San Quentin News

Written By Incarcerated - Advancing Social Justice

Kern Valley State Prison recognizes graduating class of Substance-Use Disorder Treatment program

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Back Row (left to right): Estrada, Guardado, Lambert, Villa, Abel , Sapiens, Front Row: Norton, White, Tucker, Hernandez
Back Row (left to right): Estrada, Guardado, Lambert, Villa, Abel , Sapiens, Front Row: Norton, White, Tucker, Hernandez

Today is not another run- of-the-mill day in Kern Valley State Prison. The D-Facility Visiting Room is packed full of people, all with cause for celebration. The energy in the room is palpable. Today is graduation day for the Substance-Use Disorder Treatment Program (SUDT). It is a day of jubilation for dozens upon dozens of people, not all of them inmates.

Warden Pfeiffer was kind enough to come and share some inspirational words about being an agent of change while having the courage to stand out from the crowd. Ms. Chavez, the Acting Program Director for the host, GEO Reentry Group, gave praise for the hard work and dedication it took, day after day, to internalize the curriculum and complete the program. The guest speaker, Alexandar DeVora, an ex- inmate now eight years free, spoke of the possibilities the future holds. Speaking from experience he shared that we can overcome our past to become not only a success in our own right, but a shining light to others.

The sound of excited conversation and laughter fills the air. Lined up in the back of the visiting room are the dozen or so family members who are able to attend and share in this achievement with their loved ones. Every single one of their faces beams with pride and love as they watch their sons, brothers, uncles, and fathers walk

forward when their name is called to receive their certificate of completion. Thunderous applause echoes from other graduates and current SUDT and CBT participants who are able to celebrate this occasion with their friends, while looking forward with anticipation to their own graduation day.

Luis Manzanares, an unofficial mentor to many, speaks of the significance that this event holds for everyone involved. “This ceremony is the antithesis of what the men on this yard are accustomed to. Constantly hearing that this is the ‘worst yard in California’ can take its toll on an environment. However, a lot of us here are trying to rid the yard of that mentality. There are good people doing good things here and this gathering is a reflection of the sincere effort at change being given here.”

Also in attendance are the counselors who worked dili- gently and with extreme patience with all of the graduating classes. Ms. Balderas, Mrs. Clark, Ms. Pedroza, Ms. Lopez, Ms. Mattox, Ms. Trujillo, Mr. Alcantar, Mr. Sebreros, and Mr. Zacarias, among others. Each one proud of “their guys” be- cause they all experienced firsthand the strength and vulnerability it took these 50-plus graduates to crack that hard shell and begin to open up. Digging into the past and beginning the heal- ing process is not an easy thing to do. These men and women would be the first to admit that not every day was a “walk in the park.” And that was OK. If every day had been easy, it would have diminished the accomplishment. It was the resistance, the emotions and the struggle that the men persevered through that made the journey more memorable and the end destination a triumph.

A sincere congratulation to the SUDT graduating class of 2019, here in KVSP and elsewhere all across the state.

Rehabilitative efforts at KVSP

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Inmates housed at Kern Valley State Prison’s D-Facility find themselves wedged between clashing cultures. A level IV, 180 design housing, it is one of California’s maximum security prisons. It can be a place filled with violence and negativity, or it can be a turning point where inmates can take advantage of the many rehabilitative programs offered on the yard. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved on either side of that spectrum. Which side to choose is a dilemma many men find themselves teetering on the fence about.
But when we take a deeper glimpse into the yard activities, we find three inmates who are rising above their surroundings and going out of their way to guide others on the right path. Uriel Rodriguez, Johnny Phan and Gabriel Singer have all taken on the responsibility of leadership roles, partly through programs such as PREP (Partnership for Re-Entry Program), Alcoholics Anonymous, Geo’s CBT program, and GOGI (Getting Out by Going In), among others. These men have put countless hours of dedication into their own transformations. Utilizing self-help and education, they have risen to positions of Facilitator, Chairman, and Peer Mentor, respectively.
However, their good works do not end there. This trio has chosen to take their positivity beyond the bounds of a voluntary, part-time or full-time assignment. They have no punch-in or quitting time. They can be observed individually giving counsel to inmates day or night, yard or day room, and in or out of groups. They ask for nothing in return and do not expect nor seek recognition. Those around them see and feel their sincerity. Regardless of race or affiliation, people can be seen approaching them for advice, guidance or maybe even just a positive conversation—all things that would be that much harder to come by on a yard, where the atmosphere can be uninviting were it not for the likes of men such as these, where their welcoming personalities offer a place of comfort to those who normally would have no other refuge.
Our environment does not have to define us. These men deserve recognition for being the embodiment of that. They inspire those around them, like Alex Compian and Luis Manzanares, who are choosing to walk down the same road of selfless generosity. We are all the better for having been witness to their personification of virtuous living. In a world where too many people follow the crowd, we need more men (and women) like these, with that immense strength of character, who are paving their own way—while inviting us on their journey down a path of positivity and on toward true freedom.
PPI’s “Correctional Control: Incarceration and Supervision by State” is the first report to aggregate data on all types of correctional control nationwide.

