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CDCR offenders give back more than $97,000 to crime victims groups

November 3, 2014, 11:12 am
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Story, photos by Michele Kane, Chief of External Affairs
California Prison Industry Authority

Offenders from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) are giving back more than $97,000 to various crime victims support groups throughout the state.

The offenders are participating in the Joint Venture or Free Venture Programs at four institutions statewide.
San Quentin inmates donate to victims groups.

“The Joint and Free Venture Programs are models of public-private partnerships, benefiting businesses, crime victims and the state while preparing inmates for successful integration into the community,” said Charles Pattillo, General Manager of CALPIA.  “One of the main purposes of Joint Venture is to provide inmates with the essential job skills that will allow them to get jobs after their release.”

The Joint Venture Program is provided at adult institutions and the Free Venture Program provides work experience at juvenile facilities.

Central California Women’s Facility inmates donate to victims groups.
Offenders are paid wages comparable to what they would earn if they were working in the respective field outside of prison.

Federal, state and local taxes are withheld from an offender’s gross earnings, and 20 percent from each category is deducted from an offender’s wages: room and board, inmate trust/canteen account, family support, mandatory savings and victims’ compensation.

The collected restitution is placed in a “Generic Restitution Fund” for local crime victim organizations.

Institutions making donations:
  •  Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla - Offenders in the Joint Venture Program, Allwire, Inc., donated $59, 966.35 to Mollie’s House and to the Community Action Partnership of Madera County.
  •  San Quentin State Prison – Offenders in the Joint Venture Program, Labcon donated $31,089.42 to the Alameda County Family Justice Center and to A Safe Place, Inc.
  •  N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility in Stockton – Through Merit Partners, offenders donated $4, 518.04 to the San Joaquin County District Attorney Victim/Witness Program.
  •  California Correctional Center in Susanville – Offenders in the Joint Venture Program, Five Dot Land and Cattle Company, donated $1,636.53 to the Lassen County Victim/Witness Assistance Center.

What is CALPIA?

The California Prison Industry Authority is a self-supporting, customer-focused business that provides productive work and skill development opportunities to offenders to reduce recidivism, increase public safety and prison safety, according to the organization’s website. Learn more at http://pia.ca.gov/
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Firefighters from Correctional Training Facility, Salinas Valley State Prison help battle blaze

November 3, 2014, 11:17 am
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By Lt. Roland Ramon, AA/PIO
Correctional Training Facility

While many were asleep in their beds, the firefighters from the Correctional Training Facility (CTF) and Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) were hard at work battling a blaze in King City.

In the early morning hours of Oct. 5, the fire crew was dispatched to a multiple alarm structure fire in Monterey County. The report indicated there were multiple structures burning, ranging from mobile homes to an automobile dealership.

CTF/SVSP Engine No. 8211 responded with a crew of five – three inmate firefighters and two California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Fire Captains Paul Rivera and Lloyd Jones.

Arriving within the city, a heavy fire plume could be seen from the freeway. Once on the scene, CTF/SVP Fire were directed to establish division C operations. Fire Captain Paul Rivera took the lead and established the division as he directed his remaining crew and other firefighters as assigned.

Defensive attack lines were put in place to control and suppress flames off the southwest side of the fire. Many other operations were also in place such as rescue efforts and building searches.

By 4:36 a.m., the fire was under control. Resources were demobilized and fire crews were being released.

CTF/SVSP Engine No. 8211 was released as well, retuning to CTF and back in quarters at approximately 5:03 a.m.

While there were no injuries to any CTF/SVSP fire staff or inmate firefighters, some residents and a Monterey County Sheriff’s deputy were injured in the fire.

The firefighting crew from the Correctional Training Facility and Salinas Valley State Prison helped extinguish a multiple-structure fire on Oct. 5 in Monterey County. (Photo Courtesy Deborah Mills, Soledad Bee)
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Signs of rehabilitation: Inmates learn how to communicate with the deaf

November 5, 2014, 11:11 am
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By Krissi Khokhobashvili, CDCR Public Information Officer
Video by Jeff Baur, CDCR TV Specialist

A group of inmates gathered in the library at Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) is engrossed in conversation, enthusiastically sharing stories and planning what today’s class will cover.

The room is completely silent.

These men are part of the American Sign Language (ASL) course offered at DVI, a popular class in which students learn a new language and discover abilities within themselves they never knew they possessed.
Inmates learn American Sign Language.

“I came to prison with low self-esteem. When I came to prison, I had an eighth-grade education,” said Eric Taylor, the program’s inmate facilitator. “When I got here and found out I could learn and what I was learning could be used by other people, I started to mature.”

While working as the Americans with Disabilities Act clerk at DVI, Taylor found several hearing-impaired inmates were processing through the reception center, and he was frustrated he couldn’t communicate with them.

He asked for an ASL book, and started learning. Soon, the institution’s ASL interpreter, Tom Beierle, was helping Taylor learn, and finding him inmates to communicate with.

The idea for the class was born, and approved by the warden. Taylor said when the first class was formed in 2011, he expected enrollment would be low, and was pleasantly surprised to see nearly 50 inmates show interest.

Eric Taylor is the inmate facilitator of the American Sign Language class at Deuel Vocational Institution. In his younger years, Taylor was a mime in San Francisco.
Today, the class is limited to about 20 participants per session, and there’s always a waiting list.

“It builds confidence in themselves, it builds awareness of another culture,” said Beierle, the class’ staff sponsor.

Born to deaf parents, sign language has been a main form of communication his whole life. Before coming to work at DVI, he was an interpreter within the San Diego Unified School District and Community College District, and at the University of San Diego.

Beierle holds a Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration with the National Registry of Interpreters, and a Level 5 Certification with the National Association of the Deaf.

