I am so proud of all of the women who have taken this courageous step. I am truly in awe and share about them at every possible moment! Thank you both for being so committed to making a difference in the lives of these women.

-Sara Malone, Former Chief, Office of the Ombudsman,  California Department  of Corrections and Rehabilitation

“Prison of Peace,” which provides women serving life sentences the skills to become Peacemakers and Mediators in the prison environment, is a truly unique and commendable effort towards the empowerment of these women in living more peaceful and fulfilling lives. “Prison of Peace,” in transforming inmates into trainers themselves, provides a low-cost sustainable rehabilitative program that is necessary in all California prisons. I look forward to seeing this program continue to grow and impact the lives of incarcerated women not only at VSPW, but throughout California.

- Senator Carol Liu, Chair, California Senate Select Committee on Women and Children in the Criminal Justice System 

All of the effort put forth by you and your team has made VSPW a leader in inmate mediation and problem solving. As you are aware, prison populations are somewhat unpredictable and volatile. Since the start of the Prison of Peace program the institution appears quieter and with less violence. I have seen the inmates enrolled in the Prison of Peace program step up and offer their assistance in mediating a difficult situation. The inmates in the Prison of Peace program display leadership qualities that outweigh their past criminal behavior.

- Walter Miller, Former Warden, Valley State Prison for Women, Chowchilla, CA

I am so elated that there is a program like this in the prison system I have witnessed first hand, the change in my daughter who is an inmate. This type of program should be available to the outside of prison for all of us who could use this information.

- Anonymous Parent, June 10, 2013

This is a huge step toward one of CDCR’s main goals: rehabilitation. The dedication, hard work and transparency that these ladies have shown are a testament to their commitment to change. I am very proud of their desire to accept responsibility and place themselves in a position to give back.            

-Velda Dobson-Davis, Chief Deputy Warden, Ret., Valley State Prison for Women