Prison Rehabilitation Success Stories Across California Prop. 36 Endangers Future

By Felix Valdez

In November, California voters will decide whether to reclassify certain theft and drug sentences and roll back a 2014 criminal justice reform, Proposition 47. Below, a former California inmate worries that the type of rehabilitation programs that changed his life will be lost if resources are spent on filling prisons. The opposing view: A formerly homeless man believes that Proposition 36 will create both accountability and compassion to address the fentanyl crisis.

In March 2022, at the age of 34, I was released on parole after serving 13 years behind bars.

The crime that landed me in prison was a serious one. As a young man I was involved in gangs and drugs. I participated in activities that I am not proud of now. I make no apologies for my actions and I realize that having once faced the possibility of a life without parole, I was incredibly fortunate to have been given a second chance.

Like many other inmates, prison rehabilitation changed me. I focused on educating myself and eventually graduated from a community college program with an associate degree in general business administration.

For obvious reasons, I had a poor resume when I got out of prison. Despite my education and having served several seasons on inmate firefighting teams — which helped me qualify for parole — I was hardly an employer’s dream candidate.

That’s true Project impact stepped on.

Financed by savings from Proposal 47Project Impact, a 2014 criminal justice reform measure that has saved nearly $1 billion since voters approved it, is one of the dozens of programs created across California who are doing vital work with recently released prisoners. By partnering with organizations on the ground with the deepest ties to the community, Project Impact helps break the cycle of release and recidivism, making it much more likely that people like me can stay out of prison permanently and contribute to our communities.

Tragically, these programs are in jeopardy because their funding stream is vulnerable to changing political winds. If voters decide in November Proposition 36 The Prop. 47 era, which saw low-level offenders sent to prison instead of another prison or alternatives, will be replaced by a new attempt at mass incarceration.

That will ultimately cost California billions of dollars – locking someone up costs California taxpayers more than $132,000 annually — at a time when the state is already burdened with huge budget deficits. It will also reduce the funds available forthe kinds of programs that changed my life and helped so many others.

That would be counterproductive.

In my case, I had heard about an organization in Los Angeles County called The project while I was still inside. When I was released, I found the office, walked in, and asked for help. They had psychologists on call to help ex-cons adjust to life on the outside. They had resources to connect clients with educational opportunities. Since my parents were willing to house me, I didn’t need help with housing—but if I had, the agency would have stepped in to help.

I had a goal: I wanted driving trucks. And what I needed was a little help in my efforts to get a commercial driver’s license. El Proyecto gave me $5,000 so I could go to school to get my license. It was a life-changing action, and one I will never forget.

While I was in school, I also needed work. And once again, the organization was there for me, helping me apply for a job at the Monster Energy beverage plant. I worked there for a while before using my background as a prison firefighter to get a job at Cal Fire.

Additionally, El Proyecto has an amazing legal team who worked pro bono to clear my criminal record so I could move forward with my life without the legal limitations that come with a past criminal record hanging over my head permanently.

To this day, the director of the program still follows up with me to make sure I am doing okay. Without this kind of support, I would not have made it. The same goes for the thousands of others who come out of prison in this state each year. Far too many don’t get that kind of help.

Today, my life is looking up. I live in the Central Valley and have used my new truck driving qualifications to get a job with Caltrans.

You could call me a success story: I took responsibility for my actions as a young man and I reformed myself as a worker, a taxpayer, a productive member of society. That’s good for me, but it’s also good for the broader community.

Across California, programs funded by Prop. 47 have helped thousands of men and women turn their lives around. State data shows that these programs successfully reduce recidivism by more than twice the rate reported by the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. They also help reduce unemployment and homelessness.

Instead of closing these programs and jeopardizing their funding through Prop. 36, the state should be doing everything it can to help people on their journey to reshape their lives and achieve the safety we all deserve.

Felix Valdez is a train operator at Caltrans. This article was originally published by CalMatters.

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