Ascend Program

It's been almost 8 years since Ascend had its first class! We've helped hundreds of people return to the community from incarceration. Many "Ascenders" have been clean, sober, employed, and wonderful community members for SEVERAL years now!! Congratulations to all of these amazing men and women -- we are a better society when you are free and being your highest and best selves. Keep Ascending!

Paolo's story. How a criminal offender becomes a mentor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVmc3R60Rno

Paolo - The Path from Criminal Offender to Mentor Paolo is a graduate of the Ascend program. How he transformed his life from that of an offender to college student and mentor is inspiring! It is possible fo...

You've served your sentence, and successfully completed your parole requirements. Did you know you can now vote? Read on for an interesting article about erroneous perceptions about the right to vote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/22/california-former-inmate-voting_n_6520100.html

California's Former Prisoners Often Don't Know They Can Vote, Study Finds With severe overcrowding, abuse allegations and controversial sentencing laws, California’s prison system is a knotty political topic that often appears on the ballot. But according to a new stu

A huge step to even the scales of justice. President Obama commutes the sentences of 95 prisoners who were given disproportionately long sentences. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/19/us/politics/obama-commutes-sentences-of-95-prisoners-and-pardons-two.html?_r=1

Obama Commutes Sentences of 95 Prisoners and Pardons Two The president is freeing 40 prisoners serving life sentences as he demonstrates his desire to re-orient the nation’s criminal justice system.