Counselor T. Dunckley Many correctional officers have long, interesting careers. Some remain nameless and their stories untold. Counselor T. Dunckley worked for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) more than two and a half decades. He worked in many capacities and retired in late 2016. Dunckley was a counselor for 23 years; 21 of those years were spent working in the prison reception center. In 1990, Dunckley started his career in the department as a parole agent. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in … [Read more...] about Personnel Spotlight: Former Counselor T. Dunckley
Oakland
A Mother’s Day never forgotten for Ayoola Mitchell
Ayoola Mitchell On Mother’s Day in 2010, Ayoola Mitchell’s middle son, D.V., was murdered in Oakland. His killer was never found. Fifteen months before that incident, in January 2009, Mitchell’s oldest son survived 17 gunshot wounds. Again, the assailants were never prosecuted. “After experiencing trauma and/or tragedy, you either become bitter or you become better. One thing for sure, you will not be the same,” said Mitchell, a long-time San Quentin volunteer. Ayoola shares her experiences in various prison forums and … [Read more...] about A Mother’s Day never forgotten for Ayoola Mitchell
Lifer: A play about former SQ resident Glenn Bailey
The cast of Life after the performance Playwright Dr. Ayodele Nzinga was already collect- ing stories of communities impacted by the carceral system when she met Glenn Bailey, in 2014. She had just started work on “Beyond Bars: Growing Home,” a performance that explored how returning citizens processed the trauma of coming home, inspired by interviews with men recently released from San Quentin Prison. Bailey had just come home himself, after serving 52 years inside. His tale is remarkable in its own right. But Nzinga was quick … [Read more...] about Lifer: A play about former SQ resident Glenn Bailey
Advocacy group for the incarcerated finds home in Oakland
An organization established 40 years ago to advocate for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people recently relocated to Oakland, reports Carla Williams on oaklandnorth.net. “If we don’t protect Oakland, we won’t have an urban community to call our own,” said Dorsey Nunn, executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC). He was referring to the fact that Black people now make up only 4 percent of the population in San Francisco. “We lost San Francisco, but we have the opportunity to do something great here … [Read more...] about Advocacy group for the incarcerated finds home in Oakland
Law enforcement and prisoners come together in Barbershop Dialogue
Law enforcement personnel and incarcerated men met in San Quentin’s Protestant Chapel on Sept. 21 for a first-of-its-kind forum. The idea came from the 2009 New Year’s Eve killing of Oscar Grant by a BART police officer. Jack Bryson’s two sons were with Grant. “That incident made me become a community organizer,” Bryson said in an interview with San Quentin News. “But when I got into the community and met with the people call- ing themselves working to bring justice to Oscar’s death, I didn’t like what I was seeing. Everyone had their own … [Read more...] about Law enforcement and prisoners come together in Barbershop Dialogue
Raising awareness California’s ‘Life Without’
More than 100 advocates, family members and friends chanted, “Drop LWOP, drop LWOP, commute all 5,000!” at an Oakland town hall on March 24, denouncing California’s use of life without parole sentences, also known as LWOP. The California Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP) hosted the event to educate the general public and raise awareness about the state’s LWOP policies. California has approximately 5,000 prisoners serving life sentences without the chance for parole, according to the CCWP press release. “We believe that all people in … [Read more...] about Raising awareness California’s ‘Life Without’
Retired NFL Player Devon Still visits SQ
Just weeks after Defensive Lineman Devon Still retired from the National Football League at 28 years old, he visited San Quentin State Prison to record an episode for his new podcast, Undefeated. Undefeated features the stories of people who overcame huge obstacles. Scheduled for the first season is Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll, whose TED talk received more than 2.8 million views. “His TED talk caught my attention,” Still said. “I work with a lot of people who are trapped mentally. To see someone in prison so free—you can always find … [Read more...] about Retired NFL Player Devon Still visits SQ