Taylor’s interest in nonverbal communication goes back decades to when he performed as a mime on the streets of San Francisco. Being an expressive person has helped him greatly in developing ASL skills, as eye contact and facial expression are nearly as vital to communicating as the hand signs.

During his incarceration, Taylor has earned a four-year degree, which is required to become an ASL interpreter. He’d like to use his skills to work with deaf children on the outside.

No matter what job he finds, he said his time spent learning ASL will help him succeed on the outside.

“You can take it with you when you leave, and you can help other people,” Taylor said. “It helps your own character, and it stops prejudice, because prejudice is based in fear of the unknown, and once you understand a culture, you have no fear of them, so you have no prejudice.”

Louie Chavez has been hearing-impaired since birth, and said he didn’t know about ASL until coming to prison. His whole life, he’d communicate through finger spelling or lip-reading, which can take an agonizingly long time. Today, Chavez is happy to be communicating with people who understand and accept him.

Eric Taylor, left, and Damien Scott converse in American Sign Language.


“It makes me feel better about myself,” he said. “I don’t feel like an outcast anymore.”

Inmate Miguel Cortez said he wasn’t especially interested in learning sign language, but saw the class as just one more opportunity to gain knowledge and better himself. As his skills progress, he’s proud of how far he has come.

“Who knows when you might need it?” he laughed. “It’s like having a book of matches. You don’t know if you’re going to get trapped in the forest, but at least you have a way to light a fire.”

Learning sign language is not easy. It’s one thing to look at a book or watch a DVD to see the signs formed, but it’s a whole different ball game when it’s time to hold a conversation with another signer.

All the men in the program agree: Practice is essential.

“You have to practice and you have to use it,” Taylor said. “I guess it’s like golf. You can’t watch it on TV and get a hole-in-one.”

But the practice pays off, both in a language learned and friendships formed. The ASL program comprises men who don’t have much in common, but have united around a common goal: to learn with each other, to practice with each other and to excel at ASL.

“There is a tremendous bond among this entire group,” Beierle said. “We do a lot of laughing, we do a ton of signing and when we’re in the corridors and we see each other, we sign. It’s a phenomenal group.”

Cortez agrees.

“When we come to this class, you can be having a bad day, and then as soon as we get here we start signing, and the next thing you know we start laughing, and it turns all good after that.”
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Art program getting attention for California Institution for Men

November 6, 2014, 11:04 am
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By Don Chaddock, InsideCDCR editor

The art in prison project at the California Institution for Men (CIM) is getting some ink in the regional media.

The project has recently been featured in Art Voices Magazine, Arts Connection Network and LA Review of Books.


Inmates at the California Institution for Men in Chino paint a mural as an art-in-prisons project. The art program has been featured in numerous regional publications and websites. Photo courtesy California State University, San Bernardino, Community-based Art Program and photographer Andrew K. Thompson.
A mural presented a collaborative effort between inmates at CIM and the California State University, San Bernardino, Community-based Art Program. Recently, photographer Andrew K. Thompson documented some of the work which went into producing the mural.

His photographs, along with the mural, were on display in October at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art at California State University, San Bernardino.

Professor Annie Buckley, with the university’s art program, facilitates the program, which began at CIM in 2013.

“The mural is the creation of a group of five students from the CSUSB Department of Art, where I am on the faculty and facilitate this program, and approximately 50 inmates, some with many years of art experience and others who have just picked up a paintbrush for the first time,” Buckley wrote in Art Voices Magazine.

“The collaborative mural, as well the photographs documenting it, are the result of a series of connections and a gradual building up of trust between institutions and individuals and between teachers, students, and artists, both on campus and in the prison,” she wrote. “It is part of a program that began as a pilot in March 2013 with eight CSUSB art students facilitating four classes in teams of two at the prison.”

Since then, student-led teams have taught classes including painting, printmaking, and a critique and art history seminar each quarter, and also includes creative writing, according to Buckley.

“The mural discussion was part of an ongoing community-based art program I initiated through blending the curriculum of a series of courses I teach at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), with and the needs and interests of our partners in the community, including the prison,” she wrote.

Buckley pointed out the lack of art instruction in many urban public schools, but schools in wealthy neighborhoods offered thriving art programs.

The university’s art department has added morning and evening art classes in another yard at the prison. In November, university administrators are scheduled to visit CIM to see first-hand how the students interact with the inmates, according to CIM Community Resources Manager Howard Gaines.

Learn how art is helping rehabilitate inmates in other prisons

Inmates draw from creative palette at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2014/10/inmates-draw-from-creative-palette-at-richard-j-donovan-correctional-facility/

Sierra Conservation Center inmates learn to express themselves through art, http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2014/09/sierra-conservation-center-inmates-learn-to-express-themselves-through-art/

Editor’s Note: Non-CDCR websites may not be accessible from a CDCR computer.

See more on Art Voices Magazine at http://artvoicesmagazine.com/2014/09/team-life/#sthash.q86WouVy.dpuf

You can read a bit more about the mural project in Buckley’s book review for Art as Therapy in the Los Angeles Review of Books, https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/access-enemy-disparity-access#
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San Quentin inmate radio show wins journalism award; tells stories of redemption, rehabilitation

November 7, 2014, 11:03 am
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By Krissi Khokhobashvili, CDCR Public Information Officer
Photos by Eric Owens, CDCR staff photographer

Stories of hope, recovery and rehabilitation are hitting the airwaves thanks to an inmate-run radio program at San Quentin State Prison (SQSP).

The San Quentin Prison Report crew members are the proud recipients of an award 
for community journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Now in its third year, the hardworking San Quentin Prison Report (SQPR) radio crew can now say they are an award-winning radio station. The inmates, staff and volunteers who create the program were honored with a Society of Professional Journalists Northern California 2014 Excellence in Journalism Award for Community Journalism.

