SOLEDAD — A visitation event for incarcerated fathers and their families took place on June 13 at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California. The event was organized as part of a program that provides free transportation and meals for families visiting incarcerated relatives, operated by the Center for Restorative Justice Works.

Liz Ríos, executive director of the center, said the organization aims to help children with past feelings of abandonment and shame and to support them in building a strong family unit for their future. "Their parent is going to go home one day, and we want that bond to remain, so we're working to help the children with what occurred in the past, and those feelings of abandonment and shame, but also to help them in their own future and have a strong family unit," Ríos said.

The event included a breakfast of packaged snacks, bananas, coffee, juice, bagels, and donuts. Participants received a six-hour visit with their family members. During a typical prison visit, vending machine items like sodas can cost approximately $3, and a hot pocket or frozen cheeseburger around $10. Prisons allow families to bring up to five people per visit.

During the event, fathers distributed teddy bears to their children. Alisa Romero visited her husband, Richard Romero, with their 14-year-old daughter and seven-year-old grandson. Romero stated she normally spends over $100 on a standard prison visit. "The vending machines are expensive, but we don't have to pay for it, so it kind of makes it special that we're not so stressed about money coming back into the visit," Romero said.

Derrick Ware celebrated his stepson's high school graduation at the event, having previously received only 30-second video clips of the ceremony. A woman also sang "Happy Birthday" to her incarcerated husband during the visit. After the event, families traveled by bus from Soledad to Los Angeles.