i've never been to prison, except for this show. which again is one of those things that is weird to say outloud. me going prison is how a person who lives in new york and never stepped on poop. doesn't mean you're good, just means you're lucky. i feel there are two things true about prison. every man in this room has had the thought of who would be in prison. i would be the guy who ran the yard. i would be the guy who was in charge. come to me if you need everything. every guy thinks they would be that guy when most think [ crying ] please. my name is w. kamau bell.

as a comedian i've made a living finding humor in the parts of america i don't understand. and now i'm challenging myself to dig deeper. i'm on a mission to reach out and experience all of the cultures and beliefs that add color to this crazy country. this is "united shades of america." ahhh, the san francisco bay area. my home. when the producers told me we were shooting our next episode in the bay, i couldn't wait. so many stories to be told here. the tech industry is pushing working class people out of san francisco. oakland is the birthplace of the black panthers. hell, bruce lee even lived here. well, the producers looked at me and said the four words no person ever wants to hear. you're going to prison. right across the bay, just 12 miles from san francisco, sits san quentin prison.

one of america's most infamous prisons. this place locked up the best of the worst. from serial killers, presidential assassins, worst husband of all time. and home to people you wouldn't expect. like country singer merle haggard. actor denny treyho and even stanley williams, convicted killer, turned children's book author. who the state still saw fit to execute. san quentin is a handful of american prisones who like a pop star or i-list celebrity for some reason rise to an iconic name scattus like alka torres, fullsome, rawa, or bred knee. which means of course johnny cash recorded an album there. now why in the world would i be going there? well, whether we like to think about it or not, there are human beings behind these walls. yes, some very bad ones.

but then some who i've heard are just people who have done bad things. some just made mistakes. got caught up in the system. and i want to meet these men to find out what life is really like in prison. to see if they are debilitated or are they just an overgoing statistic in the growing business h is prison. more than any other prison in the state of california, san quentin is known for its cutting-edge rehabilitation programs. all trying to cut down on the rate of resit vice em. average rate of resit vice em is 60%. that means 60% of prisoners return within three years of being released. and that fact is only the beginning of what is a disturbing reality of what is the prison system in this country. to get me started on my time here i meet up with lieutenant stan robinson, my tour guide, because yeah, not really looking

to get lost in here. >> kamau bell. i hear they call you mayor of san quentin. >> well they call me a lot of things but officially i'm the public officers of san quentin. i'm glad you could come in eer experience the world. know know when you step into prison it is a different feeling than on the other side of the walls. >> this feels like a community college. >> this is the worst of the worst in the state of california. >> this is the worst inmates in the state of california. >> the worst inmates in the state of california. >> i feel like i shouldn't be pointing. >> well, they're not coming out this way. >> yes, san quentin houses california's only death row inmates. yet it is the prison inmates want to get transferred to because it has the highest number of rehab programs by far. and it's also a level 2 prison. see, prison security levels range from level 1, think like martha stewart, to level 4, like

real episode of o oz. it used to be level 4 but was changed to level 2. i have to say, it wasn't what i was expecting. i thought bewould turn the corner and there would be several gates and i would be strip-searched. >> do we need to? >> no, you do not. sam, you absolutely do not. so this is what those of us who watch prison movies refer to as the yard. >> this is the yard at san quentin. we house 3,864 inmates at this prison. currently 731 guys on death row here at san quentin. >> is there anything i should be aware of or think about or know as i walk in here? >> just be yourself. >> okay. it's amazing how many times people give that you advice. >> so for a guy who's never walked inside after prison, what does it feel like? >> it's funny. it feels like i'm walking into a neighborhood i'm unfamiliar with. >> nice, brother. >> thank you, sir. now it feels great. >> now you know.

