we're going to go into the security area of s Quenton and in the unlikely event that you're taking hostage while you're inside the prison the state of California will not negotiate your release for an inmates release welcome to San Quenton Rehabilitation Center better known as San Quenton State Prison a place where even the walls have stories they'd rather forget this isn't just any prison it's the end of the line a fortress of Despair that has housed some of the most notorious criminals in history including Infamous names like Charles Manson I'm a aom hobo and Richard
Ramirez I think most humans have in them the capacity to to commit murder at one point back in 2015 San Quenton held almost 700 inmates on death row making it the largest condemned unit in the Western Hemisphere it was where the state's most dangerous offenders used to await their fate in cells barely larger than a parking space from the Twisted minds of serial killers to the cold calculations of gang leaders the Eerie hallways of San Quenton have seen it all if these cells could talk they'd probably scream here survival isn't about ticking off days it's
about making sure those days don't crush you what survival tactics can mean the difference between life and death within San Quentin's treacherous social hierarchy how did one inmate's fate become eerily entwined with the very gas chamber he helped construct and how did the pandemic expose the prison's darkest vulnerabilities turning it into a ticking Time Bomb to uncover these chilling stories and more make sure to hit that subscribe button and if you have any prison survival stories let us know in the comments ments San Quenton opened its iron doors in 1854 making it California's oldest prison
originally built to relieve overcrowding on Prison ships yeah you heard that right floating jails the facility quickly became a home for the state's most dangerous offenders in the early days barbaric practices like flogging and painful shower baths with pressurized water hoses were common hangings were public spectacles drawing crowds eager for a morbid show between 1893 and 1942 California's preferred way to deal with death row was The Hangman's noose snapping 215 necks in total with a history stained in blood it's no surprise the inmates had a fonded nickname for it the arena in 1938 the gas
chamber was introduced and tested first on a pig which disturbingly took 34 excruciating minutes to die so much for quick and painless and the guards were just as notorious as the inmates take Amos Lunt for instance who conducted 24 hangings over 5 years he warned his successor Frank arbag about haunting voices and hallucinations Lunt later ended up in an asylum proving that in San Quenton even the executioners weren't safe from the madness then there's Alfred Wells an inmate who helped build San Quentin's gas chamber after returning to society while on parole for armed robbery he
began dating his half-sister which sparked a violent Family Feud Wells murdered his half-brother his half brother's wife and their younger friend and sure enough he found himself back at San Quenton but this time on death row in 1942 he was was killed in the very gas chamber he helped build yeah talk about building your own destiny but San Quenton isn't all doom and gloom believe it or not in 1969 Johnny Cash performed live at the prison a concert that was recorded and became one of his most iconic albums Johnny Cash at San Quenton he even
debuted the hit song A Boy Named Sue during his performance me Sue perhaps the ultimate survival tip is this even in the darkest corners never miss a chance to find your soul and Rhythm but enough about history let's imagine hypothetically you've been misunderstood by the justice system or perhaps there was a case of mistaken identity and now you're on a one-way trip to San Quenton how do you survive a place designed to break [Applause] you picture this your first day begins with the security clearance that's more intimate than your first colonoscopy fingerprints mug shots and
a fashion downgrade to basic blue denim they pick you up butt crack a dawn man before you get on the bus of course you got to get Shackled belly chains everything as you walk the echoing Halls to your new studio apartment a 4X 10t cell the reality sinks in your fellow inmates warm up to you with grueling once overs and casual threats welcome to your new home friendly advice avoid discussing politics religion or who controls the TV remote at dawn you're greeted by the Sweet Serenade of clanging metal and distant shouting roll call is mandatory
and bright and early if you're not a morning person well you will be now the food has improved over the years but don't expect restaurant quality here meal times are strictly regimented and reflect the unwritten rules that govern life here inmates tend to eat with their own racial groups and seating arrangements are enforced by inmate codes as Lewis thorough observed during his visit violating these unspoken rules can have serious consequences oh I can't tell you the code you got to know the code I'm saying the whole sale might beat you why that's the code I
