Sierra Conservation Center (SCC)
Main Phone: (209) 984-5291
Physical Address: 5100 O’Byrnes Ferry Road, Jamestown, CA 95327 (Directions)
Inmate Mailing Address:
- Inmate Name and CDCR Number
5150 O’Byrnes Ferry Road – Housing #, Jamestown, CA 95327
Staff Mailing Address:
- 5100 O’Byrnes Ferry Road, Jamestown, CA 95327
Media Requests:
Contact the Public Information Officer, Lieutenant R. Jauregui at (209) 984-5291 ext. 5499
Visiting an incarcerated person: learn how to visit an incarcerated person at our institutions.
Other Resources: explore family & friends resources, including how to contact or send packages to those incarcerated in our institutions.
Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) is located at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in Jamestown California. SCC is minutes away from popular local boating, fishing, hunting, golfing and skiing. Regardless of the season, you will be close to world class outdoor activities. If you enjoy a smaller, rural community, the historic cities of Copperopolis, Jamestown, Angels Camp and Sonora are nearby. The larger cities of Modesto, Turlock and Merced are within an hour drive from SCC.
- Adult Basic Education I, II, & III
- General Equivalency Diploma (GED) Classes
- Physical Fitness Training, Firefighter Training
- Vocational Trades: Auto Body/Fender, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Masonry, Carpentry, Computer Related Technology, and Laborer.
- Alternative Education, Voluntary at fire camp only.
- Community College, face to face and correspondence.
- Religious
- Prison Industry Authority (PIA) Textiles (sewing)
- Self-Help Groups (Click on the above volunteer & self-help programs)
- Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT)
- Level I, II, & III Non-Designated Programming Facility (NDPF)
DRP Programs
Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT)–Overview
On January 21, 2020, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) implemented ISUDT. ISUDT is a comprehensive and evidence-based cross-divisional program with pathways to treatment through DRP Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI) programs referred to as:
CBI-Intensive Outpatient (Medical Classification T1, SOMS assignment code ISI) 2-hours/day, 5-days/week, 52-weeks completion
CBI-Outpatient (Medical Classification T2, SOMS assignment code ISO) 2-hours/day, 3-days/week, 14-weeks completion
CBI-Life Skills (Medical Classification T3, SOMS assignment code CB2) 2-hours/day, 3-days/week, 29-weeks completion
All participants will be assessed by medical and referred to one of the CBI classes.
The primary mission of Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) is to provide housing, programs and services for minimum and medium custody incarcerated people to aid in their rehabilitation. SCC is also responsible for the training and placement into the Conservation Camp Program.
SCC functions as a training center for incarcerated people in wildland firefighting techniques for the entire state of California. The Wildland Fire Training Center is operated in conjunction with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The institution is separated into two dormitory-type facilities for minimum and low-medium custody, and one 270 design facility with celled housing for high-medium custody.
SCC also operates Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp, in which youthful offenders are housed as direct placements from their county of commitment. Conservation camps are in rural or wilderness areas for fire suppression. People assigned to camps are dispatched to fight wildland fires and other emergencies when needed, and perform a variety of community work projects. This results in a tremendous cost savings to taxpayers of California.
Within the 30 adult male camps, SCC jointly operates 26 with CAL FIRE and four with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The camps division operates 10 mobile kitchen units that provide quality cooked meals for all firefighters, fire support staff and incarcerated fire crews, at a cost savings during large-scale fires throughout California.
SCC houses incarcerated people medically designated as low- to medium-risk, and identified by the Mental Health Services Delivery System as Correctional Clinical Case Management System or lower. Incarcerated persons at SCC are encouraged to attend education programs that include Adult Basic Education, General Educational Development programs and Career Technical Education.
A multitude of other voluntary programs that afford opportunities for self-improvement are available as well to include Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous, Veterans Incarcerated, Freedom and Choice, Victims Impact, Alternatives to Violence, Responsible Fatherhood, Responsible Fatherhood, 12 Steps, Conflict Resolution, Criminals and Gang Anonymous, Self-Awareness and Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, New Professionals, Leadership Development, Art and Healing, and Anger Management, Career Development, Arts in Corrections, English as a Second Language, Al Anon, Veterans Support Group, and Meditation.
Joshua Prudhel has been serving as acting Warden at Sierra Conservation Center since February 2024.
Mr. Prudhel began his career at San Quentin State Prison in 2003 as a Correctional Officer. In December 2005, he promoted to Correctional Sergeant serving at the Correctional Training Facility, Deuel Vocational Institution, and California State Prison (CSP)- Corcoran. In July 2011, he promoted to the rank of Correctional Lieutenant, serving at CSP- Corcoran and the California Health Care Facility (CHCF). In July of 2017 he promoted to Captain at CHCF. Mr. Prudhel conducted a second tour at CSP- Corcoran starting when he promoted to Associate Warden in April of 2020. He also conducted a second tour at the Correctional Training Facility as acting Chief Deputy Warden in August of 2021 before being assigned to CSP- Sacramento as acting Chief Deputy Warden in March of 2022, where he was appointed in June 2022.
Mike Diaz has been acting Chief Executive Officer at Sierra Conservation Center since November 2023. He has served at SCC since 2008 and has served as the Chief Support Executive for the past four years.
Local Inmate Family Councils (IFC’s) are a gathering of family and friends of the incarcerated who meet regularly with Wardens to support visiting since keeping strong family connections with loved ones is a powerful rehabilitative tool. These IFC’s promote visiting by clarifying rules and regulations as well as discussing health, education, vocational training, packages, books, and related issues. For more information on connecting with a local IFC, please visit the Statewide IFC website.