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Peace in the Prisons
For years, LA County's prisons were wracked with interracial violence. In LA County's Pitchess Detention Center, the 1990's had seen more than 150 race-related fights—mostly between black and Latino prisoners. Knowing something had to be done, LA County Sheriff Lee Baca contacted Advancement Project's Connie Rice and asked for help.
Speaking from her gang truce experiences, Rice warned the Sheriff that addressing prison violence would require fundamental changes in prison culture—changes that could make Baca unpopular even among his own deputies. Baca said he was willing to accept that risk—something had to be done to stop prison bloodshed.
Amer-I-Can Program
With help from County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Baca and Rice introduced the Amer-I-Can Program into Pitchess Detention Center's maximum security East Facility. Founded in 1988 by National Football League Hall of Fame running back and community activist Jim Brown, Amer-I-Can is an urban peace organization providing a life skills management program that is designed to help individuals take control of their lives. The program, taught by former inmates and gang members, has met with incredible success.
Amer-I-Can Graduation
“You gentlemen mean something to me. Your life is important.” So said Sheriff Lee Baca to a roomful of inmates in the Pitchess Detention Center's East Facility. The inmates had completed the Amer-I-Can life skills training program and were taking part in a graduation ceremony. Advancement Project co-director Connie Rice and director Harry Belafonte were on hand to celebrate.
Watch a video of a prior year Amer-I-Can graduation here.
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