Warden Nelson speaks about the criminal justice and prison system in California. After outlining the two-hundred-year history of prisons, he speaks about contemporary issues, particularly at San Quentin and Folsom. He addresses claims by critics that there is a lack of new processes for rehabilitation and that prisons are "breeders of criminal culture." He says they have changed more in the last thirty years than the 170 prior.

Among the many topics in the question-and-answer session, he speaks about Johnny Cash's performance at the prison.