By Benjamin Norton Contributing Writer

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Corcoran Resilience Program

Life coaching at Old Folsom State Prison

Kern Valley upgrades smoke detection equipment

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http://www.cdcr.ca.gov

CDCR Logo

Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) is the latest California facility to upgrade its smoke detection technology to improve the safety of inmates and staff.

Traditional in-duct smoke detectors are prone to accumulate dirt and dust that can cause the fire detection system to malfunction and issue false alarms. This can become such a nuisance that officers begin to ignore the alarms or disconnect them entirely, according to a Corrections.com article.

“A large number of false alarms can be triggered when accumulated dust and dirt cover the sensors,” co-founder of Intelligent Fire Systems & Solutions, Inc., Queen Gonzalez told Corrections.com.

Intelligent Fire Systems & Solutions won the bid to replace the old system.

“25 percent of millennial-age American men think asking a woman who is not a romantic partner to go for a drink is harassment,” according to a recent survey by The Economist/YouGov reports The New York Times 1-17-18.

The advanced aspiring smoke-detection system installed at KVSP can distinguish between smoke, fire and other airborne contaminates through laser sensors The aspiring smoke detection system is located in small, flexible tubing inside air ducts, where it collects air samples to analyze.

The new system is supposed to enhance safety at the institution by speeding detection, investigation, fire suppression, security management and evacuation, reports Corrections.com.

According to Gonzalez, inmates will tamper with smoke detectors if they can, so Intelligent Fire Systems & Solutions’ detectors have a fault signal that notifies authorities when airflow is blocked.

Corrections.com reports the new system is also easier to clean, maintain and inspect.

http://sanquentinnews.com/san-quentin-fire-captains-tackle-recent-fire-storms/

New 50-bed mental health facility in Southern California


http://sanquentinnews.com/stings-entangle-sex-workers-victims-perpetrators/

Prisoners arraigned via Court video

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The use of court video arraignments inside California prisons is gaining endorsements and could become a permanent part of the prison system, according to Inside CDCR.

Kern County Prison Court (KCPC) is one such video program that serves several prisons within its county.

“64% of California’s jail population is awaiting trial or sentencing as of December 2016.” Most remain in pretrial custody because they cannot afford bail.  Jail Profile Survey, http://www.bscc.ca.gov/

“Now that we have implemented it, I am even further convinced of the value of this program,” said Sara Danville, Kern County supervising Deputy District Attorney. “Every time we can handle a hearing through video, we not only save incredible monetary resources, but we avoid a potential safety risk.”

The video court session is used for arraignment purposes only, where it takes 10 to 15 minutes to assign a prisoner an attorney, read the charges and set bail. The prisoners do not enter a plea, said the article. 

“A warden told me that when it comes to video arraignment, the cost-savings is like icing on a cake, but safety and security of doing that in a prison is the cake itself,” said CDCR Correctional Officer Rafael Torres, assigned to KCPC. “Every time we don’t have to transport an inmate, we are contributing to public safety. It also saves the officers a long trip for a short arraignment.”

“Drug overdoses have now surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 55.”  THE NEW YORK TIMES Dec. 22, 2017

Since July 2017, almost 70 percent of KCPC arraignments have occurred on live video, according to the article. The program has gained the approval of some public defenders.

“Overall, the video arraignments make it a more humane way to treat our clients without the feeling that they’re a number,” said Christina Matias, supervisor of the Kern County Public Defender’s office. “Instead of driving six to 10 hours or more in a day, the client is able to do the arraignment in the prison where he or she is housed, which means they are able to program in their facility.”