“To me, what makes it exceptionally special is that it’s not just for one person, it’s for a group working together,” said Nigel Poor, the lead volunteer at SQPR. “It’s so wonderful to be able to feel proud about a group of people and have it not just be about one person. Sharing that news with the guys was one of the highlights of my life.”

Those guys make up a creative, efficient, well-trained team of journalists who spend countless hours creating the show, from pitching story ideas to interviewing subjects, transcribing and editing audio – the end result being a professional-quality show.

Volunteer Nigel Poor discusses the radio program’s production process while Shadeed Wallace-Stepster looks on.

The program is aired not only on closed circuit to SQSP inmates, but also to the public via the Bay Area’s KALW, the program’s community partner and fellow recipient of the award. In addition to providing a public forum for the show, KALW has also provided training to the inmates on how to produce a radio show.

While KALW does training and provides suggested edits, the entire show is produced by the inmates – right down to the music, which is composed and recorded by inmate David Jassy, a lifelong musician.

“One thing we wanted when we got the training is we wanted to make that we were put in the position to tell our stories and not have somebody else tell our stories,” said inmate Troy Williams. “We’d watch all these shows about prison, and they always talk about prison from somebody else’s perspective. They always talk about it from the bad side; they never talk about redemption, they never talk about transformation, they never talk about the struggles that a person goes through trying to change in this type of environment.”

Williams is a prime example of this – incarcerated for 18 years, he paroled just days after learning about the SPJ award.

Troy Williams, inmate facilitator of the San Quentin Prison Report, paroled in October after 18 years in prison, thanks in large part to his participation in numerous rehabilitative programs.

In addition to working on SQPR, Williams has been an inmate facilitator of numerous rehabilitation programs, including Victim Offender Education Group, Restorative Justice, Project Choice and San Quentin T.R.U.S.T. (Teaching Responsibility by Utilizing Sociological Training), which assists inmates in positive restoration of themselves, their families and, ultimately, the community.

Williams said being involved in rehabilitative programs was key to being approved for parole.

“Going through the programs allows you to gain the insight and the empathy to relate to your victims and what you did,” he said.

Williams plans to re-enter the film and radio industry, this time from the outside, continuing SQPR’s storytelling. He said he’ll seek out community stories to share, creating a “partnership between the inside and the outside, so we’re covering those issues that are affecting our community.”

Williams said for him, the SPJ award shows the hard work inmates, staff and volunteers put into making the program happen has paid off. He said he’ll proudly attend the Nov. 12 ceremony in San Francisco to accept the award on behalf of all involved.

David Jassy composes and records music for the San Quentin Prison Report.

“It was worth it, because now the community is really hearing our voices,” he said. “They’re really listening to us, and what we have to say has value. That goes a long way, especially when you’ve spent most of your life not feeling that your words have value.”

SQPR program members learn not only about reporting and storytelling, but also develop technical skills that will serve them well on the outside.

All of the equipment and software is donated, often by journalists and multimedia experts who share their knowledge through workshops at SQPR.

The inmates use Pro Tools, the industry standard for editing, which was donated by Mark Jeffery, one of the original engineers of the software. Jeffery also taught the crew how to use it.

It’s these partnerships which make SQPR work, from prison officials supporting the program to outside volunteers giving their time to teach. SQPR members emphasized the work of KALW’s Holly Kernan, named in the award, for her many hours of time volunteering at the prison.

SQPR also produces film projects, under the guidance of TV Specialist Larry Schneider. It was Schneider who convinced Williams to branch out from film to radio, and who was a strong promoter of starting the radio program.

San Quentin State Prison Television Specialist Larry Schneider was a driving force behind getting the radio program started at the prison.

“Maybe it sounds like a cliché, but ‘each one, teach one,’” Schneider said. “When I first came to this prison I had a crew of five guys. I taught them, and at that point they started teaching each other, and we became a room full of teachers teaching each other.”

When asked what the most powerful stories they’ve shared are, the inmates ticked off a list of topics, from a man meeting his son for the first time in prison to the story on an immigrant coming to terms with incarceration.

Williams once shared a story about being denied parole, and Greg Eskridge produced a story about getting out of gangs. But every story, they said, is powerful.

“We have a personal approach to a lot of the stories we tell, because we’re all incarcerated,” Eskridge said. “We know that side, and so to be able to tell an accurate story of somebody else’s life story, we take that really personal.”

Greg Eskridge said in addition to the valuable technical skills he’s learning, being part of the San Quentin Prison Report allows him to share positive stories with his family.

Eskridge added that another benefit of being in the program is having a way to share with loved ones the journey of rehabilitation the crew is on.

“For me, it’s really a proud thing to be able to call home and tell my family, ‘Go on this website and hear my story.’ When I left the streets 20 years ago, the only image my family had of me was in a negative way doing negative things out there in the streets,” Eskridge said. “Now, 20 years later, they get to hear me doing something positive.”

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The San Quentin Prison Report airs on KALW, and is archived at http://kalw.org/term/san-quentin-prison-report.

Did you know?

San Quentin also features an inmate-produced newspaper. Read more about it at http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2014/06/extra-extra-san-quentins-inmate-journalists-share-their-talents/

San Quentin State Prison is California’s oldest correctional institution. Construction began in 1852 on the site known as Point San Quentin, Marin County, on 20 acres of land. San Quentin was initially established to replace a prison ship known as the Waban. There are no historical proof of facts, but according to folklore, on July 14, 1852, (Bastille Day) the Waban arrived off shore with 40 to 50 convicts. San Quentin State Prison has been known as “Bastille by the Bay.” Read more at http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Facilities_Locator/SQ-Special_Notes.html

See the photo gallery: http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2014/11/san-quentin-inmate-radio-show-wins-journalism-award-tells-stories-of-redemption-rehabilitation/
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Twenty Juvenile Offenders Receive High School Diplomas

November 7, 2014, 11:43 am
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PINE GROVE – Twenty youth at the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in Pine Grove received a high school diploma or GED today in a major step toward their rehabilitation.

