Valley State Prison offers the only merit-based incentive program fully implemented for inmates who want to be positive programmers in the California prison system.
As part of the new program, inmates will have a number of recreational and enhanced privileges available to them, based on behavior and willingness to meet its expectations, said Greg Bergersen, public information officer for Valley State Prison.
Early this year, the program was set up in the general population-level and sensitive needs facilities and certain yards at the Level II, low to medium security prison. The program has been partially implemented at other state prisons.
“We’re increasing positive programming for inmates who want to…and participate in an enhanced programming facility,” Bergersen said.
Incentives include access to technology-based privileges as they are approved, an expanded inmates’ canteen list and a yard photo program.
The department is reviewing a plan for inmates to purchase an MP3 player and eventually tablet.
“They can’t have any Internet capability,” Bergersen told the Merced Sun-Star.
Inmates have access to microwave ovens in each housing unit, food sales, sports, game tournaments, self-help sponsored events, concerts and guest speakers, Bergersen told the Sun-Star.
“Eventually our entire prison will be nothing but positive programming, school-oriented, work-oriented, rehabilitative-oriented inmates,” he added.
Inmates not taking advantage of these plans will be eventually transferred.
Those inmates in a security-housing unit and those who violate prison rules during the last 12 months are not eligible to participate in the program. Valley State Prison had 113 problem incidents in 2013, the least reported in the prison system.
“That number will go down. We know we have guys that aren’t going to participate … and we know that other prisons have inmates who want to participate that don’t have (the program). So through attrition we’re going to end up having a whole prison full of guys who want a program,” he said.
Bergersen reminded the Merced Sun-Star, “We are not here to punish the inmate; that’s what their loss of freedom does. We punish when they break rules within the facility. If we can turn inmates who have been involved in negative behavior … and put them in a positive environment to do that, they will be more successful upon parole.”
