Former California Inmate Explains How Hard It Is to Leave the Prison Gangs | Brian James

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  • čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
  • "I served 29 years and two months. I went in at the age of 16; I was arrested and ultimately convicted of second-degree murder. I'm someone who they call 'the worst of the worst,' who's taking complete advantage of the opportunities that are in there. I was dead in the water up until about 37 years old. I was going to die in prison. I had accepted it, and I knew I was. Then they opened the door. I just got a glimmer of hope, me and a bunch of guys that we ran with it."
    Siyamak sits down with Brian James, a former inmate who served 29 years in the California state prison system. He'll tell us how some prison reform policies have opened opportunities for inmates to rehabilitate. He'll also share with us his transformation process that ultimately led to his recent release.
    "For 20 years, I was a character. I had a name; I had a gang. I introduced myself that way. When my cell door opened, I put on my act. When it closed, I went back to Brian James. My first probably 10-12 years in prison, all the issues that plagued my life that led to my incarceration, nothing had changed. For better or worse, I took part in taking that man's life. And our stories are forever intertwined."
    0:00 - Intro
    1:31 - Gangs and Violent Culture in Prisons
    4:52 - Rehabilitation Programs & Overcoming the Gang Lifestyle
    11:50 - Life as a Prison Gang Member
    14:13 - Prison Reform and Its Impact on Inmates
    17:41 - Impact of Narcotics and Gangs in Prisons
    21:38 - Is the Norway Prison Model Effective?
    23:29 - Does Prison Reform Help Inmates Adapt Back into Society?
    24:30 - Prison Reform: Positive Change Dog Program
    26:33 - Life as a Gang Member Before Prison
    28:00 - Reform Programs and Personal Transformation
    *Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.
    #cdcr #inmate #sb260 #rehabilitation #californianews #californiainsider
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Komentáře • 61

  • @California.Insider
    @California.Insider  Před 2 dny +4

    📌Got a story to share? Email us feedback@californiainsider.com
    🔴Join CA Insider newsletter: bit.ly/Cainsidernews

  • @calilovebug3897
    @calilovebug3897 Před 2 dny +11

    Brian is a wonderful person that grew up in a bad environment. I wish him all the happiness. I thank him for telling us his experience.

    • @Weedjournals
      @Weedjournals Před 2 dny

      We all make choices. We all have free will.

  • @isabellegarcia9205
    @isabellegarcia9205 Před 2 dny +4

    My son did 11 yrs, as a teen hes out got a good job, married, his boss is great.people can change, im proud of my son.

  • @cheems5643
    @cheems5643 Před dnem +1

    This channel is criminally underrated

  • @ricksutherland611
    @ricksutherland611 Před 2 dny +2

    What a powerful message. I was moved to tears over the healing that took place between Brian and the victims of similar crimes as well as the canine program that Zach has brought into prisons. A very important shoutout to 12 step recovery for making this all possible. This is life changing stuff right here and we need to look at the positive change that has sprung from giving people a chance to heal, learn and become who they really are. MUCH LOVE Brian, never, never, never give up!

  • @matthewcammarano5357
    @matthewcammarano5357 Před dnem +1

    I’m so proud of you brother you’re such a good example for all of us that go up together in the valley🤜🏻🤛🏻🫶🏻

  • @raphu4937
    @raphu4937 Před 2 dny +3

    Great interview! Kids need love and sense of belonging growing up. Much respect to Brian for self realization and self change!

  • @user-xg5uf9sn8w
    @user-xg5uf9sn8w Před 2 dny +1

    An incredibly uplifting and constructive program - a fantastic and compelling true story from real life - and Siyamak Khorrami is, as usual, a formidable interviewer and host.

  • @4rmDaPoorSideOfTown
    @4rmDaPoorSideOfTown Před 2 dny +2

    Very good interview One of the best so far!!! 💯

  • @Loveexpressionmachine
    @Loveexpressionmachine Před 2 dny +4

    U.S prisons need to have opportunities for men to change. You can’t just lock a man up for years and offer no proper way of changing himself. It’s no wonder you have a high rates of returning back to prison. This man made a life changing choice. You only live a one life & letting the life go by you is plain foolish. This man an alternative route. I’m glad he can be that role model to get out of that cycle of violence. To me, I see a great character of a man willing to change & be a good man.

