ChallengesThree Assaults in the First Year

The interviewee discusses some of the violence and threats of violence he experienced moving from juvi to adult prison.

ChallengesRespect I’m a Lifer

The interviewee discusses how he learned to deal with the violence in prison.

Challenges“Can’t Just Run Over”

The interviewee discusses some of the challenges of living in highly race segregated prisons.

ChallengesAfraid All the Time

The interviewee describes the constant undertone of violence in prison.

Challenges“Leave Me Alone”

The interviewee describes his experiences in solitary confinement and some of the reasons he ended up there.

Identity“I Fit Right In”

The interviewee describes how his first experience in adult prison was similar to juvenile detention.

IdentitySHU Reputation

Interviewee describes how his reputation in the SHU smoothed his transition onto a level 4 general population yard.

ChallengesCounty Jail is Scary

Interviewee discusses his first time in prison and his experience in county jail.

Challenges"Your Soul Becomes Calcified"

The interviewee describes how vital it was to build a social network in prison, but still having to become emotionally numb to survive.

IdentityWe Don't Like Bullies

The interviewee describes how hierarchies, fairness, and crying work in prison culture and his negative experiences with guards.

ChallengesThe Killing Fields

The interviewee describes the extreme levels of violence and racism in San Quentin.

ChallengesEntering Prison at 21

The interviewee describes the numbness and fear he felt after receiving a life sentence and entering prison for the first time at a young age.