is higher,” resident PSSP mentor Edgar Rodriguez said. “We are building community with new arrival, and helping them to navigate resources.”