  • @thatboycruz3535
    @thatboycruz3535 Před 10 hodinami

    Change is possible, and real.. I’m a living example. His story gives guys like me inspiration! Thanks Brian

  • @tarantulaclan5025
    @tarantulaclan5025 Před dnem +2

    My brother n law got out off prison after 29 years, because of that law he got a second chance!! and he did all his time on a active mainline yard level 4, the last of his time in prison he got his GED and most importantly became a man of God 🙏💪💯

  • @pyroteebeen1008
    @pyroteebeen1008 Před 2 dny +1

    Amazing!!

  • @raysantiago3750
    @raysantiago3750 Před dnem +1

    Brain's the real deal. A maverick trying to survive the prison culture. An OVERCOMER OF THE ODDS. ✝️🛐❤ A ROLE MODEL TO TALK TO YOUNGSTERS. GREAT JOB BRAIN.👏 A MAN'S CONFESSION 100%.

  • @topcatriver1027
    @topcatriver1027 Před 2 dny +1

    AMAZING STORY❤❤

  • @user-ld8ck3kt8g
    @user-ld8ck3kt8g Před dnem

    Beauty of how a loving dog can change us 😅❤❤❤❤

  • @mrtee3477
    @mrtee3477 Před 2 dny +2

    We you ready to go home? If you have a place to return to. Many end up on the street and reoffend.

  • @doom8944
    @doom8944 Před 2 dny +3

    Wes watson needs to pay this dude $20k to teach him some humbleness, oh and honesty ofcourse

  • @JG-vx3dh
    @JG-vx3dh Před 2 dny +1

    He's still wearing his canteen G Shock watch. 😆 🤣 😂

  • @dumpthatjunk7726
    @dumpthatjunk7726 Před dnem

    I grew up in El Monte til I was 10, then moved to Baldwin Park as I got older & I can tell you that in this area 15 - 20 east of east L.A. at least in the late 80's - early 90's every young man had to make a decision about being in or being out of the gangs I chose to be out I have friends that chose to be in & it's a sad thing to see what that decision as a young person has made on some of us , I have a few friends that are dead, a friend in a wheel chair from a drive by another went into a 20 + year acoma & at least 2 friends that went into the Mexican Mafia that I i know longer know what happened to them, my drug addict friends are about a dozen or more & the only thing that helped me is that I got lucky & moved out of state for a good 20 + years, when I moved back I was shocked to see how they all ended up, I still love & care for them all but I had to let them go as they are no longer the same young kids I grew up with, they adapted to the streets of so cal, my point is this is your thinking of moving to almost anywhere in California & you have kids or thinking of having kids, Don't you wont know how treacherous it can be until your in the thick of it, you dont have to look for problems out here its bad in about 75% of the state the other 25% are super rich exclusive or gated communities but if your not rich enough to afford that & plan on moving here learning to deal with some type of gang, drugs or homeless is something you will have to learn to deal with & if you come anyways, I wish you good luck.

  • @user-du1xj7px6i
    @user-du1xj7px6i Před 2 dny +3

    Brain looking like a librarian

    • @F30586
      @F30586 Před 2 dny

      Mr Roger’s

    • @biguglyhag2945
      @biguglyhag2945 Před dnem

      @@user-du1xj7px6i I thought he looked like Mr Rogers!

  • @F30586
    @F30586 Před 2 dny +1

    Damn lol. Without the hat he looks like Mr Roger’s. 😅

  • @F30586
    @F30586 Před 2 dny +1

    Lonely…aka Mr Roger’s 🫡

  • @JG-vx3dh
    @JG-vx3dh Před 2 dny +1

    You're living in a beautiful California because the last 29 years haven't caught up yet.

  • @kevinm3751
    @kevinm3751 Před 2 dny +3

    I believe the place to start is before these kids do something bad and wind up in prison! I blame the POS, corrupt losers in power of these cities that do absolutely NOTHING for these communities that have no hope and no out! This was a great story to hear and kudos to this guy for doing the hard work to get his life together!

  • @jamesf5346
    @jamesf5346 Před 2 dny +2

    N0 prisoner reform does not work for 90 percent.

    • @Baelon_the_Bold1
      @Baelon_the_Bold1 Před 2 dny

      I haven't finished watching, but no doubt he is reformed. I'm reformed myself and didn't do any of these programs or the ones out here. Most of them are BS, filled with people who can't move on. This guy is the poster child of the woke justice reform agenda

    • @user-ld8ck3kt8g
      @user-ld8ck3kt8g Před dnem

      People grow up 😅

  • @Baelon_the_Bold1
    @Baelon_the_Bold1 Před 2 dny

    Thank God he is doing well. I'm glad the dog program helped him, but his change came before the dogs. The dogs are therapeutic but does the positive therapeutic effects outweigh the bad? There are other ways to go about reform other than completely flipping the system on it's head.

