Who and What are the Trusted Messengers for Incarcerated Individuals in CDCR Custody?

Trusted Messengers are members of "existing community-based organizations ... who already serve the covered populations." California's State Digital Equity Plan relies, in part, on trusted messengers to implement the SDEP's objectives by delivering digital inclusion services and programs locally.

There are a variety of community-based organizations composed of incarcerated individuals in CDCR custody who already serve CDCR's incarcerated individuals in one capacity or another and who could help implement the SDEP's digital equity objectives as they relate to incarcerated individuals.

Inmate Publications

Inmate publications are written by incarcerated individuals for incarcerated individuals and are a trusted source of information about all varieties of subjects of interest to the incarcerated population including information related to education and technology.

The two largest publications by CDCR incarcerated individuals are The San Quentin News and The Mu1e Creek Post. These publications are well positioned as trusted messengers who can keep the department's incarcerated individuals informed about digital equity programs and services available to them.

Inmate Advisory Councils

Every CDCR prison has one or more Inmate Advisory Councils (IAC) composed of incarcerated individuals who represent subgroups of incarcerated individuals by communicating their interests and concerns to staff, administrators and the warden, advocating for their benefit, and sharing relevant information with the incarcerated individuals they serve.

IACs are well positioned as trusted messengers to advocate for digital equity policies and procedures at the local level, share information about available digital equity services and programs with the incarcerated population, and coordinate these activities with other community-based organizations within their respective prisons.

Inmate Leisure Time Activity Groups

Every CDCR prison hosts a variety of Inmate Leisure Time Activity Groups (ILTAGs). These groups are established to promote educational, social, cultural, and recreational interests of participating incarcerated individuals.

ILTAGs are organized and led by incarcerated individuals and sponsored and supervised by a staff member. Many ILTAGs are associated with external organizations ( e.g., AA, NA, CGA). Some ILTAGs are organized as time-limited classes for delivering a particular rehabilitative curriculum, while others are organized as open-ended support groups for particular populations such as addicts, lifers, or veterans.

ILTAGs are well positioned as trusted messengers to share information about available digital equity services and programs with their membership and to develop specialized digital equity services and programs for their members (e.g., by making their bylaws, curriculum, and supporting content available digitally and advocating for its inclusion on CDCR's CTS).

Educational Advisory Committees

Every CDCR prison has an accredited adult school. The principal of each adult school is required to establish an Educational Advisory Committee, known as a Student Council, constituted of incarcerated students. These committees are designed as a means to establish and maintain positive relationships and two-way communications between incarcerated students and education staff and administration.

Education Advisory Councils are well positioned as trusted messengers to share information about available digital equity services and programs with fellow incarcerated students and advocate for local digital equity services and programs with educational staff and administration (e.g., advocating for making curriculum, support materials, and independent study materials available on CDCR's CTS.

Inmate Library Committees

Every CDCR prison has one or more library. Each library has an Inmate Library Committee composed of incarcerated individuals. Inmate Library Committees are designed to make suggestions about content to add to the libraries.

Inmate Library Committees are well positioned as trusted messengers to advocate for local library-based digital equity services and programs such as adding digital content to CDCR's CTS.

Inmate Peer Mentors

CDCR maintains three peer mentor programs:

• The Peer Literacy Mentor Program trains incarcerated tutors to assist incarcerated students, who are not enrolled in a formal education program, study for their GED.
• The Peer Support Specialist program trains incarcerated individuals with lived experience navigating mental illness, substance use disorder, or medical issues to assist incarcerated individuals navigating similar issues.
• The Offender Mentor Certification Program trains incarcerated mentors to assist incarcerated individuals taking substance abuse disorder and cognitive behavioral intervention programs.

The incarcerated individuals participating in these mentor programs are well positioned as trusted messengers to share information about available digital equity services and programs with the incarcerated individuals they are charged with mentoring and advocating for local digital equity services and programs with their supervisors (e.g., by making support materials available on CDCR's CTS.