tofrjts a special day behind the gates of san quentin state prison.s got to visit their fathers for an early father's day. rob roth tells us about one girl who saw her dad for the second time in her life. >> busses rolled into san quentin state prison for a field trip like few others. dozens of children came from all over california to have early father's davis sits with men they don't get to see very much, their dads. 12-year-old sheyla gonzalez came from riverside county to see her dad for just the second time in her life. >> it feels strange, but at the same time very comfortable because i get to see him. >> her father is serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder. he's been behind bars since she was 5 months old. >> all of a sudden she comes and getting to know her and just make it a surprise. but i'm just so happy that we finally are developing our relationship as father and daughter. >> the program that brings these families to prison is called get on the bus. organizers say it helps keep families in tact during difficult times and can he

visit their father's thanks to program that brings families inside san quentin prison. >> reporter: buses rolled into san quentin staten friday morning for a field trip like few others. dozens of children came from all over california taft and early father's day visit with men make don't get to see very much, there did. this 12-year-old came from riverside county to see her dad for just the second time in her life. >> it feels strange, but at the same time very comfortable because i get to see him. >> reporter: her father is surfing life. he has been behind bars since she was five months old.>> getting to know her. it's a big surprise. i am happy we finally are developing a relationship as father and daughter. >> reporter: the program is called get on the bus. organizers say it helps keep families intact during difficult times and it can help inmates with their rehabilitation.  scenes like this are playing out at 13 prisons throughout the state. >> it gives them an expectation of something to look forward to further year they wait for this visit. it gives them incentive to stay out of trouble.>> reporter: this inmat

>> among the nation's most notorious institutions, 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 "lockup: san quentin, extended stay." 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? >> california's oldest and most notorious prison. with its own zip code, almost 6,000 inmates and more than 1,500 staff members who walk through its gates every morning, a typical day at san quentin is, more often than not, just like hundreds, even thousands, of other days. for 19-year-old troy commiskey, the best part of his

>> among the nation's most notorious institutions, 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 "lockup san quentin: extended stay." >> probably next to an inmate's release date, visits are the most important things in their lives. keeping in touch with their loved ones. >> i don't like coming here, but i have to so i can see him. >> for some, visits are rare moments of intimacy. and for others, a business transaction. >> a lot of drugs come in through the visiting room. a lot of drugs. >> you don't want to be here, man. >> and then the hustle just like the bona fide, hustler with the web and then with the two hands, like you said. >> the money. >> money in one hand, dice coming out the other. >> it's going to be hard. make sure that i do it, though, because if someone else does it, it's going to be different. >> no, i know. >> everybody hates prison. society hates prison. it's part of life. i've got to accept the things i put myself in. i can't try to be

joseph de la cruz is a gang dropout, serving nine years for attempted murder at california's san quentin state prison. and when we first met him, authorities had just discovered that he had been assaulted inside his protective custody cell. >> this morning you did come out of your cell. we did a sweep to find out how many people stayed behind, and you were discovered with injuries. and here's the medical report. >> despite obvious injuries, de la cruz refused to give correctional staff any information about the attack. >> they're trying to find out what happened. i won't tell them what happened. >> any specific individuals you know are your enemies? >> no, sir. >> how about any prison weapons offenses? >> no, sir. >> do you belong to a gang? >> no, i don't. >> i mean outside of what you're being accused of, being a victim, are you involved in any other batteries in your history? >> no. >> due to this evidence, you're deemed a threat to the safety and security of the institution, to staff, and inmates. >> escort! >> without good information about what prompted the attack and whether this attack could

triggered the release of thousands of prisoners from california penitentiaries including san quentin state prisonat decrease in the prison population created $103 million in savings. alameda county learned it's getting $6 million of that money over the next three years, money the public health department will be using. >> that money coupled with what were putting goes a long way. i think it is fundamentally significant. >> props for -- prop 47 reduced sending home almost 5000 prisoners. prop 47 required the savings be spent on programs aimed at keeping former pain -- inmates from returning to prison. >> the money will be used to help people deal with the underlying drivers of crime which so often his mental illness or drug addiction. if we can help people address some of those issues before they commit crimes, we will get out in front of it and prevent crime from occurring. >> they also said the county needs to provide more help for those recently released from prison. >> nothing stops a crime other than a job. if you've got housing and a job, i think you are on your way to a real fundamentally s

