History
Explore the stories of the people, places and programs that shaped today’s modern CDCR. Unlocking History uses extensive research culled from historical records while CDCR Time Capsule republishes historical documents as they were originally written.
From the first days of California statehood, the fledgling government wrestled with how to handle those who broke the law....
In 1938, three-time convicted felon George Moore sat for his identification photo at Folsom State Prison. According to prison records,...
Read More About 1938 photo shows scars of George Moore’s hard life
Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) officially deactivated September 30, 2021, bringing an end to nearly 70 years of public service in...
Read More About Deuel Vocational Institution deactivation in photos
The first youths arrived at Paso de Robles Youth Correctional Facility on Sept. 30, 1947, a former 200-acre Army airfield...
Read More About 1954 time capsule opened at Paso Robles Youth Correctional Facility
Acrobat Arva Case had her whole life ahead when a cancer diagnosis, followed by an addiction to pain medication, caused...
Read More About Early 1900s acrobat walked tightrope of addiction
More than a decade before the California Institution for Women received its first residents, the state created the first reformatory...
Read More About 1920s farm was early gender‑responsive rehabilitation
An old saying claims a person's eyes are the windows to the soul. Archival photos of those convicted of crimes...
Read More About Behind the photo: Frederick Beck spirals into 1891 prison stint
Spanning a correctional career of more than three decades, retired Warden Celestine 'Teena' Farmon passed away July 18, 2021.
Read More About Retired CCWF Warden Celestine ‘Teena’ Farmon passes away
The 1913 Ruby Bartol case was scrutinized by the governor, attorney general, and warden. Years later, her parole officer helped...
Read More About 1913 case of incarcerated mom ends in pardon thanks to parole officer
The fourth facility in the California state prison system opened 80 years ago. The institution was geared toward people who...
Read More About Photo Timeline: 80 years of service for California Institution for Men