Housing unit at Pelican State Prison

The Delano courtroom has become the model for this program. It has a “fishbowl” viewing room for inmates to interact with the proceedings, also a public viewing area behind bullet-proof glass, private interview rooms and 21 holding cells, according to the article.

The plan was put into effect after a proposal from Danville, according to the article.

“I am really grateful that the presiding judge trusted me with this arraignment and is supporting us so that we can do this,” said Kern County Superior Court Judge David Wolf. “I think it’s wonderful when you see everyone from county, city, state, all these agencies working together to save our taxpayers money and promote public safety.”

When you consider the costs of fuel and regular/overtime hours, the local benefits of video arraignments are the economical answer. Especially for inmates coming from Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, which is 600 miles away from the courthouse, according to the article.

25% drop in state prison incarceration

10% drop statewide average in county jail populations

22% drop in felony filings

California still spends a combined $20 billion in state prisons and county jails, according to “SAFE AND SOUND: STRATEGIES TO SAVE A BILLION IN PRISON COSTS AND BUILD NEW SAFETY SOLUTIONS” by Californians For Safety and Justice Nov. 2017

“Without teamwork from all the different agencies, it would all fall apart,” said Wolf. “It takes the sheriff, CDCR, the wardens, the DA’s office, the court staff—everybody working together to make this happen.”

The Kern County Prison Court hosts hearings for the following prisons: California City Correctional Facility; Kern Valley State Prison in Delano; California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi; Wasco State Prison; North Kern State Prison in Delano. That court also hosts for community correctional facilities in Shafter, Taft, Delano, and McFarland.

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Kern Valley new at-risk youth E.D.G.E. program

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Inmates at Kern Valley State Prison are utilizing their life experiences to help divert at-risk youths from coming to prison.

The program is called EDGE (Education, Diversion and Goals to Endeavor).

“This program is designed for inmates to interact with at-risk youths in the hopes to save them,” said Pheng Ly, vice chairman of EDGE.

“We do so by educating these youth through sharing our life’s experiences, our knowledge, and life skills, in hopes to divert them from continuing down a ruinous path by enlightening their minds and broadening their horizons.”

Kids who participate in the EDGE program are brought to the institution three times a year to take part in an At-Risk Youth Interaction Event.

The inmate-led event consisted of a four- to-five-hour day, covering topics such as: education, family values, and drug and gang prevention.

“Within this timeframe, we share with [youths] our personal stories; we then encourage them to share their own personal stories and root out the causative factors in their current lifestyle,” said Ly.

Ly, 40, who is serving 50-years-to-life for two counts of gang-related first-degree murder, has been incarcerated since the age of 16.

Ly, who shares his story with youths, recounts his own journey to prison beginning with his premature birth when his mother fled war. “My mother gave birth … before it’s time … I came into this world … a stillborn baby, dead, cold and blue.”

Ly’s mother then made the decision to let the river carry Ly away. “My mother swam after me … safe in her arms … I took my first breath.”

Ly and his mother made it to a refugee camp, where for three years they lived “near dying from hunger and thirst, in a camp of dirt, surrounded by barbed wires and machine gun towers,” said Ly.

“Saved through a miracle, to America we went.”

In America, Ly faced discrimination and racism. “At 7, I lost my innocence through torturous beatings.

“By 12 years old, I took the pain and joined a gang. Hunger for revenge … I became wicked.”

At 16, Ly was shot five times, “I found myself drowning in my own blood,” Ly said

“My mother warned me about those friends who would lead me to prison, but I never listened. By 17, I took two lives.

“I once thought it was cool being a thug … I must have been insane … After destroying and ruining countless lives, I have come to realize and understand the (consequences).”

Inmate facilitators of EDGE are all former gang members, who were vetted by an institutional staff sponsor.

EDGE’s motto is “We are here, we care. You do matter and your life does make a difference.”

“Ours is a ‘steer straight program’ rather than a ‘scare straight’ one,” Ly said. “Our goal is to hold at least one event a month, (because) we know that there are countless youth out there who are in need of all the help they can get.”

San Quentin has two similar youth diversion programs, called SQUIRES and Project Reach.

To learn more about this program, contact:

Kern Valley State Prison

Attn: Correctional Sergeant A. Sell

         3000 W. Cecil Avenue

         Delano, CA 93212

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