Comments on: The beginning of the end of the prison system

By: Wendy Dashwood-Quick

Wendy Dashwood-Quick — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:14:08 +0000

Good luck with the programme Sunny. It’s fantastic and I agree that our society, and our cultural values have a lot to answer for as we head further into the 21st century. Each of us has a role to play, and we need to personally engage with what’s going on around us, ask questions and be involved in the change we want to see – and not sit passively waiting for others to do that for us.

all the best
Wendy Dashwood-Quick
Resolution Coaching

By: sunny

sunny — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:24:05 +0000

Stan-
You may want to check out the following websites for more information about our program and work:

http://www.resolvetostoptheviolenceprojectsf.org
http://www.sunnyschwartz.com

By: Sujatha Baliga

Sujatha Baliga — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:31:25 +0000

Thanks for the correction, Dave. It’s an important one to make, too — as someone who’s personally participated in the survivor restoration sessions, it’s an incredibly safe and supportive environment for survivors to come and tell their stories. The men who go through Manalive and RSVP treat us with deep respect and gratitude for coming in and telling our stories. I’d recommend participation to fellow survivors of crime — it’s a wonderful experience and can be healing in ways that you might not expect.

By: stan

stan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:07:37 +0000

Awesome blog topic…no wonder this one is highly rated. Lets stay with this one. How can I be involve and contribute to this program? This message has to be taken to the politicians and legislatures who imposed the ‘Three Strikes Law”. This law was implemented for the sole purpose of keeping the institution of prisons, union guards, lawyers, and court adminstrators in the green.

By: ed ruppenstein

ed ruppenstein — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:01:19 +0000

thank you sunny. that means the world coming from you. i also believe programs are an essential part of uplfting our community one piece at a time. help one on the righteous path and the community is enhanced. not only do the 2 elements need to co-exist but there is a definite synergism between the two when it is done right. programs are a subtle but important contributor to security and definitely to safety.

By: Sunny

Sunny — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:29:54 +0000

And by the way-Ed embodies the best of both worlds–He clearly understands that safety and security cannot live without programs and programs cannot live without safety and security”–He is a wonderful role model for many incarcerated people

By: Sunny

Sunny — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:24:15 +0000

Your blog Dave and these two posts captures the heart and soul and understanding of our program principles and our journey back to the heart of civility, thought and behavior change. Thank you.

By: Dave Belden

Dave Belden — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:30:23 +0000

Great comment. One of the beauties of this program is that it includes a big appeal to both Left and Right, and challenges to both as well. Your point that it’s a really tough program goes right along with George Bush’s well known warning against “the soft bigotry of lowered expectations.” No lowered expectations here. Some people on the Left have apparently objected that the program expects men to take responsibility for their own violence instead of blaming it on poverty and racism: please, no one who is truly working to empower low income men and women to lead their communities to challenge the capitalist system would ever say that–it must have been ideological Leftists from ivory towers, or embittered people who want to blame but not actually help transform anyone or anything. That in itself is a form of violence, so perhaps they need to go through the program themselves. The causes of violence of course include poverty and racism, and the culture that Manalive calls the Male Role Belief System which has arisen in response, and the first thing people can do is relearn that. Meanwhile the challenge to the Right is to understand that punishment is not half as effective or, as you say, as tough, as this kind of program. The challenge to both sides is to believe in people’s ability to change.

By: ed ruppenstein

ed ruppenstein — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:36:48 +0000

this was a great article. i had the good fortune of working with this program for about 5 years. i have worked at several different s.f facilities. this is definitely not an easy program or something “touchy – feelie” the emotional work and effort one has to put in to do this program is immense. it is a much tougher way to do time than the traditional gladiator schools many are incarcerated in. i have seen so many men reduced to tears dealing with tough issues…the fighting comes easy to them. it is not for every offender but it has helped many and empowers both victims and offenders in a positive way.