Fifteen students received high school diplomas and five earned a GED or a high school equivalency.

“What’s amazing is these young men accomplished all this while battling fires throughout California during one of the busiest fire seasons on record. Remember they work all day and then go to school from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.” Pine Grove Superintendent Mike Roots said, “Getting a high school diploma or GED is vital for them getting a job down the road. To be successful in life, you have to at least get through high school to be employable. They’ve worked hard and have come a long way.”

Most of these youth offenders were involved with the destructive King fire in El Dorado County that started on September 13, and wasn’t 100 percent contained until October 9. Nearly 100,000 acres were burned, and 12 homes were destroyed.

“Many of these graduates worked extra hard to complete their high school requirements by taking school work with them on the fire lines,” Pine Grove High School Principal Troy Fennel said. “When the students were given “off duty” time on the fires, they would return to their crew trucks, retrieve their school work and begin completing their assignments.”

During the fire season the fire camp crews logged in approximately 55,000 man hours fighting wild land fires, according to Fennel.

Jahmon “Jay” Gibbs, School Psychologist from N.A. Chaderjian High School and founder of the nonprofit, “The Extraordinary B.E.A.T.” was the guest speaker.

Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in Amador County screens and accepts low-risk youth from the other Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities. They range in age from 18-24 and typically include between 50 and 80 males at any given time. Fire training is provided by CAL FIRE and youth are certified to engage in wild land firefighting operations. Fire crews from DJJ camps perform approximately 189,000 hours of fire suppression in a normal year for the people of California.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s DJJ operates an accredited school district, which provides youth offenders with the same high- school curriculum in each of its four institutions they would receive in their home community. Youth attend school Monday through Friday. DJJ considers a diploma or GED a minimum requirement for parole consideration. Over a three-year period beginning in 2010-2011, a total of 894 youth have earned a high school diploma or GED at DJJ’s four high schools. In addition, 441 students earned Career Technical Education (CTE) certificates for vocational programs.
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Art show gets creative with work by Sierra Conservation Center inmates

November 12, 2014, 11:33 am
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By Dameion Renault, Community Resources ManagerSierra Conservation Center

Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) partnered with Tuolumne County Art Alliance and Stage 3 Theater in Sonora to hold its first “Inside-Out” Art Show and silent auction.

Over 100 pieces of art were created by inmates housed at SCC and then auctioned off over the two-day event, Oct. 25-26.

The art was displayed at the Stage 3 Theater for staff, volunteers, community members and artists to view.
Inmate-created art was auctioned off to help raise money for a program to benefit struggling families.

The effort is part of a new program at SCC called “Art and Healing” which combines the opportunity for inmates to draw, paint, or build with the use of group discussion on different topics weekly.

Topics included heritage, pride, family, self-awareness and more.

The silent auction allowed community members to bid on favorite pieces in order to raise money for art programs in Tuolumne County, specifically geared to children and families who cannot afford to pay for the art classes themselves.

The weekend event raised $670 for the effort.


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Torch Retreat ignites rehabilitation at N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility

November 12, 2014, 11:35 am
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By Joe Orlando, CDCR Public Information Officer

N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility (NACYCF) recently played host to the Kairos Torch Retreat.

Kairos Torch is part of Kairos Prison Ministry International, which is active in 11 adult institutions and five programs for family members in California as well as over 300 institutions in 38 states in the U.S. and nine foreign countries.

The youth were carefully selected for the Oct. 18-19 weekend program by NACYCF staff based on their willingness to be open to new experiences and receive life changing knowledge from mentors and also to continue to work on their rehabilitation, according to officials.

“The youth were very excited to participate, and had no idea what to expect,” said NACYCF Superintendent Erin Brock.

The youth were told if they attended the Kairos Torch Retreat, they would participate in activities and have the chance to get to know a mentor who could potentially change their lives over the next several months.

“The 19 youth attending and completing the retreat weekend shared they learned a lot about themselves and how there are people out there in the community who truly care about them and want to see them succeed, and continue to rehabilitate,” Superintendent Brock said.

She said the young offenders  were expressing themselves freely, showing new confidence and interacting in situations with mentors and other youth in ways to help them when they are released.

“The positive messages received and shared displayed how important the community organizations getting involved with our youth helps them develop their character,” said Superintendent Brock.

Mentors and NACYCF staff report the youth are lining up to participate in future retreats.
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Rehabilitative parolee program is changing lives

November 13, 2014, 11:32 am
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By Dana Simas, CDCR Public Information Officer

California is making big strides in working together to keep offenders out of the cycle of incarceration, ultimately making neighborhoods safer.

As California has shifted its focus to rehabilitation and better preparing offenders for their transition back into their communities, success stories like Ruben Tovar and Paul Thomas are becoming more common.

Tovar and Thomas, along with 11 other Stockton-area parolees, recently graduated from an intensive reentry program operated by BI Incorporated (subsidiary to The Geo Group, Inc).

Parole Agent Kendrick Brown address the graduates.
The parolees were recognized for their dedication to completing the program which primarily focuses on the individual’s specific rehabilitative needs.

“It’s all about you. It’s your choices, your life, your mistakes,” said Tovar. “(The program) makes you take responsibility and be honest with yourself.”

Tovar said that the program has helped him develop better interpersonal skills such as trust and honesty which has significantly improved his relationships with his family. According to experts, it’s an important part of decreasing the likelihood an offender will return to prison.

The Keynote Speaker at the ceremony was Keith Lane, coordinator for the CalTrans Parolee Work Crew Program. Lane discussed his own battles with self-improvement in the face of adversity and the commitment it takes to improve your own life.

“You have to face your fears, whether they be fears of failure or success,” Lane said to the graduates. “Don’t stop taking control and making changes to your life.”

