San Quentin News THE PULSE OF SAN QUENTIN Award Winner VOL. 2016 NO. 5 May 2016 SAN QUENTIN, CALIFORNIA 94964 www.sanquentinnews.com POPULATION 3,922 CDCR’s New Secretary Plans Rehabilitative Efforts By Noel Scott Journalism Guild Writer California’s new prison boss says he plans major changes to boost rehabilitation efforts and cut back on inmate abuses. Scott Kernan said altering the Photo by Jane Tyska prison culture is his top prior- Ribbon cutting ceremony at the Richmond Center ity as the new secretary of the California Department of Cor- rections and Rehabilitation, The Richmond Gets Associated Press reported on Feb. 10. It’s an us-against-them cul- ture that often pits prison guards Re-entry Center against inmates and outsiders, Kernan told the AP in an inter- By David Eugene Archer Sr. KQED reports. view. Courtesy of Sacramento Bee Journalism Guild Writer The center is located in Kernan, 55, worked his way CDCR Secretary Scott Kernan downtown Richmond to be eas- up through management starting The new Richmond Re-entry ily accessible to formerly incar- [ rehabilitation. by Inspector General Robert Success Center is designed to cerated people, reported Sukey According to the AP, Kernan To accomplish this, Kernan Barton, who says the California help people recently released Lewis for KQED. reported the prisons are less [ [- from prison or jail to get back crowded, and state policy- [ sociation, which is the guards’ on their feet, broadcast station See Richmond’s on Page 4 makers are emphasizing inmate programs for supervisors, and union, “encouraging a code of a search for methods that have silence.” worked in other states. This follows a scathing report See Secretary on Page 4 Outside Guests Flock To SQ Financial Literacy Class By Rahsaan Thomas Despite being a 2012 Yale Journalism Guild Chairman graduate, she knew nothing about investing. Outside guests and young in- “Yeah, I am one of the people !\#- %#[%- tis “Wall Street” Carroll’s Fi- ing an elite game,” said Laslie. nancial Education Class to hear “My parents are lawyers and I Photo by Sam Hearnes him translate investment jargon am well-educated but I never into terms they understand. # %# [ Jeri Jones, Audrey Auld and Pam Delgado performing at Peace Day 2015 $! [!! and assets management. I’m Taylor Laslie drove up from similar to a bunch of the guys Los Angeles to check out the starting out in this program.” A Look at Peace Day’s History class. She heard about it from a Life of the Law podcast. See Financial on Page 20 By Juan Haines In 2006, interracial strife the administration to ask for a Senior Editor kept San Quentin State Prison Day of Peace. on repeated lockdowns. Just Each year the Day of Peace The San Quentin Day of before a yard event to celebrate event draws support from high- Peace committee was estab- Black history, all came to a ranking administrators sup- lished to show fellow inmates head as a race riot erupted. Af- porting the efforts of peaceful- ways to reject violence and sup- terward, a multiracial group of minded inmates. port peace. The tradition con- men, most serving life sentenc- “Open dialogue, violence tinued May 7. es, came together and went to prevention workshops, and the annual Day of Peace celebra- tion serve as alternatives to vio- lence and thus stem the tide of Important Notice: violence by saturating prisons as well as society with peace,” San Quentin News raises funds through Chairman Chris Schumacher [&' said at last year’s celebration. Please send tax-deductible donations to: In support of peace, hundreds of inmates wearing white T- Social Good, P.O. Box 5473 Richmond, CA 94805 shirts along with prison staffers Under check memo section, please write and local community members “Friends of San Quentin News” walk together around the pris- on’s Lower Yard. Thank you for your patience and support. Photo by Eddie Herena -San Quentin News See Day of Peace on Page 4 Curtis Carroll, (right) talking with students after class Page 2 SAN QUENTIN NEWS www.sanquentinnews.com May 2016 San Quentin Nurse Heals CDCR’s Secretary Q&A 1 Brown’s 309 appointees 8 Richmond’s re-entry 1 CPAP panel 8 [ Merle Haggard 9 One Inmate at a Time Peace Day’s history 1 Mother’s Day 10-11 Elina Appleton 2 Arts & Entertainment 12 By Tommy Bryant “This class Psychiatric treatment 2 News Briefs 13 Journalism Guild Writer helped me to see DA Gascon’s roadblocks 3 Wordcross 13 people cared more Prop. 47’s being blamed 3 Cinco de Mayo’s historia 14 Diabetes is a serious problem about my life than SF immigration policy 3 Cinco de Mayo’s history 14 at San Quentin and Elina I did, so I’m grate- Appleton has made it her ful,” said Morlin Divide over Prop. 47 3 Easter Day banquet 15 mission to help those affected. Dorgan, an