By Terrell J. Marshall
San Quentin Rehabilitation Center’s “first of its kind, first in the nation” reputation continued to grow when the general population moved into the newly remodeled East Block, formally known as “Death Row.”
“I know many of you have anxiety and have questions about what’s going on,” SQRC Warden Chance Andes said at a town hall meeting surrounded by residents and staff. “We are here today to talk about the future.”
On May 4, two years after the condemned-to-die residents of SQRC disbanded to various prisons across the state, the notorious 175-year-old institution took another progressive step forward by repopulating East Block.
“Who knows how many we have in our population right now?” Andes asked. “That’s right, we are hovering right around 2,500. And the reason the numbers are so low is because we are moving toward single-cell occupancy.”
Loud applause and shouts of excitement echoed across the yard in response to another of the warden’s historic moves.
The purpose of the move is to provide SQ residents every opportunity to return to society in the healthiest manner possible. According to Andes, that starts with single-cell housing units.
“If we relieve the tension and the conflicts amongst those who share a cell, we not only reduce violence, but we provide people with a space for growth.” Andes’ public address included the history of a time when the Bay Area prison once housed 6,500.
He said the times of warehousing people at SQRC are over, and that it’s time to give residents room to focus on themselves, a chance to learn, and the opportunity to reflect on the damage they caused others.
Resident porters, volunteers, and plant operation employees have put thousands of hours of effort into the ongoing East Block renovations.
“This unit was in bad shape when we first started, “ resident electrician Ferdinand Flowers said. “We’ve gone through every cell and given the building one hell of a facelift.”
Warden Andes is the driving force behind the continued unprecedented transformation of what California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls the “preeminent restorative justice facility in the world.” Andes’ order to occupy East Block shined another ray of hope on those living in society’s shadow by providing them a safer place to focus on their road to redemption.
East block Porter Jack Anderwald said since settling into one of the 520 freshly painted single cells he has been able to unpack more than just his property.
He said he never allowed himself to really feel the stress that comes with living so closely to someone else. Now that he has some privacy, he’s been able to decompress and focus on going home to his family.
“What I don’t have to do is worry about is when my cellie is going to use the toilet,” Anderwald said. “This place is a game changer.”