don't know that's what I'm trying to tell you you going to have to figure out why navigating the yard is like walking a tight rope over a pit of hungry Lions exercise is essential not just for your health but to show you're not an easy target just remember the weight benches aren't the only things that can Crush you gangs are a reality here each with its own territory codes and extreme ideologies San Quentin is controlled by formidable factions like the Aryan Brotherhood black gorilla family Mexican Mafia and the new estra Familia these aren't just street
gangs they're Shadow governments their Ironclad codes dictate every aspect of life like who you can talk to where you sit and even which shower you can use violating their Unwritten laws is met with Swift and brutal retribution that make solitary confinement look like a vacation in here picking aside isn't about loyalty it's about survival neutrality is a safe bet but sometimes choosing no side is the quickest way to stand alone different races have different are yeah that's like the black area over there the nortano area over there white area over here Indians over there we
keep it segregated if you've managed to find a group to fit in with and haven't started a Turf War then it's time to find some activities afternoons are for work assignments or educational programs you might make make license plates join the basketball team or take classes keeping busy isn't just a way to pass the time it's a strategy to avoid becoming part of someone else's agenda for some people these programs are a way out but more on that later dinner time at San Quenton is a highly orchestrated event with nearly 5,000 dinner meals served each
day The Culinary Team Works tirelessly to prepare the food but this this is where the real challenge begins as you navigate the crowded room you're keenly aware that where you sit isn't just about Comfort the hall is a patchwork of territories each claimed by different gangs and racial groups one wrong move like sitting at the wrong table or in someone else's spot can ignite tensions turning a simple meal into a matter of survival in San Quenton even dinner comes with a side of danger as the sun sets you return to your cell you should count
your blessings if you've made it back in one piece lockdown commences and the prison's spine chilling quietness settles in every inmate is confined to their cell and all movement within the prison grinds to a halt the silence during lockdown serves as a tool for control within the prison system reinforcing Authority and minimizing opportunities for coordinated disturbances con consequences for breaking the lockdown could mean solitary confinement or even an extended lockdown for the entire cell block trust me you do not want to be that guy this is when tensions can rise your mind can start to
get paranoid about every Creek and Shadow a good book or a hobby can keep your mind occupied and less focused on the unsettling sounds echoing through the Halls this was especially important if if you were an inmate on death row here life took on a whole new level of isolation confined to a tiny cell every movement was monitored you'd be stripped and handcuffed for even the smallest infractions One inmate remarked I don't think lions and tigers should be locked up like this with executions put on pause in California since 2006 inmates faced indefinite limbo for
years adding to the mental strain some prisoners took Extreme Measures to get their cases looked at I killed my C that's the only way I was going to be able to get back into court to do something like that but where you end up in death row was just as important there was the quiet section called North segregation or North seg built in 1934 for prisoners who didn't cause trouble then there was the East block a sprawl of 521 man cells stacked on top of one another in five tiers and last but not least was
the area known as The Adjustment Center strictly reserved for the worst of the worst it had the highest Security in the entire prison inmates here were too violent to be held anywhere else the cells had solid cement doors this was implemented in 1978 to prevent inmates from throwing feces at the guards yikes that's a tough gig but luckily for you death row is a thing of the past more on that soon for now you'll need to lay low if you want to live longer than your sentence first rule of surviving San Quenton today respect is
a two-way street paved with caution signs building alliances can offer protection but Choose Wisely friendships here are as stable as a house of cards in a wind tunnel avoid conflicts by minding your own business if trouble finds you defuse it with words not fists remember a black eye heals faster than a stab wound guards hold the keys literally and figuratively show respect follow the rules and maybe just maybe you'll get that extra phone call or a heads up about potential trouble but be cautious pushing boundaries can land you in hot water in continually test the