>> i'm looking around, i see different groups of people in different areas. are the areas broken up in any way? >> the areas are broken up in a way. just beyond the tennis court are primary where the white guys are. couple different areas for those guys. basketball court. primarily where all of the african-americans are. a little area of land behind the shack where the piesis -- >> the what? >> piesis. those individuals from mexico south. his tannic inmates. not california, so to say. then northern hispanic, an area where they're at.tannic inmates. not california, so to say. then northern hispanic, an area where they're at. so the yard is segregated based upon underground rules. >> so it seems like the black guys got the basketball court. no surprise there. but if you're a white guy that want it play basketball, is it just not recommended that you go over there? if a white guys got a good jump shot, would they welcome you in there?

>> you may feel that way and these guys may not have an issue but the guys who look like you may have an issue with you coming over here. >> is there any effort to create that cross pollination? >> there are many efforts. whether through educational opportunities. through programs we have. work assignments. we do try to bring our population together and we successfully put people next to each other who traditionally will not be next to each other. >> okay. sam wanted me to meat resand thomas a writer for the award winning newspaper san quiten news. >> ra shawn, want to introduce you to someone, bro. >> hey, kamau bell. ? >> how you do, kamau bell. heard a lot about you. >> i wanted to come talk to you. i've heard lot about you. >> i'm the sports editor. >> sports editor. what are you in for and what's your sent sfens. >> manslaughter, 55 to life sentence p. i will probably never go home.

level 2 is a blessing. >> you consider this a blessing? >> this is. free college here at san quentin. level 4s do not. >> they don't bring in unknown comedians to talk to you. >> what's up? >> that's the alarm for the prison. when there's an alarm, as you can see, people, no matter where they are in here, everybody gets down on the ground. and they get down on the ground until our staff figures out what's going on. >> how often does that alarm go off? >> some days not at all. other days maybe four or five times but it's usually pretty short. like that. >> that means it's over? >> yeah. they found whatever and we're back in business. >> okay. there wasn't any reaction. everybody just sat down. >> good thing about san quentin is level 2, hardly anything happens on this side. >> so kamau. >> duck. >> duck, what's the biggest surprise from the outside of being in san quentin. >> the name itself is not the characters it produces any more. it actually produces positive

people now. >> yes. >> some people come here who couldn't read, write, spell. now you walk around and they're geniuses. >> you have cell phones so you need someone to walk around -- >> no doubt. >> you need someone who's nickname is wikipedia. to give you information. >> aware. they make us think we are some sort of humanity. because other than that, we would just be numbers on the yard. >> yeah. numbers on the yard. >> yeah. just numbers on the yard. >> what's your sentence? >> seven to life. >> how long you been in here? >> 40th year. >> receive ten life and you're on your 40th year? >> yeah. >> wow. >> same thing i say every morning i get up. >> seven to life sounds like that's not -- >> would you think you would be -- >> i thought you were going to say six and half. sounds unfair. sound like if you're able to live here -- >> right. because they call this rehabilitation. so if you've been rehabilitated,

then you get to a spt like this, then there should be rewards at the end of the gate. but it don't seem to be that way. >> it should be incentive. you should get out sooner. if you can complete programs and make checkpoints. once you are rehabilitated, you can be a atry butte to society. >> you get defined by the worst moment of your life. >> yeah. >> it was time for ra shawn it take me to meet the staff at the san quentin news. >> this is where i work. >> with a press run of 13,000, the newspaper is distributed to 18 other prisons in california. and it is also one of the few papers in the world to be run by prisoners that can be read by people on the outside. >> everybody's got it for the meeting p. this is where the magic happens. >> okay, all right. any inmate that wants to write for san yinten news, they just have to come to take lessons on

writings and they can be given stories. >> so you just have to show a willingness to do it and pick up the skills? >> yeah. >> okay. are these computers connected to the internet? >> heck no, i wish. we have berkeley students that do research for us. we come up with the ideas and they gave us the information and the support we need. >> basically old school internet, people. >> people. >> there's nothing about the way these guys are working that's says this is a hobby or just a way it pass time. at first glance, seems like san quentin is taking this rehab thing seriously. >> all right. i like wait kamau comes to work. >> hey, kamau, know any -- >> ♪ ♪ all to carry me home rir why ♪ ♪ all to carry me home ir why the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home oir why the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home tir why the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home r why the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home why the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home why the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home hy the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home y the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home the ♪ ♪ all to carry me home he ♪ ♪ all to carry me home e ♪ ♪ all to carry me home ♪ ♪ all to carry me home

