Our Story:

Since forming in 2016, Transformative Programming Works (formerly the Transformative In-Prison Workgroup) has built a statewide collective voice of 96 community-based organizations that advocate for and provide meaningful programs in California prisons. It’s our mission to uplift and support nonprofit CBOs providing incarcerated individuals in California prisons access to healing and transformation.

We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of incarcerated people.

  • We advocate at the state level for divestment from punitive systems and investment in community-based healing practices in prisons.

  • We amplify and support 96 community-based organizations (CBOs) that offer trauma-informed healing programs in CA prisons.

Why Community-Based Organizations?

CBOs offer specialized programs in California prisons ranging from: restorative justice, “victim-offender” dialogue, family reunification and connection, arts, trauma informed healing, and much more.

Unlike for-profit companies in the prison sphere, CBOs are often run by system-impacted folks, people of color, and are often led by formerly incarcerated people who were former participants of the same programs that helped to transform their lives.

Research has shown that credibility, community, and connection is more impactful than private prison profiteers offering a limited number of behavioral-interventionist courses.