San Quentin News

11/25/2025

Actor, restaurateur, and activist Danny Trejo and producer David Enabnit visited San Quentin to gather information and talk to residents about an upcoming documentary titled "Trial by Fire."

Trejo, who has a connection to San Quentin, talked about his experience in several fire camps from the Rockies to the Sierra and prisons including Folsom, Soledad, Tracy, and San Quentin.

“We have dedicated our lives to helping people stay out of prison. Prison is not all the movies said it is,” said Trejo. “Once in the system, you get tied up in it and it’s almost impossible to get out. With all the programs now, it is more possible.”

In addition to the “Trial by Fire” documentary highlighting incarcerated firefighters, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a series of bills regarding incarcerated firefighters, one of which included a wage increase funded by the state budget, on Oct. 13.

✍️ Bostyon Johnson
Read the full story:

Danny Trejo visits San Quentin November 24, 2025 by Bostyon Johnson Incarcerated firefighters line up for inspection at Eel River Conservation Camp. (Courtesy of CDCR, 2021) Actor, restaurateur, and activist Danny Trejo and producer David Enabnit visited San Quentin to gather information and talk to...

11/24/2025

For anyone curious about the mass-incarceration universe, Bianca Tylek exposed a dozen aspects dealing with dollars circulating deep in the shadows of jails, prisons, and other vaguely defined detention facilities in her book with Worth Rises, "The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits." 📚 👀

Readers might find themselves disturbed to learn that parasites have attached themselves to the mass-incarceration universe and that such parasites have operated invisibly-but-in-plain-sight within that universe. Most bizarrely, the parasites’ prey has kept on thanking the parasites for their presence.

The book has one unnamed but common thread across the dimensions it examined: extraordinarily intelligent business thinkers have figured out surreptitious ways to profit parasitically from mass incarceration. The thinkers all recognized one exploitable advantage: the Thirteenth Amendment, which allowed the continuation of slavery as punishment for crime.

Read C.K. Gerhartsreiter's review of "The Prison Industry":

Book reveals matrix of the prison-industrial complex November 21, 2025 by C.K. Gerhartsreiter “The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits” by Bianca Tylek and Worth Rises Readers of “The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits” might arrive at the impression that the book presen...

11/20/2025

In dealing with life’s curve balls, incarcerated musicians express their love for music and explain how they use it to cope with the stressors life throws at them.

Music offers remedies to regulate emotions, enabling a listener to disengage from distressing situations and focus on the beauty of the music, according to Psychology Today.

Incarcerated musical director, composer, and violinist John Zeretzke, 66, said he failed as a student in most academic subjects, but in the fifth grade, his school offered violin lessons.

“The first sound of the violin changed my life. I went from academic failure to musical success,” Zeretzke said.

Now incarcerated, the musical opportunities at SQ enabled Zeretzke to help put together the Greater Good Band. It started with four members two to three years ago, and now the band has reached a 12-member assembly.

Learn how music has impacted the lives of other residents at SanQuentinNews.com 🔗
✍️ Jerry Maleek Gearin
📹 The Greater Good band played at the 2025 San Quentin Film Festival (Video by )

11/20/2025

In dealing with life’s curve balls, incarcerated musicians express their love for music and explain how they use it to cope with the stressors life throws at them.

Music offers remedies to regulate emotions, enabling a listener to disengage from distressing situations and focus on the beauty of the music, according to Psychology Today.

Incarcerated musical director, composer, and violinist John Zeretzke, 66, said he failed as a student in most academic subjects, but in the fifth grade, his school offered violin lessons.

“The first sound of the violin changed my life. I went from academic failure to musical success,” Zeretzke said.

Now incarcerated, the musical opportunities at SQ enabled Zeretzke to help put together the Greater Good Band. It started with four members two to three years ago, and now the band has reached a 12-member assembly.

✍️ Jerry Maleek Gearin
Learn how music has impacted the lives of other residents:

Music and mental health a part of rehabilitation November 20, 2025 by Jerry Maleek Gearin The Greater Good Band performing at San Quentin in 2023. (SQNews Archive) In dealing with life’s curve balls, incarcerated musicians express their love for music and how they use it to cope with the stressors...

11/19/2025

The season opener of San Quentin Rehabilitation Centers’ All-In flag football league featured the Spartans and Don’t Hate, who matched each other touchdown for touchdown as their game came down to the very last play 🏈

Read the game recap:

Flag football match-ups competitive and high scoring November 18, 2025 by Anthony Manuel Caravalho #18 Jose Maya attempts to grab the flag of the runner. (Photo by Marcus Casillas, SQNews) The season opener of San Quentin Rehabilitation Centers’ All-In flag football league featured the Spartans an...

11/18/2025

Resident Michael Endres said he remembers the day in 2006 when a race riot between Black and Mexican San Quentin residents resulted in a six-month lockdown.

“When that incident took place, I didn’t hear anything about any tension.” A year later, in an effort to curb violence in the institution, residents created the Day of Peace committee.

The historic event has evolved into a platform where incarcerated individuals share lived experiences, express the benefits of programming, and discuss scheduling conflicts that prevent people from attending self-help programs at San Quentin.