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today at san quentin immeeting back up for ra shawn thomas who is book up for the newspaper. as we walk the yard, i see a lot of black faces. i wish i could say i was surprised. while only 13% of american population is black, black people make up 40% of the prison population. more bad news, due to unsentencing and unequal application of the law, 1 in 3

black men will go to president yn in their lives. >> kamau, how did you get past the 1 of 3. >> i don't know. i feel weird about it. >> you weren't poor? you didn't try it take any sneakers? >> no. i thought if someone took my sneakers, all right. i think it was avoidance. you make people laugh it avoid the fight. >> that's a blessing. >> one of the things i keep hearing from the guys in prison is how they need to do things that make them feel normal. and for a lot of these dudes, playing sports is one of those things. >> kamau, have you ever seen baseball in prison? >> no, ununtil this week i had never seen anything in prison. at san quentin, if you want it play baseball, you work hard and stay out of trouble, not only do you get to play but you get to play against outside teams. not teams of other prisoners, teams of regular folk. regular folk who voluntarily agree to let convicted felons hurl objects at them.

>> hey, sir. >> cleo. >> kamau. >> how you doing? >> good. >> one of the top players here. >> i wouldn't say top. but somebody really loves the game with a passion. >> all right. somebody that loves the game with a passion. >> what does the baseball program do for you? >> baseball gives met opportunity to practice leadership, team work, confidence, hard work, dedication. and i think streets treated me wrong. but baseball always treated me right. >> wow. >> as we watch the team practice, i got curious. why would ra shawn work so hard at a rehab program when he knows he has almost no clans of ever getting out of prison. >> why do you want to be a journalist? what does this do for you? >> it does a lot. my voice is the only thing still free. and having so much time, you feel like you're going to waste. there's nothing meaningful to do, except for writing. so this gives me meaningful to do. >> finding a purpose in life is not exactly what we generally think of when we picture what

inmates are doing in prison. you know what you think of. fighting in the shower. racially rioting. check this out. yoga is another one of the rehab programs here. a practitioner and writer for the san quentin news is letting me tag along while he gets the story. >> inhale and extend. >> why do you think it's important to do yoga? >> helps me to relax and do whatever energy i accumulate throughout date, helps me to use that energy. >> mentally, what has it done? >> i'm more clear. focused. i'm ready for, you know, another challenge. it's good. >> next, me and foon head over to cell block c. where 420 men are housed, including foon. >> when i first came, i was actually scared. >> yeah. >> you know, here is this little guy one know. >> and so can i ask you how you

ended up incarcerated? >> yes. i'm here for first degree murder on a drive-by. >> what exactly happened? >> i had a nephew in school. who was getting picked on. so i went to go pick him up so he could get home safely without getting harassed. right when we were getting ready to take off, another car pulled up behind us, came out and rushed us. so i told him to drive the car. i was looking for anybody who resembled those guys. and as soon as the opportunity arrived, it was all innocent victims. >> wasn't even the guys you were looking for. >> wasn't even the guys. >> how many people were killed? >> i'm here for one murder and four attempted murder. so 35 to life. i've been here 20 years now. >> okay. >> and it was a big tremendous amount of guilt that i hold. because my nephew is also here because of that.

