On the recreation yard of San Quentin prison on a recent morning, dozens of residents were jogging around an open track, playing basketball and lounging on grass and picnic tables. Lt Guim’Mara Berry was leading a media tour of California’s oldest prison, touting its acclaimed running club and a recent pickleball game between staff and residents.
Officials had brought in a group of reporters to promote Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to “completely reimagine what prison means” by transforming the complex into a “rehabilitation center” inspired by prisons in Norway, where officers act more like social workers.
