this is "lockup: san quentin, extended stay." san quentin state prison served as the reception center for 17 counties in the state of california. each week, the prison releases 150 prisoners. and welcomes 350 new inmates. san quentin was built to hold about 3,000 people. it currently houses more than 5,000. >> unfortunate for some of them, they think this is a step up. in the circles they travel in, unfortunately, it is. you know, i made it. i'm in state prison now. >> with repeat offenders clogging up the works, the officers struggle to keep the inmates under control. >> control, be advised we have an alarm in south block. >> i can only speculate and the only thing i can think of is we have a missing inmate. that's probably the number one thing. >> step on the tiers and conduct a count, submit it to patrol immediately. >> 5-west-45, hernandez. i don't know where he is. >> his name is skanvinsky hymes. my prison number is e-04448. i've had this prison number since i was 18 years old. i just turned 37 on february 15th. i'll be discharged from the prison s

san quentin state prison.onths documenting life on the inside where gangs, drugs, and sheer

. >>> -- >>> this summer we'll hear some rare details of life inside san quentin state prison from inmateshemselves. sharon chin introduces us to the woman behind that unique project. >> we got them to sing. >> reporter: nigel poor helps inmates share their stories in san quentin's media lab. >> it was a really powerful way for the men to be able to talk about their own experience through their own voice. >> i feel nervous. i kept looking at the clock. >> reporter: nigel launched a podcast last year with inmates earlonne woods and antwan williams. it's called "ear hustle," prison slang for eavesdropping. >> i think we're cool. >> reporter: the photography professor volunteers three days a week producing prison interviews alongside the men on topics like the first day in prison and living with hiv. cohost earlonne woods is serving a long sentence for a robbery related crime. he says the project means a lot. about, um, a guy that grew up like i grew up. i was in a gang and how certain decisions in his life had a catastrophic effect on his family. >> i got this rush of adrenaline. >> reporter

. >> eventually transferred to san quentin state prison, the man who was arguably california's most violent inmate completed his sentence and was released in 2007. >> you have people locked up in this type of environment, then release them to the street, what do you expect? >>> next on "lockup: raw." >> they'll come across their enemy, slice them across the neck. >> the ingenious weapons inmates use to attack. you don't let anything keep you sidelined. that's why you drink ensure. with 9 grams of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals. for the strength and energy to get back to doing... ...what you love. ensure. always be you. pcountries thatk mewe traveled,t what is your nationality and i would always answer hispanic. so when i got my ancestry dna results it was a shocker. i'm everything. i'm from all nations. i would look at forms now and wonder what do i mark? because i'm everything. and i marked other. discover the story only your dna can tell. order your kit now at ancestrydna.com. it's how well you mow fast. it's not how fast you mow... ...it's how well you mow fast. woooh! it's not how

. >> at california's san quentin state prison, we saw how sophisticated some inmate weaponry can be.his homemade pistol is known as a zip gun. >> this portion is filled with ground up matchheads. the two holes here, inmates insert a wick. the inmate takes a plunger, pokes shrapnel in the open end, pieces of metal, ground up zippers. when the target walks by the cell, be it an officer or an inmate, the inmate lights this, it goes down, strikes the match heads, basically acts like a firecracker and shoots the shrapnel out. >> the majority of inmate manufactured weapons or shanks are designed for slashing or stabbing. the ease with which lethal weapons are made is shocking. this san quentin inmate who goes by the name speedy agreed to show correctional staff and "lockup" cameras just how simple it can be. he starts by using a roll of toilet paper as a crude forge to melt plastic coffee cup lids. >> i'm making a weapon right now. melting this plastic down into a shape. what i'm doing is trying to get a wad of it to where i can -- i have something to work with. you know what i mean? what

>> among the nation as most notorious institutions, san quentin state prison.ths documenting life on the inside. where gangs, drugs, and sheer boredom make up a violent mix. this is "lockup san quentin: extended stay."

inside san quentin state prison - from the inmates themselves. >>> this summer you're going to be hearinge rare details about life inside state prison san quinnton. >> yeah, we got them to sing. >> nigh nigel pour. >> i felt nervous. i kept looking at the cluck. nigel launched a pod cast last year. the professor volunteers three days a week producing prison interviews. and living with hiv. >> cohost yourlon. >> misguided a lie that grew up like i grew up and how certain decisions in his life had a catastrophic effect on his family. >> and the team was thrilled to win an international contest to broadcast air hustle starting in june. >> maximum security. >> our voices are able to be herd. >> tv well yes. >> samuel robinson must approve the content before air. he says nigel inspires the men's activities. >> she's really helping people elevate themselves from a place to a place that i think many of them really wouldn't even imagine what's apologetic for them. >> nigel has learned something too. >> people in prisons can be productive. >> this week's jefferson award in the bay area goes to nig

san quentin state prison. our cameras spent months documenting life on the inside where gangs, drugs, and sheer boredom make up a violent mix. this is "lock up: san quentin: extended stay." >> they treat us like animals in here. >> don't let me catch you up in here. this ain't no regular penitentiary. it's the hole, man. >> basically, it's the same thing every day, you know? you sit in your cell. sleep in your cell. >> strip out right now. >> get down! >> yeah. >> as long as i keep busy, then i'll be all right. but the second i'm at a standstill, i don't know what to do and i'm looking for something to do, i'm going to get myself in a wreck. i'm going to get in trouble. >> pacing back and forth, two or three hours at a time. everyone here is like animals. back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. nothing happens. so it's like one day goes into another. and the next thing you know, weeks go by, months go by, years go by. >> a new day begins at san quentin. >> good morning, gentlemen. >> how are you doing?

state prison - from the inmates themselves. sharon chin introduces us to the woman behind the unique project. >>> this summer we'll hear some rare details of life inside san quentin prison from inmates themselves. sharon chin introduces us behind that unique project. >> reporter: because of this week's jefferson award winner the men are the first inmates producing a podcast inside a prison ♪[ music ] >> we got them to sing. >> reporter: nigel poor helps inmates share their stories in san quentin's media lab. >> it was a really powerful way for the men to be able to talk about their own experience through their own voice. >> i feel nervous. i kept looking at the clock. >> reporter: nigel launched a podcast last year with inmates earlonne woods and antwan williams. it's called "ear hustle" prison slang for eavesdropping. the photography professor volunteers three days a week producing prison interviews alongside the men on topics like the first day in prison and living with hiv. he could earlonne is serving a long sentence for a robbery related crime. he says it means a lot. >> misguided loyalty was about, um, a guy that grew up like i grew up. i was in a gangs and

>> among the nation's most notorious institutions, san quentin state prison.cumenting life on the inside where gangs, drugs and sheer boredom make up a violent mix. this is "lockup: san quentin, extended stay."