>> is he here in san quentin? >> he is here in san quentin. >> oh, wow. >> so me being the older one, i took him down the path. >> the way a lot of us men define ourselves as men, if we feel like that's challenged, it can lead to destructive behavior. >> can definitely lead it violence and destructive behavior. >> we put too much on what it is to be a man. >> way too much. >> another thing that impressed me about the prisoners, is you clearly spend a lot of time talking about your issues. >> it is important to talk about it and take ownership about what we have done. it is part of you, who you are. however, with a better understanding, it doesn't have to be who you are today. uh oh. what's up? ♪ ♪

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"daddy doing work",d it's funny that i've been in the news for being a dad. windows 10 is great because i need to keep organized. school, grocery shopping. my face can unlock this computer. that's crazy. macbooks are not able to do that. "hey cortana, remind me we have a play date tomorrow at noon" i need that in my world. anything that makes my life easier, i'm using. and windows is doing that.

everyone in here says to do time you have it know how to kill time. and i'm not talking about a gang leader name time, i'm talking about killing time playing overly complicated games like pea knuckle, which is another application. thanks, mom. i know it's slowing you down.kn application. thanks, mom. i know it's slowing you down. >> how are you going to grow up there and not know pea knuckle

man? >> is this a game common in prison? and why this game? >> because it's fun, time-consuming and a lot of people have nothing better to do than to sit around and make time to go. >> so that's why this game is so complicated because it takes time. can i ask what are you in for and what's your sentence? >> i'm in here under the three db strike law. i committed a nonviolent, nonweapons involved, no physical injuries, second degree robbery. and you know the crazy thing, i got almost as much time as him. 30 years to life. >> can i ask you what the crime was, sir? >> first degree murder. >> possession of firearm. i'm doing double life. they term me a career criminal when i had never been to juvenile hall, ya, but i like this prison. >> 35 state prisons in california, this, by far, is the best as far as educational, self-help development programs. where as the other prisons, the

resources aren't available. programs aren't there. we worked our way down from those higher level security institutions by obeying the rules, staying out of trouble. programming. doing what is necessary to get out of those places. >> but recognition about change it seems like that's a hard thing for people it swallow because they don't think that we can actually change. >> i keep coming back to the fact that i believe it's because as long as i sit here, it is a paycheck for someone. >> that's exactly what it is. you hit the nail on the head. yes, you did. >> when he made that statement, he told the truth. because a lifer is bread and butter for a whole lot of people that work for the department of corrections. >> what they are talking about is the business of prison. the u.s. spends around $70 billion a year on prisons. put that in perspective, look at this chart. since 1986, we have increased spending on higher education by 5.6%.

not great. we increased spending on kindergarten to high school by 69%. sounds pretty good, right? but we increased spend awning prisons by a whopping 141%. while we have our chart outlets's look at another one. during the same time the prison population has grown from around 300,000 in 1980 to over $1.6 million prisoners today. 1.6 million prisoners today. >> what's not good here? >> you go up those stairs, totally different. >> what's upstairs? >> north block. >> i'm glad you guys are telling me the truth. >> yes. >> when you go home, you google pinochle. >> those guys mentioned the living conditions here. so i figured i would ask my new friend juan hains, managing editor at san quentin news, to give me a tour of his cell. it won't take long. >> this is the cell i'm at. >> okay. >> you can go in it. >> thank you. thank you. >> one of the things about the cell says like, as you can see,

as big as you are, to people can't stand down here at the same time rmally. like if i -- want to get down then my celly, he lays all the way there so he can get by. >> so you have to choreograph how to live in here. >> yeah. >> do you get to pick your roommate? >> technically, no. but the department understands that you have to. it's better if you are living with someone you want to live with? >> yes. you have to be able to deal with another person's personality in this close space. there is some term kauld cell shrug. >> cell shrug? >> yeah. that's a person who stays in his cell all the time and never leaves his cell so the other celly never gets real privacy. >> i hate it bring it up. but you know what i'm going to say. >> what that? >> the toilet. >>. >> yeah. >> when go to the bathroom, i like privacy. i want to be alone. don't want anyone talking to me. >> most cellies negotiate that is if my celly has it use the