inmate Racially biased shootings 5 Prisoners learn meaning 15 “Most inmates have no idea at H-Unit. He add- Police force on Blacks 5 CDCR losing battle 15 what the disease is or how it af- ed, “Some of my Minority incarcerations 5 Yard Talk 16 fects them until they start los- peers have gotten Outrageous tactics 5 MAC Corner 16 ing toes, feet, legs, kidneys, go parts cut off.” blind, have heart attacks and/ “I now have the NYC settles death suits 5 Texas law helps parolee 16 or strokes,” said Appleton a li- power to take con- Editorial 6 R[ censed vocational nurse best trol of my diabe- American prisons 6 Book Review 17 known as “Red.” tes,” said another Former inmates 6 Watch This 17 The legendary H-Unit nurse student inmate. Kid CAT Speaks 7 Soledad’s VSO 17 [#(# Inmate Dennis Elderly inmates’ burdens 8 Sports 18-19 and symptoms a week. Often Bagwell, a diabetic the answers indicate diabetes. + * Criminalization and poverty 8 Judge and CCPOA 20 About 20 San Quentin inmates “I have…lost sight in H-Unit are on regular insulin in one eye due to treatment. diabetic complica- “Inmates with borderline tions. It is up to A1C blood levels approaching individuals to take Photo by Raphaele Casale UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY ) ! * - control of diabe- Elina Appleton dates for Type II diabetes,” adds tes before diabetes Graduate School of Journalism Appleton. Avoiding painful am- takes control of them.” to thank all of the San Quentin putation and expensive medical “The tough part is keeping medical staff for the help and care is clearly a win-win for in- sugar levels down with limited continuous support they have mates and taxpayers, she says. diet options,” inmate Demetrius afforded me.” She teaches a 10-week Verdun said. Inmate Robert Appleton said she entered a Prisoners United in the Craft of Journalism class that covers diabetes Craig suggested, “Everyone on 100-Mile bike ride sponsored issues including using the the planet should be taking a by Tour de Cure American Dia- in collaboration with students from the glucose meter for healthcare program like this, whether you betes Association, which raised management. “Once inmates are diabetic or not.” $1 million for research on dia- observe their glucose levels Philip Budweiser said he used betes. most begin to watch what they to ignore diabetes because “I She said diabetes affects more eat and exercise after meals,” was depressed…I used food and than 24 million people in the states Appleton. sweets as a crutch. I would like United States. San Quentin News strives to report on forward- Early Psychiatric Treatment thinking approaches in criminal justice policies that support positive changes in prisoner behavior, particularly through rehabilitative efforts. Reduces Violent Incidents We Want To Hear By Thomas Gardner by cop,” he walked into a local said Shafer. San Journalism Guild Writer ;- =&[- From You! session of a handgun, reported suit against the Napa hospi- The San Quentin News Quentin Early access to psychiatric Shafer. tal alleging negligence for not encourages inmates, free staff, care for people who are mental- “He was wanting to die,” says keeping their son safe, the re- custody staff, volunteers and News Frank Brackin, Shawn’s father, others outside the institution to ly ill may result in fewer violent port notes. submit articles. All submissions Current and past copies of the San incidents and hospitalizations, who explained that his son had Violence remains an ongoing become property of the Quentin News are posted online at: reports public television station struggled since the age of 6, problem at the state psychiat- San Quentin News. (www.sanquentinnews.com) KQED. after having suffered a severe ric facilities, Shafer says. “Five Please use the following criteria (www.flickr.com/photos/san- When the opportunity to treat head injury as a result of being years ago…a staff member when submitting: quentinnews) struck by a car, the report adds. # beginning-stage mental health (psychiatric technician Diana than 350 words. Permission is granted to reprint articles disorder is missed, then a sort On that tragic day at the po- Gross) was murdered by a pa- # appearing in the San Quentin News of “snowball” dynamic can be lice station, Shawn was shot but tient at Napa State Hospital.” for content and length. provided credit is given to the author set in motion, where violence #&&< & [ In response, many changes # and this publication, except for articles and then more violence often was shot and killed accidentally have been made, most of which [ reprinted herein from other publications. by a fellow cop, the story noted. the prison appeals process.) We is the result, according to Scott are designed to protect staff.