CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM and former NFL superstar Marshawn Lynch visited San Quentin Rehabilitation Center recently to record their podcast called “Politickin’” and to tour the facility.
The two were accompanied by Warden Chance Andes and NFL agent Doug Hendrickson.
Newsom and Lynch recorded their podcast in San Quenin’s media center. They spoke about issues related to prison reform and Newsom’s “California model,” which approaches incarceration through the lens of rehabilitation and education to increase public safety.
“Ninety-five percent of folks in our system end up back home … you want them broken or pissed off? Or do you want them to be more resourceful?” Newsom asked during the podcast. “Do you want them to be your neighbors? You’ve got to think in those terms; so it’s a public safety issue.”
Ideally, the California model creates healthier relationships between correctional staff and the incarcerated population, and takes influence from the Norwegian model of incarceration. It incorporates treating the incarcerated like human beings. Newsom and Lynch covered other aspects of criminal justice reform, including “race-based” laws that disproportionately affect the Black community.
“My whole family is in there (prison) for wanting to get high and have fun,” Lynch said, while speaking about the impact of crack cocaine abuse in his community. “When I see someone come home from doing 15 years or so, they’re out of touch. There’s always a disconnect.”
Incarcerated, corrections officers collaborate
Newsom talked about the 1980-’90s era of mass incarceration and the cost of incarcerating one individual, which is now more than $132,000 annually. He also expressed the necessity of prison reform by highlighting the fact that the U.S. has 5 percent of the world population, but more than 25 percent of the global prison population. Andes, San Quentin’s warden, echoed his support for the California model, voicing that this problem not only affects the incarcerated but correctional officers in the prison community.
“I’m a peace officer, I have a badge,” said Andes, “and I’m for prison reform. That’s unheard of … 10 years ago I couldn’t do that.”
Andes expressed that now is the time for incarcerated people and officers to promote each other’s wellness. He further conveyed the importance of mental health by talking about the high incidences of suicide among officers.
Prior to recording their podcast, Newsom and Lynch toured the new rehabilitation center, greeting and shaking hands with the population. There were also some autographs signed by Lynch as the media center film crew captured the event. The two men stopped by the basketball courts on San Quentin’s lower yard and spoke at length with residents about changing the prison environment.
“I had to do some healing up in here. I had to heal myself by doing self-help groups. If you don’t heal yourself you can’t help anyone else.”
Reginald Thorpe, San Quentin resident
One of the incarcerated individuals present was Reginald Thorpe, who grew up in Lynch’s hometown of Oakland. Thorpe has been incarcerated 20 years and spoke about dedicating himself to recovery and changing his criminal mentality.
“I had to do some healing up in here,” he said. “ I had to heal myself by doing self-help groups. If you don’t heal yourself you can’t help anyone else.”
Newsom commended Thorpe for his work and being a model representative of thousands of incarcerated people who are serving life sentences.
“Whatever the parole board does, it doesn’t matter unless the governor signs off on it,” said Newsom. “All that programming, you have no idea how critical that is. “There are so many folks that I’ll send back (en banc) if you don’t see that programming in there, so what you’re doing is profoundly consequential.”
Critics call it a media stunt
Critics of the California model, like producers of the podcast “Millennials Are Killing Capitalism,” argue that Newsom is utilizing San Quentin as a grab for media attention, noting that the institution has been highly publicized based on its proximity to major media outlets within the San Francisco Bay Area and its notoriety makes for convenient coverage.
Oakland Abolition and Solidarity member Brooke Terpstra spoke during the podcast.
“I know people who’ve been inside (other institutions) for years who can’t even get access to Narcotics Anonymous,” Terpstra said. “San Quentin has turned into a dog and pony show; a boutique prison in order to run a smokescreen using the biggest media market in the world about what’s going on in CDCR.”
The visit to San Quentin has been one of many for Newsom since his announcement concerning the California model, and rebranding San Quentin into a rehabilitation center.
The governor’s $240 million plans to overhaul San Quentin include a new multipurpose education complex within the institution.
“If we can prove it here, then we can lay the tracks for reforming the rest of the system,” said Newsom. “We have more prisoners in our system than any other state in America.”
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