rest room, i will just find something to do. he normally leaves at 66:30 in the morning so my regular system is hooked up so after 6 of:30 i'm good to go. >> is it like when women live together their cycles also align. >> yeah, you got it. yeah. >> you guys make sure you're not on the same gastro intestinal cycle. >> and finding a celly. that's one of the things. will you leave. that's the cell shrug. that's where the cell slug comes in. >> thank you. we can step on out of here. starting to get claustrophobic. >> one thing that has become clear to me in my short time here, every inmate is open to talk about the reason they are in san quentin. and not in a gossipy way or defensive way, but in a taking responsibility way. >> can i ask you, how did you end up in san quentin, sir? >> i was arrested in 1996 for series of bank robberies if san diego. >> you don't seem like a bank robber. >> right. i robbed a bank before and the lady said, are you serious?

>> how did you do it? what was your process. >>? the fbi gave me the moniker, the brown bag bandit. >> you got a moniker, you got a name. >> so i still got the bag. no, it's not. it's not the real bag. >> okay, okay. >> so i have something like this, right, then i just write in like red marker, i have a bomb. put the money in the bag and she just opened it up, put in a bunch of 50s and 20s and then i walk out of the bank. >> who was the person that you were back then who decided to rob a bank? how did you get to that decision? how did you get to that place? >> part of that process that i look into myself to try and figure that out. because i don't see myself as a bank robber. why was i doing that? one of the tellers that i robbed, came in, and testified against me. and was crying on the stand and told me that terrified her her whole life.

and right there, i was like, you know, it kind of hit menowing that i just ruined this woman's life. that's because of what i did. >> yeah. >> but i couldn't process that the way i'm processing it right now. after my trial, conviction, received a sentence of originally 85 years to life. but then -- >> for bank robberies. >> yeah. and finally came it realization when i came it prison what my impact is on this planet. and it wasn't always good. >> 85 years to life for bank robbery may sound reasonable to you. but not to me. even if it does sound good to you, how does juan sound? to me he sounds con trite, responsible and well, generally like a good dude who made the most of his time. and yet he's got no date for possible parole, even on the books. ♪

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at san quentin, i've been lucky to meet some prisoners who are clearly doing everything they can to better themselves. but let's be honest, there's a whole other side to this place that frankly the administration won't let me see. but i'm meeting back up with lieutenant sam robinson, who's decided to give me a little peek of how the other side lives. >> where are we? >> we are in our small management yard complex. >> small management yard complex. >> small management yard. exactly. individual yards designed for people who have security concerns here if the prison. whether it is someone preder

toal or identified to have some kind of vikt mization type issues. we place them in an independent yard by themselves to ensure the safety of them and the rest of our population. many times guys who have issues with other people inside the prison, either they say in their cells themselves until the issues resolve themselves or they would go out and there would be drama out within the prison. >> is there anything in there within the inmate? >> what we generally do -- >> can we walk in one? >> sure. our mental health team -- >> and can we get out quickly? >> yes, i'll assure that. >> okay. >> now generally in a yard like this, it's for one person. we'll improvise. it will be you and i. the guy inside the cell, can't really stretch out like this and walk around so this gives you an opportunity to get some circulation going. >> yes. >> as a person, i like to pace a lot. so this would be the place. >> could you come and pace. many times you see guys doing

push-ups, burpies, talking to the guy that's in the yard just next to them. they may be mort al enemies. >> and the sun is blocked out. >> in this area, yeah. this was an after thought. this yard doesn't exist here until five or ten years ago. >> all right. sorry. a lot of the things i've seen in this prison are things i've seen in movies portray tv shows but this is something i've never seen before. >> this prison is on a different level. >> prison on a different level. i want to go back it prison on no level that i live. looking at those cages reminds me that even though san quentin is level 2 prison that this is still, well, a prison. and a lot of ideas we get from movies about prison, the movies get from prison. and san quentin has had its share of riots and violence. which makes me wonder, who in the hell would wanted it work here? apparently this guy.

