CHOWCHILLA, Calif. — Before Vice President Kamala Harris was elected to the White House and became a candidate for president, she was a prosecutor. She served seven years as the District Attorney of San Francisco and another six as the Attorney General of California.
While one might expect Harris’s resume to make her unpopular among formerly and currently incarcerated people, KVPR found that opinions of her vary widely among those familiar with the criminal justice system – just as they do among the general population.
This spectrum was on display recently at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, where 23 incarcerated men were graduating with bachelor’s degrees from Fresno State. Although those currently serving prison sentences can not legally vote, several students from the graduating class not only knew of Harris, but also said they partly credit her for their ability to obtain degrees while behind bars.
“Kamala Harris was a part of that change giving people like myself a second opportunity, a second look,” said Henry Inocencio from Alameda County.
Inocencio has spent 22 years in prison, and is serving a sentence for murder.
Although it’s unclear if Harris directly contributed to Inocencio’s degree, in 2005, she introduced an initiative related to education while she was the District Attorney of San Francisco. The program, called “Back on Track,” gave first-time, non-violent offenders the chance to enroll in education and job training courses as well as therapy.
Both Inocencio and another inmate KVPR spoke with at the graduation ceremony said they would vote for Harris if they could, pointing to her history in law enforcement as the main reason they think she’s the right candidate.
Someday, these people may get to cast their ballots once again. The right to vote is restored for anyone who’s been released from prison. Unlike those in prison, many who are currently incarcerated in jail or who are awaiting trial in jail are allowed to vote.
For some, Harris has an advantage
Advocates for the formerly and currently incarcerated also view Harris’ background as an asset.
Esteban Nunez, who was formerly incarcerated and now works as a consultant for many criminal justice organizations, said Harris’ career as a prosecutor gives her more knowledge than the average candidate.
“She knows the system, she's been a public servant for a very long time… and I think it's important to have somebody who knows how to navigate those systems,” Nunez said.
Claudia Gonzalez, a formerly incarcerated woman and long-time advocate of other formerly incarcerated people, said she thinks Harris could bring California’s model of criminal justice reform to the White House.
“California advocates are able to hold her more accountable and be like…‘we saw how these things turned out in California and what we've been able to do in California. Why don't we do that on a national scope?’” Gonzalez said. “There's a lot of room for policy to be able to be crafted under Harris.”
Harris still carries skepticism
A survey released earlier this month by the Marshall Project shows that those familiar with the criminal justice system are not a monolith.
The Marshall Project surveyed 54,000 incarcerated people and found that they tend to favor former President Donald Trump over Harris – particularly white male inmates.
Of those voting Democrat, however, the study found more are in favor of Harris than former candidate President Joe Biden. A large share of incarcerated people also identify as independent, and those who are familiar with her record believe Harris was tough on crime.
So it’s no surprise there are some more skeptical opinions of Harris’s background, and her candidacy.
Jesse Scaccia, a media professor at Fresno State, teaches students at Valley State Prison. Although he himself has not been incarcerated, he said he feels conflicted about who to vote for.
“So many of the policies that end people up here are rooted in racism, are rooted in classism, and are rooted in anti-literacy and a bias against people with lower literacy,” Scaccia said. “I believe in a more beautiful world than these candidates do, so I am not open-voice supporting either of them.”
James Tribble, a formerly incarcerated student at Merced College, said he feels dubious of, not only Harris, but also politicians and politics in general. Roberts was incarcerated in jail, but did not spend time in prison.
“I see good and bad in anybody and I feel like a lot of the people that are trying to run this world or run this section of this world… they say one thing and then just do the opposite once they get elected.”