  • @rdrd9676
    @rdrd9676 Před 2 dny

    Brian, how many southern hispanics have you witnessed graduating from these rehabilitation programs ? not all inmates are allowed to participate in bettering themselves

  • @Realitycheck327
    @Realitycheck327 Před 2 dny +1

    Looking like a different man

  • @joeycastaneda7419
    @joeycastaneda7419 Před 2 dny +2

    In the California prison system it's different. If you're lucky maybe 10% Want to change.

  • @user-ld8ck3kt8g
    @user-ld8ck3kt8g Před dnem

    We are all liars we are all selfish we are all defective 😅human nature 😮

  • @wayneroberts6642
    @wayneroberts6642 Před 2 dny

    This guy was definitely a PC yard..😂😂😂😂

    • @darenobrecht6161
      @darenobrecht6161 Před 2 dny +1

      the dog program is i believe on A yard at l.a. county state prison in lancaster ca. which the last time i was incarcerated (about 12 years ago) was a special needs yard.. but understand something to qualify for these programs an inmates already been dropped out and sent to a special needs yard. they wouldnt even think about offering options like this to an inmate that aint debriefed

    • @user-du1xj7px6i
      @user-du1xj7px6i Před dnem

      You guys are both wrong. He paroled from a GP level 3 at ironwood SP. Since 2016 they have been offering the dog training program both on GP level 3&4 yards.

    • @steveg5112
      @steveg5112 Před 23 hodinami

      No he wasn’t

    • @darenobrecht6161
      @darenobrecht6161 Před 10 hodinami

      @@user-du1xj7px6i ty for the correction.the last time i paroled from cdc was 2012 so im a little out of date.

  • @Zt3v3
    @Zt3v3 Před dnem

    K number......V here.

  • @psychbomb7543
    @psychbomb7543 Před 2 dny +7

    Is Brian just telling us what we want to hear?🤔

    • @FallenFlag9
      @FallenFlag9 Před 2 dny +3

      Believe half of what you hear and nothing you see.

    • @notsocrates9529
      @notsocrates9529 Před 2 dny +2

      It's all [media] controlled by 6 corporations. Yes.
      Compare his dress and demeanor to the one on Cinemills TV from 2022. I don't think he is lying, I just think he is being pushed out there and it is a story that inspires hope.

    • @ThemesPTSD
      @ThemesPTSD Před 2 dny +9

      Nope he’s talking the talk and walking the walk !! Since he’s been out he’s started working in treatment, and does public speaking and gang intervention programs. He’s clean and reformed and is taking full advantage of his second chance!

    • @Robert-is7du
      @Robert-is7du Před 2 dny

      Try going deep into ur Heart and Soul Spirit essence and feel what he feels in his heart and Soul Spirit Sun Temple essence with URs if U have a Heart and Soul Spirit essence in which to feel pure internal eternal absolute love to help heal each other by forgiving each other for the Love that is lost through AI skynets trauma mind control to OBEY the AI machine coded Sky network ABUSER
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    • @Robert-is7du
      @Robert-is7du Před 2 dny

      The primary cause of ending Up in a prison complex brain,is SELF ABUSE which is inter breeding cellular abuse that leads to a cycle of generational reproductive abuse in the Motherboard generation after generation after generation after generation after generation and expecting a different MATHEMATICAL RESULT
      Living Spirit molecular covalent bonded elemental Union experiencing being TOTALLY Loved and TOTALLY relaxed central Neural bio Circuitry Spiritual mathematical structural engineering integrity organization of planetary hydrogen technology generators building capacity on Universal Galactic Motherboards that doesn't break the Mathematical LAW of Balance between inhalation transcription absorption and exhalation so ur NOT breaking UR own Holographic visual memory driven circuits that lowers UR Base 12 chromosome 21 repair immunity function Firewall shield to protect the integrity of our Divine Born DNA to experience being Totally loved by the eternal Sun of Gods Eternal Krystal River wave form Spirit of Fire and Ice Krystal wave form perfect structural engineering performance
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  • @newb431
    @newb431 Před 2 dny

    Less than a year out, I wish him the best… but, I’d like to see a 5 year follow up
    And I’m sure California looks great to a North Korean as well…

    • @Zt3v3
      @Zt3v3 Před dnem

      He's not going to re-offend. He sounds nothing like the average guy out the CDC.