Inside CDCR News Blog

FEATURED STORIES

Captain Antonio speaking at podium

CTF Veterans Hub gives back to those who served

The CTF Veterans Hub held a ceremony in observance of Memorial Day to honor the fallen soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

VIDEOS

Correctional Business Manager Sonia Padilla smiling at sitting near her desk.

Meet Correctional Business Manager Sonia Padilla

Sonia Padilla, the Correctional Business Manager for California Rehabilitation Center (CRC), is a busy woman. In her role, she is responsible for all the business aspects of the institution such as paying the bills or purchasing food.


Motorcycle with incarcerated people at California Institution for Women (CIW).

Outside groups promote CIW rehabilitation

Over two days, California Institution for Women (CIW) received rehabilitation help from two outside organizations.

man stands at podium HDSP CBI grad

HDSP CBI celebrates 52 graduates

High Desert State Prison (HDSP) celebrated 52 Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI), Out-Patient Living and Balance graduates. CBI is apart of the Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) program. Several participants told their personal story of how crucial this program has been to change their mind set while incarcerated.

BEYOND THE BADGE

ASP staff honors given to PIO Lt. Campbell

ASP, city honors staff

Avenal State Prison (ASP) and Golden Hills Adult School staff recently received honors for contributing to ASP and the community.

Prison staff working a grill and bagging food for employees.

CIM, CIW, CTF, SAC show staff appreciation

Staff appreciation can take many forms as shown by recent activities at CIM, CIW, CTF and SAC with barbecues and team-building events.

Correctional Business Manager Sonia Padilla smiling at sitting near her desk.

Meet Correctional Business Manager Sonia Padilla

Sonia Padilla, the Correctional Business Manager for California Rehabilitation Center (CRC), is a busy woman. In her role, she is responsible for all the business aspects of the institution such as paying the bills or purchasing food.

Rehabilitation

Captain Antonio speaking at podium

CTF Veterans Hub gives back to those who served

The CTF Veterans Hub held a ceremony in observance of Memorial Day to honor the fallen soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

Motorcycle with incarcerated people at California Institution for Women (CIW).

Outside groups promote CIW rehabilitation

Over two days, California Institution for Women (CIW) received rehabilitation help from two outside organizations.

man stands at podium HDSP CBI grad

HDSP CBI celebrates 52 graduates

High Desert State Prison (HDSP) celebrated 52 Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (CBI), Out-Patient Living and Balance graduates. CBI is apart of the Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment (ISUDT) program. Several participants told their personal story of how crucial this program has been to change their mind set while incarcerated.

ABOVE THE CALL

Dash cam photo of man performing CPR on a man involved in a car crash.

Off‑duty officer responds to fatal accident

While driving to work in the early morning, Correctional Officer John Costello came across a single-car accident. At 4:35 in the morning, by the light of his vehicle, Costello could see a vehicle crashed into a tree with one person slumped over in the driver’s seat.

A real estate sign on a flooded street . The sign is mostly underwater.

SATF Lieutenant, football team help during storms

A Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) Correctional Lieutenant and the Woodlake Tigers Football Team are doing all they can to help their community.

Two people in uniforms and two in civilian clothing with the California's Medal of Valor logo behind them.

Governor’s Medal of Valor at Ironwood

The Governor’s Medal of Valor was recently presented to three CDCR employees from Ironwood State Prison. An earlier virtual ceremony had been held, but this honored them their workplace with guests.

HISTORY

Sketches and portraits of four murder victims from late 1890s to 1910.

Giving voice to crime victims

Victims and survivors have long fought to have a voice in investigations, trials, sentencing and parole hearings. Since the first incarcerated people boarded the prison ship in 1851, crime victims and their families have fought for their rights.

Horse and cart with man standing beside them in 1890.

Horses, Rustlers and Bandits

While horses were used to build the first California prisons, they were also the reason rustlers and bandits ended up in those prisons. Due to their penchant for purloining horses, San Quentin and Folsom prisons saw rapid expansion.

Staff member on a horse near San Quentin in early 1900s. A building can be seen in the background.

Horses powered early prison construction

Before motorized vehicles, horses powered construction of the early California prison system. As the cars of their day, horses also transported people and goods to the prisons.