My name is Saul Martinez and I have been incarcerated for the past 20 years and on Jan. 9, 2018, I was found suitable for parole during my first board appearance.

My hearing lasted five hours, and when the time came for the victim’s family to speak, they spoke about pardon and forgiveness. By the time the board announced their decision, they said I no longer posed a danger to society and they found me suitable for parole.

I was able to have a successful hearing through a number of groups that I have attended. Of particular importance in my transformation to be an accountable person today: Prep Turning Point courses taught me how to be transparent, Anger Management classes taught me how to address my character defects, and Gang Awareness and Recovery group enabled me to denounce the destructive environments of prison with its code of silence.

I want to share my story with others who are incarcerated so that they too can find inspiration to believe that they can achieve the success that I have found.

In the course of the next four months, I will be deported to Mexico, where I will continue my rehabilitation, recuperation and amend my life.

Saul Martinez

Centinela State Prison

Dear Saul,

Congratulations on being found suitable for parole. We hope that you will find success in Mexico and continue using what you have learned in prison to help those in your new community. Thank you for sharing your story.

Good Luck!

For free correspondence courses write to:

Prep Turning Point

2049 South Santa Fe Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90021

https://sanquentinnews.com/letters-to-the-editor-13/