Folsom State Prison (FSP), Represa CA

Main Phone: (916) 985-2561

Physical Address: 300 Prison Road, Represa, CA 95671 (Directions)

General Mailing: P.O. Box 910, Represa, CA 95671

Inmate Mailing (all facilities): P.O. Box 715071, Represa, CA 95671

Visiting Inmates: learn how to visit inmates in-person or by video at our institutions.

Other Resources: explore family & friends resources, including how to contact or send packages to inmates in our institutions.

  • PIA:  License Plate Factory, Sign Shop, Furniture Shop, Metal Fabrication, Print Shop and Digital Services (Mapping).
  • PIA Modular Building Enterprise and Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
  • Vocational: Masonry, Building Maintenance, Office Services, Welding, (AWS Standards), and Auto Mechanics (ASE Certification).
  • Academic: Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Development, (GED), Adult High School (AHS), English as a Second Language.
  • Other Programs:  Correctional Learning Network (CLN), Community Crews, Self Help Groups (AA/NA), Youth Diversion, Parenting, Fitness For Life, Healthful Living, Parenting, Library, correspondence courses, Military Veteran’s Group, and college programs.
  • Alpha Re-Entry Program: Offers life skills that include parenting, celebration of recovery, alcohol, drug and other addictive behaviors, preparing inmates for re-entry into their families and communities.
  • California New Start Prison to Employment Transition Program: A pre-release employment program for eligible inmates. The program consist of a 4 week 70 hour curriculum consisting of: transition planning, job search techniques, job applications, resume writing, interview preparation, financial literacy and One Stop Career Center orientation.

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.

Family Liaison Service Specialist
CDCR provides through a contract with a community-based organization an on-site Case Manager as a family reunification liaison for inmates and family members, to assist with an inmates pre-release preparation; and conduct Parenting and Creative Conflict Resolution classes for inmates. Please call the Institution to contact the Family Reunification Liaison.

Voted the best place to raise a family in a 2016 survey, Folsom is the home of historic Folsom State Prison. A few minutes away is Folsom Lake and Folsom Dam, great outdoor locations to boat, swim, hike and picnic, along with the most scenic and demanding bike trails in Northern California. Also, because of Folsom’s central location, it provides residents easy access to both the snow and winter fun of South Lake Tahoe and the cool ocean breeze and big city atmosphere of San Francisco. All of these perks come together making Folsom a great place to live, work, and play!

Lake Tahoe with clear water surrounded by snow cap mountains and trees
Rainbow Bridge with river underneath during sunset

DETAILS

Folsom State Prison A Facility houses medium custody male inmates while Folsom State Prison B Facility also known as the Folsom Women’s houses medium custody female inmates. Folsom State Prison also includes a Minimum Support Facility.

HISTORY

California’s second oldest prison, Folsom State Prison (FSP), primarily houses Medium Security General Population Level II and Level III male inmates. Additionally, Folsom houses Minimum Security Level I male inmates within a minimum security facility located just outside of the main security perimeter. Folsom offers Rehabilitative programs, to include academic courses and career technical education, which are provided through Folsom’s Greystone Adult School.

The California Legislature authorized the construction of Folsom State Prison in 1858. Twenty years later, in 1878, construction began on one of the nations first maximum-security prisons. On July 26, 1880, Folsom received its first 44 inmates. The inmates were transferred by boat from San Quentin State Prison to Sacramento and then by train from Sacramento to the prison.

Folsom State Prison’s location was selected due to an unlimited amount of native granite stone for building the prison.  Also, the American River offered ample water and formed a natural boundary.  Inmate laborers built the first dam and canal on the American River, which led to the first hydroelectric power generation for the Sacramento area.

Originally designed to hold inmates serving long sentences, habitual criminals, and incorrigibles, Folsom State Prison quickly gained the reputation of being the end of the line.  Prior to the completion of the granite wall in the 1920’s, the prison witnessed numerous escape attempts; the first one occurring shortly after the first inmates arrived in 1880. Throughout Folsom’s violent and bloody history, numerous riots and escape attempts have resulted in both inmate and staff deaths.

The Folsom Museum is located near the entrance of Folsom Prison. Run solely through the support of volunteers, the museum contains an abundance of documents and artifacts from throughout Folsom’s long and colorful history.

Under the administration of FSP, Folsom Women’s Facility (FWF) was activated in January 2013. This 523 bed stand-alone facility provides housing, rehabilitative and reentry programming, substance abuse treatment, and job training to the medium and minimum security female population. FWF is the northern most female facility in the State, allowing female offenders to maintain closer ties to family and relatives in the area.

Folsom State Prison is California’s second-oldest prison, and one of the nation’s first maximum-security prisons built in the decades following the California Gold Rush.

Warden Tracy Johnson
Warden (A) Tracy Johnson

Tracy Johnson has been assigned as the acting Warden at Folsom State Prison since July 2022.   Ms. Johnson has 30 years of State service.  Ms. Johnson began her career with the California State Legislature and transferred to CDCR in January 1997 as an analyst. During her tenure at CDCR, she was promoted through the ranks of Staff Services Manager I and II, Correctional Business Manager, Associate Director at CDCR’s Budget Management Branch, and Associate Director at California Correctional Health Care Service’s Fiscal Management Section.  She promoted to Associate Warden at San Quentin State Prison in 2014 and transferred to Folsom State Prison in 2015.  In August 2020, Ms. Johnson promoted to Chief Deputy Warden at Folsom State Prison.

Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications/Business from California State University Chico and a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from Webster University.

Dr. Brittany Brizendine began her career with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 2008 as a staff psychologist at California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC). Dr. Brizendine served in many leadership positions within the Department over the years to include: Senior Psychologist Supervisor at SAC; Chief of Mental Health at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) and California Healthcare Facility (CHCF); Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at SVSP; Assistant Deputy Director Statewide Mental Health Program; CEO at SAC; CEO on special assignment at CHCF; and, most recently CEO at Folsom State Prison / Folsom Women’s Facility.

Dr. Brizendine holds a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree, Master’s in Psychology (MA) Degree and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA). Dr. Brizendine is a Certified Correctional Health Care Professional (CCHP) and a Certified Correctional Health Care Professional Mental Health (CCHP-MH), by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

Folsom State Prison CEO Brittany Brizendine

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.