"When you think about geriatric medical needs, many of the prisons across the United States are not equipped or weren't designed that way, and so the systems are grappling with how to retrofit or make do with the facilities that we have," -- Nick Deml, commissioner of...
News
How We Walk The Yard At Pleasant Valley State Prison “A” Yard
By Mentor Delfino, Muñiz H43407 Edited by Mentee Michael Russo #BS8157 August 25, 2023 Over the years of my incarceration, I had lived a destructive life style. It wasn’t until 2016, that I started to get involved with self-help groups and started caring about myself...
Human Rights Watch Report: The Reintegration of People Sentenced to Life Without Parole
In 2023, The Human Rights Watch organization published an excellent report: "I Just Want to Give Back": The Reintegration of People Sentenced to Life Without Parole. Read The Reintegration of People Sentenced to LWOP article at HumanRightsWatch.org Download The...
Walking the Yard Event at Pleasant Valley State Prison 2023
Walking the Yard Event at Pleasant Valley State Prison on March 5, 2023. Chairman Delfino Muñiz is giving a speech to the mentees. Walking the Yard mentors and mentees in a group photo. Mr. Alberto singing a song to the group in his native language. During the event a...
Welcome Home Re-Entry Resource Fair: April 9 2020
Thursday, April 9, 2020 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Lincoln Memorial Congregational Church 4126 Arlington Ave LA 90008 WELCOME HOME Re-ENTRY RESOURCE FAIR Temporary & permanent housing Medical and dental care or referrals Transportation Assistance Referrals for job...
Memo on the Status of the Young Adult LWOP Bill Idea
Posted on February 25, 2017 To: People interested in the fate of young adults sentenced to LWOP From: The LWOP Working Group, including among others: Joel Aguilar, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, formerly incarcerated LWOP Scott Budnick, Anti-Recidivism Coalition Elizabeth...
Heated debate over tougher punishment for sex crimes as some worry it could unfairly affect California’s minorities
This is from the L.A. Times: Heated debate over tougher punishment for sex crimes as some worry it could unfairly affect California's minorities By Jazmine Ulloa, Sept. 9, 2016 Outside the Santa Clara County Jail this month, U.S. Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez...
Letter to Governor Brown: Please Sign Assembly Bill 1909 (Lopez)
August 30, 2016 The Honorable Edmund G. Brown Jr. Governor California State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: Assembly Bill 1909 (Lopez) Dear Governor Brown: The Fair Chance Project requests your signature on Assembly Bill 1909 (Lopez). This bill creates criminal...
New report by the Justice Policy Institute seeks to rethink America’s approach to violence to combat (over-)incarceration
Defining Violence: reducing incarceration by rethinking America’s approach to violence A report by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI), August 2016 Read the whole report here. SUMMARY From the White House to statehouses around the country, there is more support than...
New report by AFSC highlights
Community Cages: Profitizing community corrections and alternatives to incarceration American Friends Service Committee, August 2016, written by Caroline Isaacs, MSW Read the whole report: CommunityCages EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As states pursue sentencing reform efforts to...
New Study by Sentencing Project about Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons
The Sentencing Project has published a new report: The Color of Justice: Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons. Read the press release below: June 14, 2016 [By Marc Mauer, Sentencing Project] I’m pleased to share with you a new study on race and incarceration...
Food Distribution Project
We at Fair Chance Project are doing a *weekly distribution* of food - a mixture of fresh, often organic fruits and vegetables, as well as non-perishable items to communities of need. The program is run by liberated lifers. Address: 9103 So. Western Ave Los Angeles, CA...
Free Walk-in Legal Clinic September 2015
Free Walk in Legal Clinic, l.e.a.p.p. Learning Everything About the Parole Process workshop, and Fair Chance Project monthly meeting at Chuco's Justice Center in Inglewood.
Clean and Green Community Clean Up Day
The Fair Chance Project coordinated a Community Clean-Up along with Councilman Curren D. Price at Augustus Hawkins Middle School. We were in charge of assigning the young Football team with their duties and had to lead by example. September 2015 event
Clean and Green Community Clean Up Day
Clean and Green Community Clean Up Day February 21, 2015, 9am-12pm at Augustus Hawkins High School located at 825 West 60th Street in Los Angeles.
Walking The Yard Program Update
Walking The Yard Update – Fall 2014 First off let me say CONGRATULATIONS to the men and women participating in our “Walking the Yard” mentoring program. We’ve had a great 2014 as more and more lifers are finding out about our organization and what we have to offer....
Two state laws ruled unconstitutional
Two state laws ruled unconstitutional By Denny Walsh dwalsh@sacbee.com Published: Sunday, Mar. 2, 2014 - 12:00 am A federal court judge has found two California laws that resulted from ballot initiatives – including the so-called “Victims’ Bill of Rights” – to be...
Proposition 47 — the voter-approved initiative that reduces penalties for drug possession and other nonviolent crimes.
County Public Defender Ron Brown walked into a Pomona court Wednesday and saw first-hand the impact of Proposition 47 — the voter-approved initiative that reduces penalties for drug possession and other nonviolent crimes. His office had deliberately postponed...
One County’s Success Story with Realignment
February 3, 2014 - from SacBee Something is happening, quietly, in Contra Costa County that should get the attention of the entire state. If it did, we could be on the road to much better, more cost-effective policies for keeping our communities safe. Since October...
Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Supermax Abuse Lawsuits
Mentally ill prisoners at America's most famous prison win the day in court -- but still have a long way to go to get the relief they've requested. Andrew Cohen Apr 25 2013, in The Atlantic In a rebuke to the Obama Administration, a noted federal judge in Denver...
Our Gardens
Our first garden was planted on Budlong in South LA. The following vegetables were planted in March '13.
Yogi Quotes
Quotes from Hugo Yogi Pinell: January 29, 2013 “I have 31 years of clean time and can’t even get a transfer to a place near home. Now they want to give me 15 years on the Prop. 9 thing. I don’t know what can be done! And I’m gonna keep on pushing and growing...
Statement in Solidarity with Comrade Hugo “Yogi Bear” Pinell
Foremost, thank you, thank you, thank you everyone who has come together to honor a warrior who has impacted the lives of many: Hugo “Yogi Bear” Pinell. I want to send a shout out to FACTS, Fair Chance Project, Youth Justice Coalition, and all those who put time and...
Comment on: Parole board can’t require admission of guilt
Parole board can't require admission of guilt This is part of an article published in SF Gate, 04/01/11: A murder convict who appears to be rehabilitated after decades behind bars can't be denied parole merely because he continues to declare his innocence, a state...