▁the ▁benef icial ▁effect ▁of ▁the ▁re pert ory ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁D . C . ▁area . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁direct ▁ple a ▁from ▁an ▁in mate , ▁R hoz ier ▁" Ro ach " ▁Brown , ▁who ▁was ▁serving ▁a ▁life ▁sentence ▁in ▁L orton , ▁Hook s ' ▁D . C . ▁Black ▁Re pert ory ▁Company ▁struct ured ▁the ▁first ▁prison - based ▁arts ▁program ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁While ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁norm ▁now , ▁it ▁was ▁then ▁a ▁revolution ary ▁attempt ▁at ▁re h abil itation ▁through ▁the ▁arts . ▁Event ually ▁The ▁Inner ▁Vo ices ▁performed ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 0 0 ▁times ▁in ▁other ▁pr isons , ▁including ▁a ▁Christmas ▁special ▁entitled , ▁" H olid ays , ▁H ollow days ." ▁Due ▁to ▁Ro ach ' s ▁work , ▁President ▁Ger ald ▁Ford ▁comm uted ▁his ▁sentence ▁on ▁Christmas ▁Day , ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁His ▁re location ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁redirect ed ▁Hook s ' ▁approach ▁to ▁par ity ▁in ▁the ▁arts ▁with ▁his ▁invol vement ▁with ▁The ▁Bay ▁Area ▁Mult icult ural ▁Arts ▁In iti ative ▁( 1 9 8 8 ) ▁as ▁a ▁board ▁member ▁and ▁grant ▁facil it ator - jud ge . ▁Fund ed ▁by ▁mon ies ▁from ▁a ▁unique ▁coal ition ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Foundation ▁( a ▁community ▁foundation ); ▁Gr ants ▁for ▁the ▁Arts ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Hotel ▁Tax ▁Fund , ▁and ▁The ▁National ▁End ow ment