To successfully complete the reentry program, offenders must complete a cognitive behavioral program developed to change criminal thinking and behavior. Participants must maintain sobriety for 90 days and participate in at least 90 percent of their prescribed group meetings.

It’s a rigorous program, so to reach graduation indicates a huge commitment to the offenders’ own rehabilitation, according to those involved.

J.T. Weaver, Western Regional Director for The Geo Group, has been working with offenders for 26 years and said he has seen “amazing” changes happen within offenders who complete the program.

Paul Thomas received an Excellence in Leadership Award during the graduation.
“Our primary goal is to reduce recidivism,” Weaver said. “We focus on cognitive change, the way they see themselves, their environment, and the way they interact with that environment.”

Another one of the participants who has transformed his life is Paul Thomas. He not only excelled in taking ownership of his own rehabilitation but was also presented the “Excellence in Leadership” award for encouraging others to take the necessary steps to change their lives as well.

“I’d say, come into it with an open mind and that’s when opportunities start popping up,” he told the gathering.

Thomas is so committed to his own success he now drives more than two hours every day to attend the Northern California Construction Training Program in Sacramento. He’s currently working on obtaining certificates in construction and carpentry.

All the offenders who participated in the graduation event are now either employed or enrolled in community college. They are both significant indicators of whether an offender is likely to re-offend or not.

Also in attendance to support the graduates were parole agents from the Stockton area.

Parole Agent Kendrick Brown was recognized at the ceremony for his unending commitment to the success of those returning to the community.

“Just placing a parolee in a program isn’t going to work,” Brown said to the group. “You have to nurture them, guide them and encourage them.”

Brown has personally seen offenders go from being homeless when first arriving on parole and into the community, to now staying clean from drugs, graduating from the intensive reentry program, gaining employment and reuniting with family members.

Partnerships like those between California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and BI Incorporated are changing lives. The evidence of this is clear when speaking to the parolees who are making the changes and committing to never going back to prison.
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Inmate-trained dogs to help wounded vets, autistic kids thanks to R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility

November 14, 2014, 11:26 am
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By Robert Brown, Community Resources Manager
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility

Service dogs for wounded veterans and children with autism will be getting some training with help from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJDCF) has created the Prisoners Overcoming Obstacles & Creating Hope (POOCH) Service Dog Program.
Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach Bobby Knight, center, threw his support behind the POOCH Service Dog Program. From left are POOCH Coordinator and RJDCF Community Resource Manager Robert Brown, Fire Chief Mario Hernandez, Bobby Knight and Warden Daniel Paramo.
The POOCH Service Dog Program is a community partnership with the nonprofit San Diego based Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs, Inc., and RJDCF.  The POOCH Service Dog Program allows inmates to raise and train service dogs for wounded warriors and children with autism.

The dogs graduating from the POOCH Program will be Assistance Dogs International (ADI) certified. The RJDCF staff is also very excited about the program due to the opportunity to take the dogs in POOCH Program home on the weekends to socialize the dogs to new and different environments that they will not be exposed to at the institution, according to those close to the program.

“The POOCH Service Dog Program is the perfect nexus of benefiting the local San Diego community by providing service dogs for wounded warriors and children with autism, saving dogs from euthanasia, giving our staff the opportunity to become a volunteer for the program, and providing incentives and rehabilitation opportunities for our inmate population,” said Warden Daniel Paramo.
Trinity is one of the canines being trained at R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility.
A wounded warrior who lost her leg due to her service in Iraq, and suffers from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, will be receiving one of the POOCH dogs named Dante (black lab).

“Without her service dog, she would not be alive today, and that every day is a struggle, but having her service dog keeps her going,” according to the organization.

Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach Bobby Knight is a big supporter of the program.

“There has been nothing more fulfilling in my career than supporting programs like these helping our wounded warriors,” Knight said.
An inmate works with Dante.

State Senator Marty Block, former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, San Diego State University Basketball coach Steve Fisher and many more came out in support of the program at an event hosted at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

For more information about the POOCH Service Dog Program, contact Robert P. Brown, Community Resources Manager, e-mail robert.p.brown@cdcr.ca.gov, or call (619) 661-8654.
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First-of-its-kind technology training program debuts at San Quentin State Prison

November 14, 2014, 11:29 am
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By Michele Kane, Chief of External Affairs
California Prison Industry Authority

Eighteen offenders at San Quentin State Prison are participating in a new innovative technology training program designed to teach them computer coding skills to help them become more employable when they leave prison.

The program, Code.7370, was developed by the non-profit organization, The Last Mile, in collaboration with the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

A first-of-its-kind program has been launched at San Quentin State Prison. 
Photo by Lt. Sam Robinson, AA/PIO, San Quentin State Prison.
The new Code.7370 program curriculum utilizes proprietary program architecture to simulate a live-coding environment without Internet access. Silicon Valley’s technology business community developed the course syllabus and help administer the instruction.

“Code.7370 program is unique not only because it’s being taught inside San Quentin State Prison, but it has an end goal of preparing incarcerated people for jobs in the tech sector after they are released from prison,” said Chris Redlitz, co-founder of the Last Mile Program.

The program teaches HTML, CSS and JavaScript virtually through a dedicated administrative connection, twice a week from the technology campus of Hack Reactor in San Francisco. Participants have access to an offline computer lab four days a week where they complete projects.

“The real-world job experience this computer-coding class provides is beneficial to inmates and the general public,” said Charles Pattillo, General Manager of CALPIA.  “If a person can leave prison, get a job and not come back, it saves taxpayers money and keeps communities safer.”

CDCR education officials are enthusiastic about the project.
An inmate learns coding through a new program at San Quentin State Prison.

“It’s rewarding to provide meaningful educational experiences for incarcerated individuals,” said Dr. Brantley Choate, Superintendent of CDCR’s Office of Correctional Education. “The computer coding training provides innovate and entrepreneurial thinking, which is so important in the job market.”

