The latest News & Blogs written by staff, incarcerated colleagues & community members

For as long as anyone can remember, a battle has waged in prisons, jails, and other incarcerated spaces between light and darkness. Not in the metaphorical, moral sense, but in the literal sense. Incarcerated spaces [...]

The question almost always comes up around this time of year. First, the volunteers pause, as their inward struggle plays across their face. Is this question appropriate? Will asking it make him uncomfortable? Slowly, they [...]

I don’t like prison; not for me, not for anyone. I imagine that probably sounds pretty cliche. Whaat!? A convicted felon who wants to do away with prisons? Shocking, I know. Here’s the thing, it’s [...]

In a previous post, I wrote about racial politics in California state prisons and the hardened racial divisions that characterize incarcerated interactions. In California, members of most races are not allowed to share cells, showers, [...]

I will never forget the first time I was exposed to racial politics in California state prisons (politics is the term incarcerated people in California use to refer to our unwritten social rules.) It was [...]

Thanksgiving is coming up soon. This will be my 16th Thanksgiving in prison. Though I have many thoughts regarding my incarceration and world view of prison, I would like to use my Re:vision platform to [...]

Recently, President Trump called for Chicago police officers to use "stop and frisk" tactics as an antidote to the high crime rates in the city. Trump is a former resident of New York, where those [...]

By James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10 When the correctional officers yell "Escort!" all incarcerated people are supposed to turn and face the wall. Mostly, I do. Occasionally though, I turn ever so slightly to [...]

By James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10When Tim Thompson was 12 years old, he didn't run from the local gangs in his neighborhood; he ran to them. You might have done the same. His story [...]

By Adnan Khan #F-55145Next month, my friends from the San Quentin Newspaper will be doing a “mock election” on the yard. Guys on the main line as well as the men on condemned row will [...]

By James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10Currently there is a lot of debate about whether incarcerated people should be given the right to vote. It reminds me of a similar dispute about the value of [...]

By James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10A few weeks ago, a guy I know was in the visiting room with his mother when the unimaginable happened. His mother passed out. Per protocol, the guards made [...]

By Adnan Khan #F-55145People always ask me, “What’s the first thing you’re going to eat when you get out?!”  They ask with excited and impatient faces. They can’t wait to hear what I want to [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  When I wrote recently about the optimism flowing through San Quentin, I felt a little disturbed because I know there are still many people here who don't feel the [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  About twelve years ago, I was walking the track on a prison yard at California State Prison-Lancaster with a couple of other guys and we were debating one of [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  About five years ago, I arrived here at San Quentin after a two-day bus ride from central California and was immediately led to Receiving and Release, or R&R. Sitting [...]

By Adnan Khan #F-55145  The other day I was watching a social game show I’ve been following on and off for several years called Big Brother. This show is about several people who go into [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  Optimism is running through SQ like an electrical current. A week ago three people went to their parole board hearings and were found suitable for parole. About ten days [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  Yesterday, I was sitting in a small circle while we did a check-in. That is what we call it when we go around the circle, one person at a [...]

By Adnan Khan #F-55145  I live in a 4ft x 9ft cell with another man. I occupy the top bunk. Most of my day, however, is spent outside of the cell. I go to work [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  "He is seen, but does not see; he is the object of information, never a subject in communication." -Michel Foucault When I recently read Adnan's post "Sharing 'Free'ly," an [...]

By Adnan Khan #F-55145  It took me a while to talk about my story and explore my childhood pain on a deeper level. I sat in groups, slowly began to talk about my traumatic experiences, [...]

By Adnan Khan #F-55145  Recently on a tour coming in from the outside, we were asked by a visitor how often do we think about the person and people that we've harmed in our crime. [...]

James King CDCR # V-69030 2–W–10  In a recent post about the population changes at San Quentin, I wrote the line, "rehabilitative programming works," and a friend who is familiar with my thoughts about self-help [...]