Behind Prison Bars

'I Was a Guard At San Quentin'

Byline: Charles Howe; 1971-03-08; San Francisco Chronicle; pages 1

There is a sign hanging in the Receiving and Release room just inside San Quentin State Prison and this is what it says: "Blessed are those who demand nothing for they shall not be disappointed." It was one of the first things I saw during the week I worked as a correctional officer. Civilians call them prison guards. The assignment came at the end of an intensive three-month study of the California Department of Corrections by myself and Tim Findley, another reporter.

Additional Media

The first San Francisco Chronicle article in the "Behind Prison Bars" series. Written by Charles Howe.