limits smuggling Contraband like homemade cell phones can seem tempting but comes with severe consequences getting caught with Contraband isn't just a slap on the wrist it's more like a kick to the teeth followed by a one-way trip to the hole where daylight is a forgotten friend we're talking extended sentences solitary confinement so deep as if you've been buried alive and privileges Stripped Away faster then you can say Contraband oh wait there's more you'll become a person of interest to both the guards and your fellow inmates disrupting the delicate ecosystem of this concrete jungle doesn't win
you any friends it's like painting a Target on your back with that in mind you'll need to stay in shape mental and physical health are your lifelines dive into the prison library or enroll in educational programs the Community College believed to be the first in the nation with a campus inside a prison is the latest addition to Rehabilitation programs provided to California inmates it's about more than just passing time at San Quenton the prison university project has enabled over 4500 inmates to earn college credits and some have even obtained degrees Behind Bars education here isn't
just a privilege it's a Lifeline that can redefine your future remember what we mentioned about working out in places like San Quenton Fitness isn't just a hobby it's survival some inmates commit to extreme routines like hundreds of burpees every day this level of physical conditioning isn't just for show it's a deterrent against potential threats being in Peak shape sends a clear message you're not an easy target others find solace in yoga and meditation maintaining inner peace admidst chaos an occupied mind is less likely to spiral into the abyss but despite your best efforts violence can
be as unpredictable as it is brutal in 2010 child murderer Edward schaer was fatally attacked with a homemade weapon a Bone Crusher fashioned from bed parts but that wasn't the first time San Quentin's walls have seen this much Bloodshed back in August 1971 1 the prison descended into chaos during one of its deadliest riots an attempted Escape by George Jackson a prominent inmate and activist ignited a violent Uprising inmates armed themselves with smuggled guns and improvised weapons turning the cell blocks into a Battleground by the time the dust settled three correctional officers and three inmates
were dead this is a stark reminder that in San Quenton violent can erupt like a sudden storm inmates have long memories and their own code of justice so you finally gotten accustomed to the hellish nature of this prison prison Life is starting to seem manageable but it's 2020 and you're blissfully ignorant that the world has been brought to a stop by the covid-19 pandemic during this time s Quenton became a hot spot for the Corona virus over a thousand inmates tested positive turning the prison into a humanitarian crisis One inmate described it as like a
horror movie where you have nowhere to run overcrowding and poor sanitation turned the prison into a petri dish the virus didn't spare death row either adding another layer of anxiety to an already uncertain existence the impact extended Beyond inmates too staff members and their families were affected with lawsuits alleging negligence in handling the pandemic but changes on the horizon as of 2019 California's governor Gavin Nome has put a moratorium on the death penalty calling it state sponsored premeditated murder uh to me this is the right thing to do for the first time in California's history
eligible individuals on death row can now be placed in general population areas where they have increased access to job opportunities and Rehabilitation programs similar to inmates serving life sentences without parole I I look forward to the aspect of being able to move around talk do things on my own maybe get a job these programs are gaining traction aiming to transform San Quenton from a warehouse of Despair to a center of reform for instance the prison's guiding rage into Power program addresses anger management and emotional healing helping over a thousand inmates reduce violent behavior and reconnect
with their Humanity these initiatives aren't just buzzwords they're changing lives one inmate at a time through programs like the last mile inmates are learning to code and even developing apps all within Prison Walls one participant Kenyata LEL went from serving a life sentence to becoming a manager at a tech company after his release these aren't just classes they're offering a real chance at a second act it's a glimmer of hope in a place that's been shrouded in darkness for over a century surviving San Quenton isn't just about dodging danger it's about finding purpose in a
place designed to strip you of it well Escape is virtually impossible sorry this isn't a Hollywood movie enduring and emerging stronger is the ultimate Victory so if you want to avoid neighbors that prefer Shanks over handshakes it's best to stay on the right side of the law especially if you're a drug lord like El Chapo we'll explore why he needed over-the-top prison Security in another episode of How To Survive [Music]
