Randall Berger arrived in Stockton in July on parole with no money, no job and no place to live.
The soon-to-be 55-year-old, however, knew at the time he needed to get his life back and he has, said Berger, who was convicted for a domestic violence offense.
On Wednesday, Berger and other parolees were honored during a graduation ceremony, or “transition celebration,” hosted by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations and BI Incorporated, an operator of a community-based day reporting center for parolees in Stockton.
The men and one woman were surrounded by friends, family and corrections and BI staff as they were recognized for successfully completing an intensive five-month re-entry program. Berger, clad in dress pants and a buttoned-up shirt, said he started with nothing and nowhere to go but now has a union job, several cars and a home.
People who follow the program will become successful, he said. Parolees are offered a lot of opportunities, guidance and support in order to be successful. “If you do the right thing, you graduate,” he said. Wednesday’s ceremony was more than just receiving diplomas and recognitions from the city and state, it was about signaling a milestone. Keynote speaker Derrick Carraway, a parole administrator, said the event was important, and more so because of the people who showed up to support their loved ones. This is the beginning, he said.
These men and women will need encouragement and assistance as they move forward in life. Carraway said they are warriors who have already overcome so many battles, but they must continue and not give up. Like Berger, all of the graduates during brief speeches said their lives had changed because of the BI program, their parole agents and the Northern California Construction and Training program. After 15 years in prison, Linda Donahou was released but had no family or a place to go. She said her parole agent referred her to the BI program, where she was accepted and given direction.Several parole officers were also acknowledged during the evening for their involvement in BI. Kendrick Brown, who received an award for being the highest referring and highest retention agent, said he really believes people can grow and change.
“The crimes that you guys committed, you can’t do anything about that,” he said. “You can’t go back and change it … it’s over, it’s done. So when you come to me, we start from today on because you can’t do anything about yesterday, but we can do something about today and tomorrow. …” BI is a program for people who want to change, not for those who need to change, Berger said, adding that there’s a lot of accountability demanded from each participant, including random drug tests and Breathalyzers. But the payoff is worth it, he said, calling his turnaround “miraculous. This experience changed my life.”