Aly Tamboura, 48, is part of the first Code.7370 class and is grateful for the training.

“The 7370 program provides not only an employable skill that I can use when I’m released, but it’s a skill that’s sought after in the Tech industry and it should pay more than the average living wage,” said Tamboura. “Every day is a challenge and every day I challenge my mind is a great privilege.”

The Last Mile (TLM) was established in 2010 in San Quentin State Prison, utilizing the experience and resources of successful entrepreneurs, leveraging their extensive network in the technology business community to help bridge the gap between the penal system and the technology sector.

TLM utilizes current technology and social media resources to build programs that address the fiscal challenges and high recidivism rates facing our nation’s prison system. Learn more at www.thelastmile.org.

The first 18 offenders to participate in the Code.7370 program.
What is the project?

Code.7370 is a curriculum developed by The Last Mile and Hack Reactor. It is packaged into transferable content modules, allowing approved correctional facilities to effectively administer the curriculum.

The six-month program is structured as a progression toward the normal day-to-day life of a software engineer in an entrepreneurial environment. It begins with heavy lecture and lab training sessions taught by expert instructors and moves toward independent projects and internships with technology companies.

HTML, CSS and Java Script are the primary areas of concentration.

What is CALPIA?

CALPIA trains approximately 8,000 inmates per year in service, manufacturing and agricultural industries in California’s penal institutions.

CALPIA is self-supporting and does not receive an appropriation from the state budget.  CALPIA participants returned to prison, on average, 26-38 percent less often than offenders released from the CDCR general population.
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A glimpse into the lives of female firefighters at Central California Women’s Facility

November 17, 2014, 11:19 am
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By Lt. Brian Davi, AA/Public Information Officer
Central California Women’s Facility

An emergency call sounded recently to Station 5 for a response to a vehicle accident on Highway 152 and Road 11 in Madera County. A vehicle rolled into an adjacent field before coming to a stop.

Firefighters arrived at the scene and began to extricate the six passengers from the vehicle, but found one passenger was dead on arrival. None of the occupants were wearing their seat belts.

The firefighters treated the patients at the scene and prepared them for transport by emergency response personnel and medical helicopters, which quickly arrived.

This is just one example of the many calls to which the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) Fire Department, also known as Station 5, responds.

Station 5 services CCWF, Valley State Prison (VSP) and covers a 200-mile radius in Madera County.

The CCWF Fire Department also responds to CALFIRE in Madera, Mariposa and Merced counties, when dispatched.

Female inmate firefighters battle a blaze.
“The female firefighters at Station 5 maintain a high degree of professionalism and continuously demonstrate versatility during responses in their day-to-day Fire Department operations,” said Fire Chief Christopher Diaz. “The female firefighters are held in high regard among the residents of Madera County, their fire peers and the institutions they provide protection for.”

By the numbers

Station 5 has responded to more than 1,100 response calls consisting of 794 fires, 201 medical, 71 motor vehicle accidents and 42 public service assistance requests from September 2013 through September 2014.

What do they do?

Fire suppression, medical aid, emergency rescue, hazardous materials emergency decontamination and fire prevention are some of the many services provided by Station 5.  All inmate firefighters receive training in advanced first aid, CPR/AED, Wildland/Structural Firefighting operations, vehicle extrication rescue, fire extinguisher servicing, hazardous materials response certification and the necessary training for the State Fire Marshal FF1 Certificate.
Female inmate firefighters from CCWF Fire Department, Station 5, extinguish the flames on a burning vehicle.

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Life-term inmates graduate substance abuse program at CSP-Solano

November 17, 2014, 11:22 am
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By Marlaina Dernoncourt, AA/Public Information Officer
California State Prison, Solano

Nearly two dozen life-term inmates recently graduated from a substance abuse program at California State Prison, Solano.

Twenty-three inmates graduated from the program facilitated by the LTOPP (Long Term Offender Pilot Program) at CSP-Solano.

Two groups of men, one calling themselves BOSS (Brothers of the Same Struggle) and the other Alpha Omega (Beginning and the end), met five days per week for the last five months, obtaining insight into their addictive behaviors and the effects on those around them.

During the graduation, former CSP-Solano life-term inmates David Hillary and Vanderick Towns spoke about “real truth,” encouraged graduates to continue their journey of working on themselves and most importantly how a relapse prevention plan is a way of life, not just something you give to Board of Paroles Hearing so you can get a parole grant.

Their parting words were, “Think before you act. If it’s illegal, immoral or irresponsible, don’t do it.”

While incarcerated at CSP-Solano, both Hillary and Towns participated in the OMCP (Offender Mentor Certification Program) and are now certified drug and alcohol counselors working for a recovery facility in Berkeley.
Inmates graduate from a substance abuse program at CSP-Solano.

Did you know?

CSP-Solano open in 1984 as part of the California Medical Facility. The two were separated in 1992 and a warden was assigned to each facility. Learn more about the prison at http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Facilities_Locator/SOL.html

Drugs impact more than the addict

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, abuse of and addiction to alcohol, nicotine, and illicit and prescription drugs cost Americans more than $700 billion a year in increased health care costs, crime and lost productivity.

Every year, illicit and prescription drugs and alcohol contribute to the death of more than 90,000 Americans, while tobacco is linked to an estimated 480,000 deaths per year.

The initial decision to take drugs is typically voluntary. However, with continued use, a person’s ability to exert self-control can become seriously impaired; this impairment in self-control is the hallmark of addiction.

Brain imaging studies of people with addiction show physical changes in areas of the brain critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control.

Scientists believe these changes alter the way the brain works and may help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction.