he was busy. and had the kind of energy that said, if you go to far, mr. comedian, i'm throwing you in the hole. >> so d. robinson. co here? >> yes, co here. >> i assume by the costume. outfit. uniform. i'm nervous too. how long you been here? >> 22 years. >> 22 years in san quentin. >> 22 years in stan quinn. all my time at san quentin. >> sounds like doing time at san quentin. >> yes. it is it loud. violence. you will see a lot of things that you won't necessarily see on the streets. you come here, you need to be prepared. adjust your mentality to maintain your sanity. >> is it hard to go home and let this all go? >> you definitely have to have an outlet. not easy but you got have one p b bp. >> having an outlet seems to be something for employees and prisoners alike. one las gotten so good on the inside that it's gotten him

attention on the outside. >> meet the financial adviser. >> tell me your name. >> curtis carol but everyone calls me wall street. >> the government name and what everyone calls you. why could do they call you wall street? >> 11 or 12 years ago i add financial literacy class at another ips tugs i was at. >> how do you know all this stuff? >> my cell mate at the time used to read different publications to me. i didn't know how to read at the time. one day i went to get the sports page so he could read it to me and i accidentally picked up the business section. when i picked it up to walk off another guy asked me, would you play the stock market? what's that? he said oh, it's the place where white people keep o all their money. when te he told me that, first thing i thought was, okay. as i started to learn how to read, i started reading a lot of business publications. bill gates, warren buffett. like my thing at the time. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. >> developed on its own in a way. >> are you actually working with

money? >> yes, investing money for myself, family, friends. >> how does does that work with prison? i know there are rules and regulations around that. >> i'm not running a company. >> okay. >> i trade stocks. i get on the phone, call, talk to my family. say hey, buy this, buy that. and they buy and sell. >> now you're on tv and the newspaper and people are talking about you. i hear they named you the oracle of san quentin? >> yeah. all i've done is takes what's available to me and i packaged that and made it where it is easy for guys to use and it's been a tool that's been very successful. >> can i ask you another question? >> yes. >> how did you end up in prison? >> i was tried and found guilty of first degree murder, attempted robbery and gun possession and sentenced it 55 years to life in prison. >> 54 years to life? >> 54 years to life. >> how old were you? >> 17 years old. >> 17.

>> yeah. boy's life in prison. people see that and like wow, you're kids. but for me at this stage in my life, i work hard to move forward. right? >> are you making good money doing this even from prison? >> yes. making great money. >> okay. prison standards. millions. >> when the standard is 40 cents an hour? >> yeah, i'm making millions. >> if you don't mind me say, this is nerdy. >> you know, what is crazy, the nerdy one says wealthy. notice i didn't say rich. wealthy. >> wealthy is nerds. >> billions. >> have you ever heard of the word blurred? >> blurred. >> like blurred lines? >> no, like b-l-u-r-d. people use that, like a black nerd. >> oh, i like that! a black nerd. >> yeah. if you've gone to extremes to escape your nasal allergies.

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every man thinks he knows everything he needs to know about prison because he's seen shaw shank redemption 11 times. every time it's on tv, men say, okay let me study. we think shaw shank redemption is what it would be. you cast yourself in the main character. would i be morgan freeman? no, probably andy duefran.

