From the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

In late July, the state of California decided to cut $1.2 billion from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget; in August the Department will decide where those funds will come from. Under
consideration is eliminating what little vocational and/or academic programming exists in institutions statewide.

While this is going on, we receive about ten letters every week from people at other prisons around the state who are seeking to transfer to San Quentin in order to participate in the college program. Given that
our program only serves students with a high school diploma or GED (who are already in the minority within the system), it’s hard to imagine the scope of the need across the state, and what it will be like if the few educational opportunities out there vanish completely.

In recent years, the idea of providing educational opportunity in prisons has seemed to gain ground; unfortunately, in the face of economic crisis, that support has proved painfully thin. Being convicted of a crime effectively means that one’s needs, by definition,
instantly become virtually meaningless, or at the very least, of the lowest possible fiscal priority. We need to challenge both the logic of this devaluation, and the underlying premise that neglecting the basic needs of an individual impacts only that individual.

Through the college program, students’ voices are being heard on critical issues such as reducing prison spending, lowering the prison population, preventing crime, and bringing about reform of our sentencing laws. During these extraordinarily trying times, we
are excited to continue exploring the potential impact of this work, and we are profoundly grateful for your support, which makes it all possible.

With warm regards,
Jody Lewen