Upon request, Soledad inmates will transcribe class notes and type short stories for visually handicapped students on a large print typewriter. Every state prison and parole office responds to the needs of children, especially during the holiday season. Staff donate toys, money and food. Inmates volunteer their time to build or restore toys for kids. At Vacaville, for example, inmates spend several weeks before Christmas repairing and assembling children's bicycles.
Inmate clowns from Soledad entertain youngsters at a local festival.
Prison woodworking shops around the state turn out handmade puzzles, jewelry boxes, baseball bats and trucks. These go to organizations caring for underprivileged, abused and neglected kids. Drug Abuse Prevention Preventing drug abuse and diverting young people from crime are high priorities for Corrections. Corrections staff routinely speak to students and community groups about life in prison and the consequences of criminal behavior. Inmates also speak out against drug use.