Page 7 - Cell Blocks News Today

Spots. they look for times when you do let your guard down. >> this is death row. in fact, this is californias only male death row where the method of execution is lethal injection. this is where youll find such vicious killers as richard ramirez, the so-called night stalker, and richard allen davis, the killer of polly klaas. today, the condemned population has grown to a staggering 581, well beyond san quentins ability to handle them. this forced death row to expand into three additional cell ...

Determines how you live. this joint here aint like the rest of them. when i first got here in 84, convicts used to run this joint. the man runs this joint now. what i mean by the man is the system. >> we run the prison. we have the towers. we have the fences. and we keep control of the inmates. >> to crack down on contraband and violence, usp instituted a policy of controlled movement. no two cell blocks are ever in the same common areas at the same time. >> things are changing over there. this ...

Its a food chain, you know? everything is about respect in this place. how you carry yourself determines how you live. this joint here aint like the rest of them. when i first got here in 84, convicts used to run this joint. the man runs this joint now. what i mean by the man is the system. >> we run the prison. we have the towers. we have the fences. and we keep control of the inmates. >> to crack down on contraband and violence, usp instituted a policy of controlled movement. no two cell block...

>> here at san quentin i work for a unit called the investigative services unit. the inmates call us the goon squad. >> the specially trained officers assigned to these units are constantly working to intercept gang communications and to disrupt plans for violence drug smuggling, and other illicit activities. another one of their functions is to validate an inmates gang affiliation. >> you need three identifiers to validate a gang member. tattoos, known association with another gang member, admi...

Calling me belly flop. >> backing up the officers on the yard are intelligence units that are growing ever more sophisticated at gang-infested prisons throughout california. >> here at san quentin i work for a unit called the investigative services unit. the inmates call us the goon squad. >> the specially trained officers assigned to these units are constantly working to intercept gang communications drug smuggling, and prevent illicit activities. another one of their functions is to validate a...

They get their haircut. then theyre photographed and fingerprinted. >> okay, starting with your right thumb, roll your fingers across the scanner. >> eaten. >> in an effort to avoid violent confrontations later, every inmate is evaluated and classified according to his history of violence outside and inside the penal system. >> enemies? >> none. >> gang banger? share a cell with another man, no problem? >> thats all right with me. >> okay, thank you. >> as long as were compatible. i dont want yo...

This forced death row to expand into three additional cell blocks, never designed for such violent inmates. >> okay. we have one escort coming through. >> having worked at san quentin for 25 years, warden jeanne woodford understands the challenges that confront death row. >> as the number of condemned come in, its just created a situation with this physical plant, with the open cell fronts, their ability to communicate with each other and pass on gang information just makes it very difficult to ...

When i first got here in 84, convicts used to run this joint. the man runs this joint now. what i mean by the man is the system. >> we run the prison. we have the towers. we have the fences. and we keep control of the inmates. >> to crack down on contraband and violence, usp instituted a policy of controlled movement. no two cell blocks are ever in the same common areas at the same time. >> things are changing over there. this place now, its that new mentality with get tough on crime. its kind o...

Convicts used to run this joint. the man runs this joint now. what i mean by the man is the system. >> we run the prison. we have the towers. we have the fences. and we keep control of the inmates. >> to crack down on contraband and violence, usp instituted a policy of controlled movement. no two cell blocks are ever in the same common areas at the same time. >> things are changing over there. this place now, its that new mentality with get tough on crime. its kind of working, man, because, you ...

The yard are intelligence units that are growing ever more sophisticated at gang-infested prisons throughout california. >> here at san quentin i work for a unit called the investigative services unit. the inmates call us the goon squad. >> the specially trained officers assigned to these units are constantly working to intercept gang communications drug smuggling, and prevent illicit activities. another one of their functions is to validate an inmates gang affiliation. >> you need three identif...