Incarcerated men and community members from the local San Francisco Bay Area met in San Quentin’s Protestant Chapel on Aug. 16 to celebrate the graduation of two restorative justice programs. The Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG pronounced “vogue”) and Next Step honored dozens of incarcerated men who completed the year- long programs, sponsored by Insight Prison Project (IPP). “The transformation I see in so many of you is why we keep doing the work that we do,” said IPP Executive Director Leonard Rubio. Rubio talked about the … [Read more...] about Two restorative justice classes celebrate completion
Restorative Justice
San Francisco’s DA has challenged the status quo again
San Francisco DA George Gascón San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, a lead- er in restorative justice and social reform, has challenged the status quo again. At the 14th annual Harry Frank Guggenheim Symposium at John Jay College in New York, the ex-police chief turned prosecutor, described the incarceration of people in both our county jails and state prisons as an entry into the “universities of crime.” “We are more violent, collectively, than the people we’re afraid of,” said Gascon. “We get angry at people and throw … [Read more...] about San Francisco’s DA has challenged the status quo again
Miracles do happen: The power of truth and honesty
Tom Morgan, Jason Samuel and Christy Morgan in the SQ visiting room after the last VOD After seeing and hearing his victim at trial, Jason Samuel knew in his heart that he needed to come clean and be honest—both with himself and everyone else. “My crime was so senseless,” Samuels recently told SQ News. “I felt so sorry for what I did.” What he did was shoot peace officer Tom Morgan in the neck in 1997. “Once I was convicted, it didn’t matter anymore. I mean, why lie about it?” Samuels said. “What good would all those lies do me … [Read more...] about Miracles do happen: The power of truth and honesty
Some states seeking input on wrong parole decisions
Some states are still seek- ing input from the wrong people on parole decisions a Prison Policy Initiative report maintains. The report says the wrong people are prosecutors and crime victims. In California, prosecutors and victims must be notified when a person is being considered for parole. Yet the only information they can provide to parole commissioners is about the crime itself and who that person was, not the individual’s rehabilitative efforts. Victims and prosecutors should have a right to be heard but the information they … [Read more...] about Some states seeking input on wrong parole decisions
Restorative Justice’s role in the #metoo movement
Darnell “Moe” Washington has walked the path of restorative justice by confronting a fellow inmate who had assaulted his aunt, sending her to the hospital, in a drug-induced rage in 2015. The person who attacked his aunt was transferred to San Quentin. Washington, relying on his Restorative Justice experience, approached the perpetrator and engaged him in a discussion of his crime. He was able to put the techniques into practice. “Forgiving someone who committed an atrocious crime against your loved one is hard to do, but the offender will … [Read more...] about Restorative Justice’s role in the #metoo movement
Van Jones’ Redemption Project
CNN commentator Van Jones, Jones was at San Quentin on May 10 working on his latest show, The Redemption Project. It consists of eight episodes that feature restorative justice in action. Jones, a political pundit and author of Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart — How We Come Together seeks to tackle Americans’ toughest challenge — how to get Americans working together in the age of Trumpism. “We need a positive populism,” Jones said. “Right now, Donald Trump is using negative populism that divides people with a neo-Nazi … [Read more...] about Van Jones’ Redemption Project
A look inside the bustling San Quentin prison library
Every day, the San Quentin State prison library is bustling with activity. Inmates might be ordering books from the clerks at the counter. Other inmates might be sitting at tables, reading books and talking among themselves. The windows in the librarians’ offices provide a glimpse of San Francisco Bay as well as the mountains. In the legal section, inmates pore over law books, which they can order from a slot through a window. They can also sit at a computer to research legal statutes or write briefs at one of the tables. The library … [Read more...] about A look inside the bustling San Quentin prison library
Domestic violence advocate speaks at Restorative Justice symposium
Forgiveness is a key component of healing from abuse and achieving a successful life. And lawsuits can be an alternative to prison sentences, speakers told a Restorative Justice (RJ) Symposium at San Quentin State Prison. Guest speaker Tracy Sovereign spoke of forgiving an abusive father, who never apologized. She was followed by Esquire Tia Katrina Taruc Canlas, who advocates suing men who commit acts of domestic violence as an alternative to incarceration. “I feel … there’s a way that men can be healed in so many directions,” Sovereign said … [Read more...] about Domestic violence advocate speaks at Restorative Justice symposium
San Quentin Hosts 1st TEDx
Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll said his inspiration to learn how to read was when he heard about stocks. He said someone told him “that’s where White people keep their money,” to a laughing audience at a Technology, Entertainment, Design, (TEDx) event at San Quentin State Prison. “It was a struggle learning how to read, but I kept at it.” Carroll, also known as the Oracle of San Quentin, talked about growing up in Oakland. His criminal life began at age 14, when he and his mother battled homelessness in a drug-infested environment. By age 17, … [Read more...] about San Quentin Hosts 1st TEDx