Green Space Project

RTB-Rehabilitation Through Beautification

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
San Diego, California California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR)

 

The Problem: Unacceptably high recidivism rates affecting public welfare have caused California Corrections to search for innovative ideas to support the rehabilitation programs that are the main strategy to combat this crisis.

RTB Solution: The Green Space Project

 

Proposed green space areas to be added to the prison yard

 

“The Green Space Project started with a very simple idea: Prisoners struggle to be open to lessons of rehabilitative change if their physical living environment is sending them a contrary message.

 

The answer is challenging but clear. Transform the prisoner’s living environment so that it reflects and supports the rehabilitative mission by creating a sense of community”. ~ RTB Chairperson

 

 

 

The prisoner founded group Rehabilitation Through Beautification (RTB) created and designed the Green Space Project with the support of the CDCR Administration. Never before has a prison yard been so dramatically redesigned for the purpose of rehabilitation. The project is designed to encourage a sense of community through the construction of specialized outdoor classroom and group meeting spaces and large areas of artificial grass with tables for congregation. The plan  will accommodate wheelchair bound inmates with disabilities. And for the first time on a modern California prison yard…full sized trees will be planted!

 

 

In addition to the landscape redesign, the Green Space Project includes the painting of an enormous continuous mural along the interior of the prison exercise wall. Our incarcerated artists have been working on this mural for several years. The finished project will have the Guinness record for the largest continuous mural In a US prison. All the paint supplies for this project are funded through donations.

 

 

Through the Green Space Project, the prison yard will be transformed from an oppressive concrete and gravel slab into a normalized park-like campus setting surrounded by a majestic landscape mural. Outside classrooms, rehabilitation group meeting spaces, and service dog program training areas will be installed.

Russ Gittlen – President Guide Dogs of America

Service Dog Program Benefits:

One critical goal of the Green Space Project design is to provide a natural functional environment for the successful service dog program. This remarkable program graduates service dogs for wounded veterans and individuals suffering from PTSD and autism. Currently these beautiful dogs are living and trained on nothing but concrete and gravel. To further this aim, RTB has partnered with Guide Dogs of America-TLC to raise funds and develop the project.

We Need Your Help!!

The Green Space Project is entirely funded through public support. All donations go through the non profit, Helping Without Prejudice foundation (HWOP.ORG) run by acclaimed professor Dr. Chandrika Kelso.  100% of the donations received by the GOFUNDME campaign will be used to purchase materials for the RTB projects, (to include the Murals and Green Space) vetted and approved by CDCR.

 

RTB has partnered with its donors to help spread the word and make this incredible undertaking a reality.

Guide Dogs of America – TLC.

President Russell Gittlen has fully partnered with RTB in support of the Green Space Project. Their organization has already donated tens of thousands of square feet of artificial grass as well as funding for installation materials.

 

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

Union President Brian Bryant personally attended a presentation on the project along with the President of Gulde Dogs of America.

 

City Fabrick

A non profit design studio. President Brian Ulaszewski and his team are creating the blue print designs that are the foundation of the plan. They have donated all
their services.

 

Encore Paint

Steve Ross accomplished painter and son of legendary artist Bob Ross is the President of Encore Paint. The company has donated hundreds of gallons of paint for the mural and have spearheaded procurement for materials at rock bottom prices for the project.

 

Cal Supply Company

President Joe Long has visited the site and offered to fund many of the recreational areas in the design plan.

 

The Green Space Project will send a powerful message to the prison population that transformative change is possible. The project will finally provide the service dog program with a naturalized environment to graduate dogs for wounded veterans and autistic children.

 

Thank you for your interest and support!!!

RTB Team