Week in Review: March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024

In this Week in Review for March 15, 2024, Female Community Reentry Program (FCRP), Stockton participant graduates college, CCJBH Full Council Meeting, and 230 correctional officers join CDCR.

Women’s History Month

CDCR celebrates Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is a nationally recognized celebration of women that takes place every March in the United States.

It is a celebration of women of every race, ethnic background, and culture. It celebrates the achievements, leadership, courage, and strength women have made and continue to make in this country and the significant roles women play in the work force in the social, economic, and cultural institutions.

Women’s history month first became a celebration in 1982.

In 1987, The National Women’s History Project petitioned congress to designate Women’s History Month as an officially recognized celebration.

On March 12, 1987, the United States congress officially passed the law, naming the month of March as National Women’s History month.

This year’s theme for Women’s History Month, celebrated March 1^st to March 31^st, 2024, as “Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.”

Submitted By GARE Ambassador Diana Steffens

To encourage employees to expand their knowledge and gain new experiences, CDCR/CCHCS GARE Ambassadors are sharing celebrations throughout the year. To learn more about the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts visit the GARE website.

Firefighters

Youthful camps program comes to Growlersburg

Growlersburg Conservation Camp in Georgetown has some new arrivals, but these aren’t your typical firefighters. CDCR has implemented a new Youthful Offender Program (YOP) specifically for conservation camps.

“I want them to know that they have worth, that they have value and that we’re going to do everything that we can to put them in a position to be successful,” said Growlersburg Camp Commander Lt. Mike Hill.

To provide increased access to rehabilitative programming during a critical development stage, YOP participants under 26 years old, up to and including Security Level III, are now eligible to volunteer for the camps program.

Visit Inside CDCR to read the full story.

Rehabilitation

Female Community Reentry Program participant graduates college

A woman at a female community reentry program in Stockton.

Female Community Reentry Program, Stockton, participant Kristine Collier recently received her Associate of Arts degree in Sociology from Feather River College.

Collier began her educational journey within CDCR at California Institution for Women (CIW) through Pale Verde College.

When making the decision on which FCRP she would request, she chose the Stockton location because she knew they offered courses through Feather River College.

Visit Inside CDCR to read the full story.

In Our Institutions

San Quentin holds Native American Powwow

San Quentin Rehabilitation Center’s Native American community held their first true Powwow since the pandemic in 2020.

Natie AMerican man playing song at Powwow

The festival featured many traditional activities including:

singing
dancing
storytelling
feasting
and a jewelry give away.

“These events give me an opportunity to connect not just with the Native community but also with the rest of the community,” said incarcerated resident Maxx Robinson. “And having our families here gives us a chance to bond with them through our traditions. I think these events bring me back in touch with my roots and myself. They reconnect me to my spiritual self and my path on the red road.”

Visit Inside CDCR to read the full article.

California Model

Oasis at California State Prison, Sacramento

Seven people sitting on a couch and chairs at California State Prison, Sacramento, Oasis.

California State Prison, Sacramento, recently held the grand opening for Oasis, the institution’s new Staff Wellness Center. The prison’s Chief of Mental Health Dr. Chamber led the creation and implementation of Oasis. The center was created as a step toward prioritizing and nurturing the well-being of staff. The mental health team donated funds for the staff wellness center.

CTF focuses on staff health, wellness

CTF health and wellness event for staff. — California Chaplains Corps and other information booths were featured at the CTF health and wellness event.

The Correctional Training Facility (CTF) at Soledad recently hosted a health and wellness event for staff. Visit Inside CDCR to read the full story.

Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health

Next full council meeting

When: March 22 from 2 to 4:30 p.m., Pacific Standard Time

Where: Virtually via MS Teams and in the in-person teleconference at 1515 K St. Suite 550, Sacramento, CA 95814

Description: The meeting will explore comprehensive findings of the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness, spearheaded by the University of California, San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

Recognized as the most significant investigation of its kind since the mid-1990s, the study highlights the causes and far-reaching impacts of homelessness across California, with a special emphasis on the experiences of the justice-involved population.