triggered the release of thousands of prisoners from california penitentiaries including san quentin state prisonat decrease in the population created more money for the county. >> it really goes a long way so i think it is fundamentally significantly important. >> reporter: the proposition reduce the penalty for low- level nonviolent crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor sending home prisoners. it also required the savings be spent on programs from keeping former inmates to returning to prison. >> the money will be used to help people deal with the underlining crimes. if we could help people address some of the issues before they commit crimes, we will prevent crime from occurring before it happens.>> reporter: they also say the county need to provide more health for those recently released. >> nothing stops a crime other than a job. if you have housing in a job, then i think you are on your way to a real solid lie. >> reporter: they also want to draw attention to free legal services were an inmate can apply. they say convictions are often barriers from finding jobs. >> people have seen that the

prison. today dozens of kids got to visit their father for an early father's day program. rob roth went to san quentin for the special day.>> reporter: buses rolled into san quentin state prisonday morning for a field trip like few others. dozens of children came from all over california to have early father's day visits with men they don't get to see very much, their dads. this 12-year-old came from riverside county to see her dad for just the second time in her life.>> it feels strange, but at the same time, very comfortable because i get to see him. >> reporter: her father is serving 15 years to life. he has been beside ours since she was five months old. >> getting to know her as a big surprise. iamond so happy we are finally developing our relationship as father and daughter. >> reporter: the program is called get on the bus. it helps keep families intact during difficult times and can help inmates with their rehabilitation. this is playing out through 13 prisons throughout the state. >> it gives them an expectation of something to look forward to for the year they wait for this visit. it gives them incentive to stay out of trouble. >> reporter: this inmate is serving a

. >>> california's 150-year-old san quentin state prison has been the site of much history, includinghe first ever prison performance by johnny cash. >> we actually found out that johnny cash had played at san quentin ten years prior to his more famous folsom concert. so our producer asked us to find inmate musicians, and i could hear eric phillips playing all the way down this noisy tier. >> here in san quentin phillips's guitar has grown to be his best friend. >> i really wanted to play the guitar, so i picked one up, like back in the late '80s, i bought one and just started getting my practice on and playing. you know? and just picked up from there. that became my main thing, my main passion. >> but pursuing that passion is complicated by the fact that overcrowding in san quentin has forced two men to live in cells originally designed for one. that means musicians don't always get to choose their accompaniment. but no distraction can keep phillips from his guitar. >> it provides for me a comfort in a sense that it takes me away from all this. and you know, it's like it transcends m

jim osman (steve) fathers day came a week early for inmates and their families at san quentin state prison early this morning buses with family members rolled through the gates of san quentin - one of the states toughests prisons, including housing death row inmates. this meet up is part of a program that started 17 years ago by the state to help nurte the bonds between children and their incarcerated parents. parents and kids weighed in on what they think of the program. shamida payne, visiting father "this is really great. especially for families who don't live close by, but it is wonderful to be able to be there and see my father." fernando lopez, sr, incarcerated. "i get to see my son. it is very special. he is growing, i am grateful for the program. i get out in a few months so hopefully this will be his last return here." parents and children spent hours visiting and playing games... this year, 52 buses are set up to bring nearly twelve hundred children to various prisons to see their parents. (pam) repairs started on potholes in san francisco's richmond district today.. for months,

he now waits transfer to california's notorious san quentin state prison just 40 miles west of santantil he leaves, he will be in the jail's most restrictive high security housing unit for an alleged act of violence that occurred two months earlier. this time the victim was another inmate, robert haynes. >> my face, i couldn't believe it. >> beautiful face. so sad, man. surprised, man. >> charged with pimping, pandering and human trafficking to which he has pled not guilty, haynes says he had a friendly relationship with white. >> he was cool though. i didn't really have no problems with him till that day the day he lost a bet. >> according to haynes, white lost a bet with him over a football game. the wager was two $1 containers of instant soup from the jail commissary. >> he didn't want to give it up. then he did. when he gave it up, he started mouthing. i started mouthing him back. come holler at me in the cell. >> hanes says when he stepped inside the cell, white lunged at him. >> sliced me in the face with a razor. i didn't even see the razor in his hand, he did it so fast. i gu

