San Francisco, CA – Today, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that she and six other elected California District Attorneys and senior representatives from two other District Attorney’s offices participated in a symposium at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (SQRC) recently. District Attorney Jenkins led and organized this year’s gathering following the 2025 successful visit to San Quentin to continue the dialogue with incarcerated men, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) staff, and fellow District Attorneys about the role of prosecutors in the California Model and efforts to improve public safety for communities across the state while ensuring both accountability and meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation and re-entry into the community.
“I would like to thank my fellow District Attorneys from across the state for joining me at San Quentin to witness the transformative power of effective rehabilitation and their willingness to listen to and learn from the incarcerated in an effort to make our communities safer,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “I would also like to thank Warden Andes and his team for once again, welcoming and partnering with us and the incarcerated population to improve public safety in our state. The impact of these symposiums will be felt in our respective jurisdictions as we leverage the unique perspectives of the incarcerated in our daily work to deliver justice to victims of crime, ensure fairness in the criminal justice system and make our communities safer.”
“I am grateful for the presence of the local District Attorneys who joined us to hear the stories of the incarcerated, and to witness firsthand the steps we are taking toward accountability and meaningful change,” said San Quentin Rehabilitation Center Warden Chance Andes. “I appreciate the participation of our population for engaging with the courage and honesty to share their experiences and for recognizing that change is not only possible but essential for safer and healthier communities. This event demonstrates that public safety and rehabilitation are shared responsibilities. The courts and facilities must work together to prevent the next generation from making the mistakes that lead to incarceration. We hope these exchanges inspire young men in our neighborhoods to choose constructive paths and pursue productive lives.”
The symposium at SQRC included a panel discussion with incarcerated individuals and staff, a tour of the institution led by incarcerated individuals, as well as small and large group discussions with reflections. Panelists set the stage for the day’s program by sharing and reflecting on their individual journeys and experience with the California Model at SQRC and rehabilitation programming at other CDCR facilities where they had been previously incarcerated or worked. Each small discussion group included District Attorneys and incarcerated individuals.
Elected District Attorneys from El Dorado, Los Angeles, Merced, San Mateo, Tuolumne and Ventura joined San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins at the symposium at SQRC. Representatives from the Mariposa and Yolo Counties District Attorneys’ Offices also participated.
District Attorney Jenkins announced the Healing, Reform and Reentry Partnership with SQRC in 2024 with the goal of developing innovative crime prevention strategies by engaging in direct dialogue with incarcerated men. This strategy leverages their unique perspectives and insights in order to develop programs and initiatives aimed at making communities safer. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office has participated in quarterly symposia with incarcerated men at SQRC and participated in monthly meetings of the incarcerated men’s civic engagement group. To date, over 100 staff members have participated in symposia from across the District Attorney’s Office, including Assistant District Attorneys, Policy and Legislation staff, and Victim Advocates. In 2025, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office established a similar partnership with Central California Women’s Facility to engage directly with incarcerated women and learn from them as we learn from the incarcerated men at SQRC.
The Healing, Reform and Reentry Partnership is part of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office’s Access to Hope Initiative. The Access to Hope Initiative is a prevention and intervention strategy designed to build trust and create hope within those individuals and communities most deeply impacted by crime and violence to prevent and deter crime. Access to Hope Initiative programs and projects play a critical role in the District Attorney’s Office’s ongoing commitment to centering victims and those impacted by crime and violence, in our pursuit of justice, and work to advance smart criminal justice reforms. This unique partnership informs District Attorney Jenkins’ legislative agenda.
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