Learn more at http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-abuse-addiction
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Parolees discuss obstacles in first female work group for LA Central Parole Unit

November 18, 2014, 12:00 pm
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By Parole Agent Francine Mitchell,
Los Angeles Central Parole Unit

The first female offender work group for the LA Central #1 Parole Unit drew about 10 women.

Among the parolees seeking help in turning their lives around were four life-term parolees (one of them deaf), one pregnant female and the remaining were regular parolees.

At the Nov. 5 event, they were presented with Division of Adult Parole Operations Funder Programs by Parole Agent II Paul Cooper.
Female parolees discuss challenges they face.

Sherry Gordon, Social Worker from the Parole Outpatient Clinic, also participated, speaking on the issues, challenges and services the clinic offers parolees.

Topics such as feelings of abandonment, choices, knowing your victims, talking things through, respect and the healing process were discussed.

Life-term parolee Sharon J. discussed her experiences as an ex-gang member and the positive choice she made to change her ways.

Life-term parolee Myra S. also spoke her wrong decisions which led her to earning her life term and her present outlook on her second chance at life.

Lastly, a hearing-impaired life-term parolee who was born deaf,  which she feels led to her life offense, spoke about her struggles with others not being able to understand her.

All the offenders said they are grateful for what they have today.

The facilitator for the group was Parole Agent III Francine Mitchell with the assistance of Parole Agent I Nicole Ghanem.

The female offenders were greeted with refreshments to welcome them to the work group.

All offenders agreed and wanted to continue to meet in the future to discuss and address the unique obstacles facing female offenders.
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Kids hear anti-drug stories from inmates at Sierra Conservation Center

November 19, 2014, 12:05 pm
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By Lt. L.A. von Savoye, AA/Public Information Officer
Sierra Conservation Center

To help discourage substance abuse by children, five inmates from Baseline Conservation Camp No. 30 shared their personal stories of the consequences of making poor decisions.

Held during Red Ribbon Week on Oct. 29, the Sierra Conservation Center’s Community Betterment Program inmates spoke to the students, who are in sixth through seventh grades.
Baseline Conservation Camp No. 30 inmates act out a peer pressure 
skit for students at Sonora Elementary School.

The inmates discussed their life choices and the impact drug use has had on their lives.

The inmate crew produced a skit designed to stimulate awareness of how peer pressure can lead to bad decision making and how one bad decision can change the course of a life.

After the skit, each of inmates shared their personal experience, and at the end the students were able to ask questions.

Even though all five inmates come from different ethnic and regional backgrounds, their stories end the same. They were sentenced by the courts and committed to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

They each shared the negative impact as the result of their life choices.

The one common denominator between all five of the inmates was they began using marijuana between the ages of 11 to 13. The inmates also spoke out on the negative impacts of tobacco and alcohol use, stating all these later led them to harder drugs and eventually to a life of crime.
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Largest class graduates from Valley State Prison adult school

November 20, 2014, 12:03 pm
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By Lt. Matthew Osborn, AA/Public Information Officer
Valley State Prison

Valley State Prison saw the graduation of 203 students from Valley Adult School, marking the largest class since converting to a male prison in 2012.

Valley State Adult School’s mission is to foster self-improvement by motivating their students to engage in measurable goal-setting, personal responsibility, academic and vocational achievement, and life-like skills strategies.
Superintendent Dr. Brantley Choate addresses the graduates.

The graduation included inmates that completed their General Education Degrees, College Degrees, Academic Programs and the Career Technical Education Program.

Inmates were able to accomplish their goals with the assistance of Valley State Prison Adult School instructors and inmate tutors.

The tutors play an intricate role in assisting inmates in the areas they may be struggling in. Without the assistance of inmate tutors fewer inmates would have participated in the graduation ceremony, according to officials.

Several administrators from the Office of Correctional Education, Superintendent Dr. Brantley Choate, Deputy Superintendent Shannon Swain and Associate Superintendent J. Wynn attended the ceremony and congratulated the inmates regarding their recent accomplishments.

Dr. Choate spoke to the inmates and praised them for their hard work and challenged them to further their education.
Graduates from Career Technical Education Program (Electronics) celebrate with their instructor.

Valley State Prison Warden Ron Davis, Chief Deputy Warden (A) John Porras and Associate Warden Kevin Daveiga attended the graduation and assisted with distributing the diplomas.

Warden Davis spoke to the inmates regarding their accomplishments and the opportunities at Valley State Prison. He encouraged them to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to them and make the most of their time while incarcerated at the prison.
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Construction training builds on futures of female inmates at Central California Women’s Facility

November 20, 2014, 9:08 am
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By Lt. Brian Davi, AA/Public Information Officer
Central California Women’s Facility

The Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) and the Inmate Ward Labor (IWL) successfully graduated 14 inmates in the first female offender pre-apprenticeship program, which began on May 14.

The program consisted of a 30-week classroom component along with 40-hours a week of on-the-job construction training.

On Nov. 7, CCWF celebrated as the graduates wore their hard hats and stood before their friends, family, construction supervisors, CCWF administrative team and distinguished guests who supported them throughout their training.

CCWF graduated 14 women from the pre-apprenticeship program.
Warden Deborah K. Johnson, CDCR Director of Facilities Planning and Construction Management Deborah Hysen, Construction Supervisor II Marty Haight and Isaac Camarena, from the Fresno Area Sheet Metal Workers, Local 104, Joint Apprenticeship Training Commission (JATC), each offered encouraging support during the ceremony as they congratulated the first female offenders for their completion of the program.

Camarena gave the graduates insight on the type of career the program could offer if they remained in the program once paroled.

“The IWL workforce at CCWF is very impressive.  These female inmates have embraced the educational component and actively participated while working on the job. Trades in general or construction are very profitable,” Warden Johnson said.

It all adds up to reduced recidivism.

