San Quentin Skunkworks

To unite the leadership and ingenuity of incarcerated people and professionals to transform the justice system from the inside out.

SkunkWorks began as a bold idea inside San Quentin: what if incarceration could become a launchpad for change? Founded by incarcerated people and built in partnership with outside professionals, we’ve grown into a nationally recognized innovation lab inside prison walls.

Our goal is simple but radical: transform the justice system by centering the leadership of the people most impacted by it. We design and test solutions inside—and then work to scale them beyond the walls.

Our programs put incarcerated leadership into practice. We reclaim prison spaces with murals that restore dignity, run intensive leadership trainings that prepare incarcerated people to guide reform, and host monthly gaming events that bring more than 150 people together across divides. Each project is a live experiment in building a justice system that works better for everyone.

We’ve been featured in CalMatters, the front page of the LA Times, and are backed by CDCR. But our biggest achievement? Building a movement where incarcerated people lead—and the world listens.