Robert E. Burton Principal Michael Wheeless, receiving the Distinguished School award from OCE Superintendent Shannon Swain with Warden Ron Davis (Center) The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) Office of Correctional Education (OCE) presented its first ever Distinguished School award to the Robert E. Burton Adult School at San Quentin State Prison in July. An award ceremony was held at the prison to acknowledge “exemplary achievements” the school has made above all 34 other accredited schools within … [Read more...] about Robert E. Burton receives first ever Distinguished School award
kevin d. sawyer
Arizona rethinks its ban on prison literature
The state of Arizona lifted its ban on the book Chokehold after gaining national attention for banning the book written about the US criminal justice system policing Black men. “An uproar over the ban of Chokehold: Policing Black Men, including threats of a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, prompted Arizona prison officials to review a publication blacklist and reverse suspending the book,” National Public Radio (NPR) reported. A growing number of state prison systems, including California, bans prisoners from possessing … [Read more...] about Arizona rethinks its ban on prison literature
Prison to Employment Connection prepares men for the workforce
PEC staff and inmate volunteers Prison to Employment Connection (PEC) at San Quentin graduated 44 men from its ninth session in June. The week before graduation, more than 40 business, career and education professionals attended Employer Day at the prison to do one-on-one interviews with the men. PEC’s 15-week program prepares men to be “job ready” before paroling. According to statistics from Diana Williams, PEC executive director, 210 men have graduated from the program since 2015. Of that number, 96 have paroled and only one has … [Read more...] about Prison to Employment Connection prepares men for the workforce
Kevin D. Sawyer Honorary Award from PEN America
BOOK REVIEW San Quentin News staffer, Kevin D. Sawyer received an honorable mention by PEN America. Out of thousands of submission annually, it’s a big deal in the prison literary world. JH: What does getting an honorable mention by PEN America mean to you? KDS: PEN America’s honorable mention raises my creative writing profile to a national level, in addition to the same type of recognition I’ve received for writing as a journalist through the Society of Professional Journalists and receiving The James Aronson Award for Social … [Read more...] about Kevin D. Sawyer Honorary Award from PEN America