To commemorate the tradition of maintaining peace in prison, San Quentin’s administration brought in musicians and dancers to perform on the Lower Yard at the 17th Day of Peace event on September 6.

✍️ Bostyon Johnson
📸 Marcus Casillas
Read the full story: https://sanquentinnews.com/day-of-peace-showcases-music-harmony-humanity/

11/17/2025

Executive team members of the Board of Parole Hearings visited San Quentin during Mental Wellness Week. The visit gave residents a chance to ask questions about changing laws, parole denials, and rehabilitative efforts.

Executive officer Scott Wyckoff, one of four team members to participate in the panel discussion gave two reasons for his visit. First, he said he wanted to ensure residents that he would relay the concerns of residents to commissioners and second, for those having to go through the parole suitability process, he wanted to leave them with a little hope.

“The people coming before the board have mental health issues and the fact that they are dealing with them and are able to recognize their triggers is going to help our commissioners be more confident in the decision to find somebody suitable,” said Wyckoff. “… hopefully for the people who put in the hard work and transform themselves, they get to go home.”

When the floor opened for questions, resident Steve W. asked about the California Static Risk Assessment interview saying, “the language in my CSRA was harsh” and asked if he was less transparent during the psychologist interview, would that affect his chance of a parole grant.

✍️ Bostyon Johnson
Read the full story:

Parole Board Executive members discuss procedures November 14, 2025 by Bostyon Johnson Executive team members of the Board of Parole Hearings visited San Quentin during Mental Wellness Week. The visit gave residents a chance to ask questions about changing laws, parole denials, and rehabilitative ef...

11/13/2025

After receiving his results for a rather difficult exam he had taken a month earlier, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center resident Michael Moore walked to the Lower Yard beaming with confidence. He held up a letter from the California Mental Health Services Authority that prominently showed the word “PASS” in capital letters.

Moore, 64, had taken the “Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Examination,” a state exam that “measures knowledge required for competent performance as a Peer Support Specialist Professional,” the letter said. His passing score qualified him as a Peer Support Specialist at San Quentin and — better yet, he said, — on the outside.

“My past as an addict gave me a criminal record that would prevent me from getting most good jobs on the outside, but in this program, my past actually qualified me for this job,” said Moore, adding that in this program, “lived experience matters most.”

✍ C.K. Gerhartsreiter
Read the full story: https://sanquentinnews.com/peer-support-specialists-pass-state-exam/

11/13/2025

Overdose deaths from illicit drug use have been a growing problem throughout California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; therefore, overdose awareness was brought to San Quentin residents.

Bay Area volunteers and re-entry services gathered for the inaugural Overdose Awareness event on SQ’s Lower Yard to bring awareness and educational training on life-saving m**hods.

San Quentin’s Warden C. Andes spoke to residents about his 24-year career and said that he has seen it all. It used to be m**h and ma*****na, but now things are more dangerous with spice and fentanyl making overdoses common.

“We…have a serious spice problem at San Quentin,” said Andes. “Addicts are addicts, but dealers are victimizers. It’s a team effort; we need to find a way to make addicts feel safe to talk about it.”

Read about the event and the impact that overdoses have had on San Quentin residents: https://sanquentinnews.com/overdose-awareness/
✍ Jerry Maleek Gearin and Ben Greenspon

11/11/2025

An individual who joins the military and serves their country through unfamiliar terrain show bravery while enduring life altering circumstances. Incarcerated veterans at San Quentin shared that same bravery in a Shakespeare style theatrical production highlighting social issues veterans face after discharge.

The performers are part of the Veterans Healing Veterans group at San Quentin, founded by former resident Ron Self, which is based on trauma-recovery training veterans on ways to cultivate insight and self-regulation. VHV has been an important platform for residents at San Quentin since 2014.

Throughout the performance, residents touched on the issues that plague veterans, such as homelessness.

“I can’t help but think that if I’d gotten the care then [after serving in the Vietnam War], I wouldn’t be here now," resident Steve Drown said.

This Veterans Day, we thank veterans both inside and out for their service, and recognize the work that still needs to be done in caring for veterans returning home.

Read the full story: https://sanquentinnews.com/veterans-display-bravery-in-shakespearean-style-theatrical-production/
✍ Bostyon Johnson

11/11/2025

A San Quentin resident finds redemption and a second chance at freedom after serving decades behind bars for the killing of a rival gang member.

Tommy Wickerd, 58, paroled on July 15, 2025, after serving 23 years of incarceration. He left behind a legacy of what it looks like to take full accountability for his actions and pursue a successful journey to rehabilitation.

“Coming to terms with what I had done and realizing how many people I hurt was the turning point in my life,” Wickerd said. “I was sick of getting caught up in the hate and the violence that comes with gang and prison politic culture; it was time to make a change.”

Read Tommy's journey to redemption: https://sanquentinnews.com/empathy-accountability-amends-part-of-residents-journey-to-redemption/
✍ T.J. Marshall

Empathy, accountability, amends part of residents’ journey to redemption November 7, 2025 by T. J. Marshall Tommy running with the hearing impaired community watching. (SQNews Archive) A San Quentin resident finds redemption and a second chance at freedom after serving decades behind bars for the ...