i would go imbezel millions of dollars. go to prison. then break out and live on the beach with my best friend. would you be sexually assaulted? everything but that. back in san quentin, juan told me there is a man i should meet who knows all about rehabilitation and accountability. inmate ron self. self is a decorated former marine and founder of his own program here at the prison. the u.s. has over 200,000 incarcerated veterans. challenges like ptsd, unemployed and substance abuse contribute to these high numberes. ron's program helps them address tough issues in an environment of trust. it's called veterans healing veterans from the inside out. >> we were with juan and he said, are they going to talk to the veterans? i was like, what do you mean, veterans. it just didn't occur to me that of course rve's in here. so what should we talk to and you were the first name that came up. how many veterans are here in san quentin and what is their

experience? >> like 362 main line, gp, in blue, on the yard veterans and 51 on death row. yeah, a large veteran's population here. my job, veteran's lee season, is to help reduce the number of veterans coming to prison and number of suicidees. >> so in a way you're continue continuing your service to the country through your service here in san quentin? >> yes. >> how long have you been incarcerated? >> i came it prison in 1997. >> so the marine corps right up until 1997. >> can i ask you what you're in here for. >> attempted murder p. ? >> how do you be a hero in the newspaper to a person that's incarcerated. >> are all given the opportunity to defend this country at one time. clearly by the fact that we came it prison we didn't something we

shouldn't have so we violate thread trust. and i think the nation, as a whole, has a right to expect better of me. >> and talk about why you feel like it's important to give back. >> i think i can speak for all veterans, we just want to give back and redeem ourselves and make up for whatever shame we brought to our branch of service. for me, the marine corps. and i think san quentin prison is probably the best example for that. they make it possible for us to give back. and they will help you. and that's something that is unpresented that happens at this prison that i haven't seen in any other prison. >> do have you a possible parole date? >> i go to the board this december. >> how does this feel? >> this is strange. i want to get out so i can come back. >> you don't mean it that way. >> no. i found my calling in life. and that is doing these therapy programs with veterans and other, just prisoners. >> one thing that's clear to me is that you are proud of your service and you are a veteran who still wants to serve his country. >> very much so. >> and i wish you good luck in

december. >> i appreciate it. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. >> now i understand that prisoners i'm meeting have had years to change from the people they once were. and while it may be easy for me to forgive them, i also understand why those directly affected by their crimes may not ever be able to tp but there is someone here hoping to change the views of men and women of those in prison. catholic priest and man who has forgiveness in his job description. >> talk to people on the joutd side, they did this horrible thing. they should be in prison for as long as the cells have room for them. >> there are men here since the '70s. how many people watching this program are the same person they were in 1978? we all change. i think that the greatest tragedy in our culture is that we found a way to kind of throw people away and ignore them. it goes against my values as a christian. but i this i it goes against our values as americans that these

are people. these are our fellow citizens. and there aresome of them and disproportionately men of color. and it's wrong. i think really prison, now a days should be a call to us to look at ourselves to search our souls and say we're doing something wrong here. we're not treating our brothers and sisters the right way. and we need to change. we need to live up to the ideals of what made us americans in the first place. >> powerful to hear that coming from a member of the cloth. and i don't think i do have a vote, but you have my vote as next pope. i'll stir up the black smoke for you. >> my son and i used to watch the red carpet shows on tv now, i'm walking them. life is unpredictable being flake free isn't. because i have used head and shoulders for 20 years. used regularly, it removes up to 100% of flakes

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during my time at san quentin, i've met all sorts of people working hard it rehabilitate themselves. not for those on the outside but for themselves. before i life, ra shs shawn reminds me there is one thing i've yet to experience. chow time. can't we just order in? >> so kamau, this is the chow hall. there is two choices. i usually get the religious meat alternative. which is hot dogs, or chili mac on the main line. which do you prefer? >> i'll try the chili mac. >> okay. just grab a tray. this is what i get. next meal is tomorrow at 5:00

a.m. 5:30 a.m. >> and it is 5:00 at night. >> this is 5:00 at night. this is your last meal of the day. >> this is my last meal of the day. 5:00 p.m. until dinner? there's days i don't eat lunch until 5:00 p.m. >> i don't even like the turkey hot dogs. let's see you try it, man. >> all right. look at that. >> i can do it. >> it's hot. this is carrots? >> how that taste? >> what is on it? >> well, we would like to know too. >> it sort of feels like a lunch that like a middle school kid would eat. >> i come eat whatever they give me then i go back and make soup. they have top ramen soup for 25 cents each. >> i feel like if you eat this, you'll be hungry in two hours.