“So, a lot of our female pre-apprentices if they continued to participate, will be able to take care of their families and be self-sufficient once they parole, which means they will not come back and the graduates can be positive members within our communities,” said Warden Johnson. “The IWL at CCWF is long overdue and I look forward to future classes, inmate participants and partnerships with other local construction unions in the future.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the graduates received their certificates of completion from Fresno Local 104 Sheet Metal Workers Pre-Apprenticeship, Certificate of completion for OSHA 10 safety training, CPR/AED certification, LEED Green Building Systems certification and operators cards for forklifts, reach lift and scissor lift.

You can also view the highlighted link below for more coverage on CCWF/IWL and the Pre-Apprenticeship program, as covered by ABC 30 Action News.

In September, CDCR Secretary Jeffrey Beard visited the facility. Read about it at http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2014/09/secretary-beard-visits-central-california-womens-facility-construction-site/

Read about a similar program, http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2013/11/calpia-program-prepares-female-offenders-for-construction-jobs/

(Editor’s note: Some websites may not be accessible from a CDCR computer.)

http://abc30.com/news/program-helps-madera-county-female-inmates-develop-new-skills/386179/
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Twenty youth offenders earn diplomas at Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp

November 21, 2014, 9:06 am
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Twenty youth at the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in Pine Grove received a high school diploma or GED in a major step toward their rehabilitation.

Fifteen students received high school diplomas and five earned a GED or a high school equivalency during a Nov. 7 ceremony.

“What’s amazing is these young men accomplished all this while battling fires throughout California during one of the busiest fire seasons on record. Remember they work all day and then go to school from 3 to 9 p.m.,” said Pine Grove Superintendent Mike Roots. “Getting a high school diploma or GED is vital for them getting a job down the road. To be successful in life, you have to at least get through high school to be employable. They’ve worked hard and have come a long way.”

Most of these youth offenders were involved with the destructive King fire in El Dorado County which started Sept. 13, and wasn’t 100 percent contained until Oct. 9. Nearly 100,000 acres were burned, and 12 homes were destroyed.

“Many of these graduates worked extra hard to complete their high school requirements by taking school work with them on the fire lines,” said Pine Grove High School Principal Troy Fennel. “When the students were given ‘off duty’ time on the fires, they would return to their crew trucks, retrieve their school work and begin completing their assignments.”

Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp firefighters had a busier-than-usual season, but 20 still managed to earn their diplomas or GEDs.
During the fire season the fire camp crews logged in approximately 55,000 man hours fighting wild land fires, according to Fennel.

Jahmon “Jay” Gibbs, School Psychologist from N.A. Chaderjian High School and founder of the nonprofit The Extraordinary B.E.A.T., was the guest speaker.

Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp in Amador County screens and accepts low-risk youth from the other Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities.

They range in age from 18-24 and typically include between 50 and 80 males at any given time. Fire training is provided by CAL FIRE and youth are certified to engage in wild land firefighting operations.

Fire crews from DJJ camps perform approximately 189,000 hours of fire suppression in a normal year for the people of California.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s DJJ operates an accredited school district, which provides youth offenders with the same high-school curriculum in each of its four institutions they would receive in their home community.

Youth attend school Monday through Friday. DJJ considers a diploma or GED a minimum requirement for parole consideration.

Over a three-year period beginning in 2010-2011, a total of 894 youth have earned a high school diploma or GED at DJJ’s four high schools.

In addition, 441 students earned Career Technical Education (CTE) certificates for vocational programs.

What was the fire season like?

See our earlier story and photos at http://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/gallery/pine-grove-youth-conservation-camp-firefighters-have-busy-season/
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Young men get into spirit of Halloween at Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp

November 24, 2014, 9:04 am
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Contests for pumpkin carving and creating the best costumes were just some of the activities on Halloween at Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp.

For the costume contest, the young offenders had to create their own costumes from whatever items they had or could acquire from staff.

Seven came up with some very creative costumes, according to those involved.
The festivities ended with a night of bingo.

The teachers at Pine Grove U. were the judges of the contest.

They said it was difficult to pick the winners, because they all did such a great job. Prizes were awarded to the top contenders.

There was also a pumpkin carving contest. Eight firefighters participated in the contest using creative ideas for their masterpieces.
 
They used their own creativity as well as patterns to create jack-o-lanterns. They were lit and another Youth Correctional Counselor judged the entries.

The pumpkin carving contest was a hit.
The evening ended with  a Bingo Night followed by some cake provided by a Crew 3 firefighter, with some help from Chef Wilson.

All who chose to participate vied for several prizes.

According to those with the camp, getting young offenders involved in more “normal” activities helps set a pattern for such behavior after release and is part of the rehabilitation process.
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Dance features two Ventura Youth Correctional Facility offenders

November 25, 2014, 9:01 am
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By Joe Orlando, CDCR Public Information Officer

Two girls from the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility (YCF) participated in a liturgical dance at a mass at the annual Santa Barbara Regional Religious Education Congress.

Along with volunteers Cathy Seine and Cathy Zambrano, and several others, Jasmine Gomez and Elyde Hernandez Camarillo spent a month practicing the routine and dance moves.

They danced before the reading and brought up the gifts. About 500 people attended the event.

Afterwards, Hernandez Camarillo explained what the dance and the liturgy meant to her.

Jasmine Gomez and Elyde Hernandez Camarillo spent a month practicing the routine and dance moves for a liturgical dance at a mass at the annual Santa Barbara Regional Religious Education Congress.
“This is the first time I have danced publicly. At first it was hard, but I gained confidence in life. The fact that I am doing it for God brings me peace,” Hernandez Camarillo said.

Gomez said it was peaceful, once her nerves settled down.

“The experience was nerve-wracking at first, then I got into it and I felt at peace for once, and I enjoyed it,” she said.

The two youths were featured in the Tidings, a Catholic newspaper covering Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Editor’s note: Catherine Conneally-Salazar from Ventura Youth Correctional Facility contributed to this report.
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