Attendees will gain invaluable insights into the relevant systemic challenges and barriers, alongside proposed strategies to mitigate homelessness. This session is an essential opportunity for stakeholders to engage with pivotal research, driving forward the conversation on effective solutions for one of the most pressing social issues of our time.

In the Community

230 correctional officers join CDCR

Some of the 230 new correctional officers with an instructor sergeant at the academy. — Sgt. Quezada with some of the cadets as they prepare to graduate.

CDCR correctional officer cadets pose for a group photo. — Sgt. Quezada with some of the cadets as they prepare to graduate.

After completing 13 weeks of training, CDCR welcomed 230 new correctional officers at the academy graduation of class 2-24A in Galt on March 1.

See more photos and read the story on Inside CDCR.

California Correctional Institution Warden’s Charity Golf Classic

California Correctional Institution brought back the annual Warden’s Charity Golf Classic to the Rio Bravo Country Club in Bakersfield.

A total of 108 golfers and over 30 volunteers collaborated to raise money for the Jameson Children’s Center and the local Tehachapi Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The events raised close to $8,000 to donate to the charities, garnering support from around the valley and golfers from as far as Pelican Bay State Prison.

“It ran really smooth. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves, and the weather was amazing,” said Alexis Quiles, the institution’s Community Resource Manager.

Sierra Conservation Center takes plunge

Sierra Conservation Center warden runs into the lake for the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics.

Sierra Conservation Center staff volunteered to take the plunge for Special Olympics. In all, 20 volunteers turned out to support their teammates, raising $4,100.

The Sierra Conservation Center team ranked second for fundraising and had the largest turnout of volunteers at the event.

The CDCR team joined 15 other law enforcement agencies and business leaders for the 2024 Tuolumne County Polar Plunge benefiting Special Olympics of Northern California.

The Feb. 24 plunge into Tulloch Lake generated over $36,000 in donations for the non-profit organization and their athletes.

Visit Inside CDCR to watch the video.

In the Media

Compassion Prison Project aims to heal, transform lives

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility is the next stop on the map for the Compassion Prison Project, a nonprofit geared toward promoting trauma-informed communities inside prisons.

CBS 8 spoke with the founder about inspiring real change in and outside of prison. The Compassion Prison Project has worked with thousands of men and women and has hosted the Trauma to Transformation workshop at 17 California prisons.

Fritzi Hortsman, the Founder and Executive Director of the group, says childhood trauma can correlate with bad behavior. Hortsman starts the workshops by asking a large circle of inmates, if from a child to 18 years old a parent would swear at them, yell at them, or humiliate them.

Visit CBS 8’s website to read the full story.

Pen in Hand: CIW: The first women’s prison in California

The California Correctional Institution in Cummings Valley has long been known as a men’s prison, which it has been for the past 70 years. But it didn’t start out that way. In fact, the facility began in 1933 as the first women’s prison in the state of California.

Prior to that, female state inmates were housed in the men’s prison at San Quentin and then later in a separate women’s wing.

Keeping male and female inmates in close proximity led to problems, naturally, so it was decided that female prisoners needed their own facility, entirely removed from a men’s prison.

Visit Tehachapi News website to read the full story.

Goodbye, Solano State Prison — Welcome Home Luis

Last spring, Uncuffed producer Luis Gomez got some life-changing news: He found out he was eligible to leave California State Prison, Solano, and go home.

We’ll hear about the challenges he faced getting ready to leave, and what it’s been like for his fellow producers since he left.

Visit KALW to listen to the podcast.

San Quentin rehab center grads are seeing successful job placement

The gates of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center opened on Thursday to allow families and visitors for graduation day.

More than 50 men incarcerated at the station prison received certifications and apprenticeships for job-skills in industries they hope to work in upon release.

The keynote speaker for the graduation was Chris Schuhmacher, a software engineer. He is former graduate of the same program at San Quentin 10 years ago where he learned computer coding skills that led to his eventual career in the tech industry. Schuhmacher works at Checkr, a San Francisco-based company that provides background check for businesses.

Visit KTVU’s website to read the full story.