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

. >> all about life inside california's notorious san quentin state prison.ng the charts. here is nbc's joe fryer. >> reporter: their bodies might be locked up. >> how long have you been incarcerated. >> i've been incarcerated for 20 years. >> reporter: but their voices are suddenly unshackled. >> i don't want to leave anything on the table when i go there to tell my story. >> reporter: inmates at san quentin state prison a podcast by residents at this very institution. >> i believe it's a glimpse inside the world of prisons, hearing stories that people may not hear every day. >> reporter: why do we need to hear those stories? >> because i believe that we're human, we're regular people. the story didn't just end when we were convicted. >> we have an opportunity to shed light on what really happens in prison. >> reporter: the podcast is called "ear hustle." >> ear hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, listening to something that may not be your business. >> reporter: william, serving 15 years for armed robbery while woods serving for attempted robbery is t

to leave anything on the table when i go there to tell my story. >> reporter: inmates at san quentin state prisonidents at this very institution. >> i believe it's a glimpse inside the world of prisons, hearing stories that people may not hear every day. >> reporter: why do we need to hear those stories? >> because i believe that we're human, we're regular people. the story didn't just end when we were convicted. >> we have an opportunity to shed light on what really happens in prison. >> reporter: the podcast is called "ear hustle." for eavesdropping, listening to something that may not be your business. >> reporter: william, serving 15 years for armed robbery while woods serving for attempted robbery is the co-host, joined by an artist who volunteers here. >> one of the reason we have it co-hosted by outside inside person is to mirror this idea that inside outside people can work together as equal colleagues with respect. >> reporter: woods took us to his cell 3 north 76. >> how big is this cell? >> this cell is 4 feet by 9. >> he shares this tiny space with another prisoner, which inspired the

. >>> now a special day behind the gates of san quentin state prison. >> dozens of kids got to visit fathers behind bars for an early father's day last week. one young girl saw her dad for only the second time in her life. >> reporter: san quintin state prison friday morning for a field trip like few others. dozens of children came from all over california to have easterly father's day visits with men they don't get to see very much, their dad. 12-year-old shay lay gonzalez came from riverside county to see her dad for the second time in her life. >> it feels strange but at the same time very comfortable because i get to see him. >> reporter: her father is serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder. he has been behind bars since she was five months old. >> i love her. getting to know her, it's a surprise. i am so happy that we are finally developing this developing our relationship as father and daughter. >> reporter: the program that brings these families to prison is called get on the bus. organizers say it helps keep families intact during difficult times and can help inmat

san quentin. (terisa estacio)early in the morning the buses rolled through the gates of san quentin - one of the states toughests prisonshousing death row inmates. some of these kids had gotten up around 2am to get here. nats -prison gate shutting - and this is what it was all about - front and center with their dads. nats - ugh. meet fernando junior, his uncle, marcos and his dad, fernando senior. besides the prison uniform you might think there was nothing unusual about this family get together sitting playing chess. but fernando has been behind bars since 2011 for assault and battery. this meet up is part of a program started 17 years ago by the state to help nuture the bonds between children and their incarcerated parents. this year, 52 buses will bring nearly 1200 children to various prisons. fernando lopez, jr. "this is my 3rd time, and it may be my last. more on that in a moment. over here, this hayward family has it's own unique story. eric moody, senior. i have not seen this young one ever. denise moody, i had some issues, couldn't see him for years, but now we are here back. nats: "what is my favorite food." a

san quentin. (terisa estacio)early in the morning the buses rolled through the gates of san quentin - one of the states toughests prisonsincluding housing death row inmates. some of these kids had gotten up around 2am to get here. nats -prison gate shutting - and this is what it was all about - front and center with their dads. nats - ugh. meet fernando junior, his uncle, marcos and his dad, fernando senior. besides the prison uniform you might think there was noing unusual about this family get together sittin playing chs. but fernando has been behind bars since 2011 for assault and battery. this meet up is part of a program started 17 years ago by the state to help nuture the bonds between children and their incarcerated parents. this year, 52 buses will bring nearly 1200 children to various prisons. fernando lopez, jr. "this is my 3rd time, and it may be my last. more on that in a moment. over here, this hayward family has it's own unique story. eric moody, senior. i have not seen this young one ever. denise moody, i had some issues, couldn't see him for years, but now we are here back. nats: "what is my favorite foo