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Paul Bocanegra was condemned to life in prison without parole at the age of 17. He served twenty-five and a half years in adult prisons, more than twelve of those in solitary confinement. Paul was paroled under Senate Bill 9, which gave youth with life without parole sentences an opportunity to petition the court for a second sentencing hearing. Paul transitioned back into San Mateo County in September 2017 and got off of parole in 2021, obtaining agency in his life for the first time.

 

Today, Paul is a community leader, Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, and San Mateo County Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commissioner. Paul has testified at the State Capitol, co-authored legislation, and is a Latin X Community Advisor and Delegate for Senator Josh Becker. 

 

Paul co-founded ReEvolution, a nonprofit organization, to use his lens of lived experience to provide meaningful support and prevention efforts for youth and person-centered reentry programs for all transitioning community members. Paul serves as an expert witness in youth criminal justice cases, a restorative justice practitioner, a personal mentor, and an advocate for victims of crime.

 

Paul is a Community Fund Panelist for the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation in Redwood City and was the founding Vice-Chair of Fixin’ San Mateo County.

 

Paul grew up in Santa Clara County and is a first-generation Mexican American. Paul lives in the Eagle Hill Neighborhood of Redwood City with his wife Carolyn and their beloved dogs.

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