District Attorney holds second San Quentin forum

March 7, 2024

Brooke Jenkins speaks with Jemaine Hunter and other incarcerated individuals during the San Francisco District Attorney forum at San Quentin.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins recently held a second forum at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Forum topics included violence and criminality among young people, allowing both sides to come together for a common cause.

Second forum at San Quentin

Jenkins staff speaking with incarcerated at forum inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. — Assistant district attorney from San Francisco sits with incarcerated at San Quentin to discuss how early childhood trauma can lead to youth criminality.

This was Jenkins second forum at SQ since she took office. Jenkins and more than a dozen of her staff and prosecutors broke into groups with about 30 incarcerated men. Smaller groups fostered an atmosphere of trust, with both sides of the justice divide connecting over at-risk young people.

Prosecutors who participated in the circle discussions acknowledged the challenges facing today’s youth.

“Kids are being asked to feed and take care of other people, while being involved in a network that gives them the wrong kind of support. What can we do to get this kid back to being a kid, where their concerns are sports and grades?” said Justine Cephus, a supervising ADA.

This was the second in what Jenkins has promised will be an ongoing series of forums to happen every quarter for the foreseeable future.

“Something I took away last time was just how much people can change. We must be able to seek humanity. (We) see how much people can grow, even after committing what might seem like the worst of crimes. This room demonstrates that people are capable of that change,” said Jenkins.

Story submitted by Lt. Guim’Mara Berry
San Quentin Rehabilitation Center