## From Behind Bars: San Quentin Inmates Forge a Path of Restorative Justice in Marin and Beyond
This blog post dives into a powerful initiative that started inside San Quentin State Prison. Here, incarcerated people are trying to make amends for past harms.
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We’re looking at a “make amends” effort that’s changing lives. Inmates are giving back to communities like Richmond and showing that restorative justice can really mean something in California’s prison system.
A Shift Towards Redemption: The “Make Amends” Initiative
San Quentin sits in Marin County, right along the edge of San Francisco Bay. For a long time, it’s been seen as a place of punishment.
But now, something different is happening. A group of incarcerated folks are choosing redemption and community service over resignation.
This movement started with a real desire to own up to past actions. These men are proving that rehabilitation and positive change can happen—even from inside prison walls.
From Hygiene Kits to Handmade Furniture: A Tangible Impact
It all began with a simple idea: collect hygiene products for people experiencing homelessness. Many of these men come from the East Bay, with ties to places like Berkeley and Oakland.
They’ve poured their energy into making things that directly help vulnerable people. Their latest project? Building furniture for a tiny-homes village in Richmond.
These pieces provide comfort and a bit of dignity for young people leaving homelessness behind. It’s a hands-on way to give back.
The project traces back to Troy Makanski, who’s serving a life sentence for a 2013 shootout with Pittsburg police. Makanski and other East Bay natives inside San Quentin wanted to find a way to give back and face the harm they’d caused.
At first, they gathered hygiene products from fellow inmates. That early effort of empathy and resourcefulness set the stage for bigger things.
Building Bridges: Furniture for Richmond’s Youth
Their latest work? Sixteen chairs and four picnic tables for Richmond’s tiny-homes village. This place offers both transitional housing and a garden for young people who’ve experienced homelessness.
These furniture pieces aren’t just useful—they’re a symbol. They represent rebuilding connections and the belief that everyone deserves a stable, welcoming place to land.
The Rigorous Process of Making a Difference
Making and donating things from inside San Quentin isn’t easy. It takes careful planning and strict attention to prison rules.
Every tool and piece of wood had to get the green light from staff. Gathering donations meant reaching out to every inmate, which built a sense of shared purpose.
Angelina Torres, a dedicated staff member, has played a huge role in sponsoring and guiding this initiative. Her support shows how programs like this can ripple outward, helping both the youth and the men inside.
Torres often points out how committed these men are to helping the very communities they once hurt. She says their work has a real, positive impact on the young people now using what they’ve built.
San Quentin’s Evolving Role: Rehabilitation Takes Center Stage
Under Governor Gavin Newsom’s moratorium on executions, San Quentin has started to look pretty different. The prison now leans heavily into rehabilitation, and you can actually feel the difference.
People spend more time outside their cells. Educational programs have grown, and there’s even a new Learning Center built right on the old death row.
The furniture project fits this new philosophy. It’s a real example of the “California Model,” which tries to help incarcerated folks get ready for life after prison.
The impact of these rehabilitation programs shows up in stories like Coby Phillips. Phillips once faced a 105-year-to-life sentence for
Here is the source article for this story: Sent to prison for crimes in Contra Costa, they’re now trying to make amends from behind bars
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