Golden State Today

Governor Newsom announces new milestone in transformation of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center

Aug 27, 2024

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the completion of the demolition of a former warehouse at San Quentin State Prison, paving the way for the construction of a new educational complex as part of the ongoing transformation into the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Additionally, demolition work on the interior South Wall has commenced to improve access to the secure facility.

“California is transforming San Quentin – our state’s most notorious prison – into the nation’s most innovative rehabilitation facility focused on building a brighter and safer future. We are literally tearing down walls to reimagine our prison system, incentivize true rehabilitation, and end cycles of violence and crime. Brick by brick, we’re building a new future that will make all of us safer,” said Governor Newsom.

The project was first announced in May 2023 with an aim to transform San Quentin from a maximum-security prison into a unique facility focused on improving public safety through rehabilitation and education. This effort is intended to serve as a nationwide model for advancing an effective justice system that builds safer communities.

With the demolition of Building 38 complete, construction on the new educational and vocational center will begin this fall. Work has also started on demolishing an interior wall known as the South Wall to increase access within the facility. The removal of this internal barrier will open up space within the institution without impacting its security.

“The establishment of this new rehabilitative center marks a pivotal step toward fostering genuine transformation in our correctional system,” said California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Jeff Macomber. “We are not just rebuilding walls but constructing pathways to restoration and rehabilitation for those in our care.”

In May 2023, Governor Newsom announced that the project would be led by the San Quentin Transformation Advisory Council, which includes stakeholders such as CDCR staff, criminal justice experts, program providers, and formerly incarcerated individuals. Their collaborative planning resulted in an adaptable campus-like space designed to encourage rehabilitation through educational and job training opportunities.

This construction project is part of a broader initiative called the California Model, aimed at transforming multiple state prisons throughout California by breaking cycles of crime among incarcerated populations while improving workplace conditions for staff through rehabilitation and restorative justice practices. Valley State Prison piloted this model before it was expanded to other facilities including San Quentin.

Since taking office, Governor Newsom has implemented various measures aimed at strengthening public safety through justice reforms and innovation. These include placing a moratorium on the death penalty, ending private for-profit prisons in California, disrupting school-to-prison pipelines, reforming juvenile imprisonment practices, enhancing jury representation diversity, expanding Board of Parole commissioners' numbers, building trust between communities and law enforcement through legislation, and securing record-level funding for public safety initiatives under his Real Public Safety plan.