Nestled in the hills of Warner Springs is Puerta La Cruz Conservation Camp #14. If you listen closely, you can hear the birds chirping, and the sound of leaves rustling on the wind. On the weekends, however, you can hear a different sound: Kids visiting their incarcerated parents.
On Saturday, a new educational recreation area opened at the camp, giving the kids an opportunity to bond with their parents over a book and other activities. The new addition was made possible by Gordon Philanthropies, a nonprofit organization that focuses on literacy for kids and adults.
"It's awesome. I look forward to getting a book with my youngest daughter and having her read it on the phone with me or talking about what she's read. I think it's a great opportunity for us to become closer to our kids and still connect with them even when we're here, and they're there," said Nicole Packer, one of the inmates who trained as a firefighter.
Puerta La Cruz has been operating as an all-female conservation camp since 1986, and put under the supervision of the California Institution for Women (CIW) in 2005. More than 100 inmates, most of whom are non-violent offenders, are trained as firefighters. Upon serving their sentence, they are given the opportunity to work for Cal Fire and other government agencies, while having their criminal record expunged.
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Studies have shown, according to the Legislative Analyst's Office in California, that having access to recreational activities and programs is generally effective at reducing recidivism.
"When I found out that I could still have a career and I could expunge my record and this -- my story from how I got here doesn't have to be who I am. I can change it, you know? There's still time no matter how old I am," said Packer.
Packer was sentenced in January of this year, and has five years left of her sentence. Having trained as a firefighter at Puerta La Cruz, she is now looking at the road ahead: a future that would have her don a different uniform.
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"It's very fulfilling. It gives us a chance to change our life," said Packer. "You're proud of yourself, you know? It's like you made a mistake and you got here, but you can still change it," she added.
"I'm very proud of her and I know that she's proud to be out here," said Kendra Pasos, one of Packer's three children. Pasos, who is 14 years old, visits her mother roughly once or twice a month. To her, this new recreation center gives her an activity to bond over with her mother.
"It's better quality time to be spending with my mom and everything and she has time to ask us more questions and talk to us more about things that are going on when she's not at home," said Pasos.
As a trained firefighter, Packer and her fellow inmates have to be ready to go at a moment's notice. They were called to the Resort Fire on Friday along Highway 79, just a few minutes down the road from Puerta La Cruz near the Warner Springs Resort.
"They see us not as inmates, but as firefighters," said Packer. "Even on the fire line, we're not looked at as female inmates, we're looked at as female firefighters," she added.
Firefighters, including Packer and her fellow inmates, were able to stop the forward progress of the 25-acre vegetation fire.
"It's a great program. I've met a lot of great women here, a lot of strong women," said Packer.