or if you don't eat this, you'll be hungry in 15 minutes. we're in here in san quentin talking about the programs and rehab. but the best i keep getting is that this is a unique situation. >> yeah. >> with all of the lack of programs at other prisons it has it be hard to fall into a bad cycle there. by virtue of the fact there's so much [ bleep ] going down mp. >> can you get caught up in riots, needing help and not really getting it and i found out that with that help it makes a big difference. >> you see the door is locked now, right? like when an officer in a few minutes, he will see that everything died down and says hey last call, everybody got to get up and leave. >> one catch. we can't eat until you leave all your food. >> that's an rule, wait a minute. >> that's a san quentin news rule. >> oh, i'm at the san quentin news table. >> yeah, i feel like you're one of us. >> i feel like one of you. i feel as much about this food as you guys do. >> 1, 2, 3!

>> game day for san quentin a's. and they are taking on a team from the bay area. looking at this scene it feels like any major league game in america. fans, security. half the players are criminals. >> people are sitting at home right now watching us here on a sunny day watching baseball enjoying ourselves. people who think that's not what prison is about or should be about. >> well what i would tell them is that first of all, everything you see on tv and the picture that's been painted about who prisoners are, we're more than that. that doesn't define who we are. that was a snapshot in our life. it was an obvious bad choice. and we're here paying our dues. we're human and we're here trying to do what is necessary to make an amends for the harm we committed in society. >> my time at san quentin has come to an end. and i want to say good-bye to

all the guys i met at the paper. >> what's up pellas? >> hey, man, good to see you. >> looks like our last day here. >> good to meet pup. >> good to meet you, man. >> that's it. i got my quota. >> to being real. >> thanks for being so open and honest and telling your stories. you know, you guys are doing great work in here. when you get out, i hope the door is open for you to do this great work elsewhere. >> hey, man. >>. >> welcome back, brother. >> just see you in the yard like hey, guys. [ laughter ] >> definitely won't walk out the gate with it. >> all right. >> thanks, fellas. >> all right.

>> as i walked out the doors of san quentin, i realized i was actually sad to leave. by many people's definition, maybe even mine when i got here, these dudes are hardened criminals. but after spending time here, i see many of them as men who made mistakes. many of them when they were teenagers. men who spent 20 years or more working hard to change who they were and to expand their own personal definitions of who they are now. like ducks, rehabilitation has led to rehabilitated. but for most of the guys i met, they aren't getting out. and if you feel good about that, then you need to rewind this show and rewatch it again. >> this is the old san quentin done on, dark room and chains. >> i see graffiti in there. >> is that from 1938 will? >> no. our construction workers occupy the done onfor supplies,

equipment and -- >> they therest their tools. >> some left a couple tags inside there, yeah. >> so that graffiti is not 1938 graffiti. >> no. >> you aren't pulling a an okey-doke on me. >> no. when we first pitched this show, you should know the whole idea behind this show is it's a show where a black guy goes places either he shouldn't go or you wouldn't expect him to go. and we're like oh, where should we go? i was like, i don't know, maybe i should go talk to the ku klux klan. that was their reaction. [ laughter ] that was exactly -- hmm. then it got quiet for a long time. but i could tell it was that kind of quiet where this was like that might be good for ratings. but kamau might die. but that might be really good for ratings. [ laughter ] when i pitched the ku klux klan idea i didn't think they'd actually let me do it. you know what i mean? i was just trying to be edgy and get the job. and i thought we'd negotiate down to like the rodeo. [ laughter ] you know what i mean?