CDCR History
CDCR California prison history explores the stories of the people, places and programs that shaped the current state penal system. Within the CDCR History category, there are two sub-categories. The Unlocking History series uses extensive research culled from historical records while CDCR Time Capsule republishes historical documents as originally written.
California state officials gathered at the State Capitol May 16, 1988, to honor 18 corrections employees and one community volunteer...
Editor’s note: This Medal of Valor story originally published in the department’s newsletter in 1987. It is republished here, as...
Read More About 1987 Medal of Valor honors 19 staff, 1 volunteer
Editor’s note: This Medal of Valor story originally published in the department’s newsletter in 1986. It is republished here, as...
Read More About 1986: Employees honored at first Medal of Valor
A letter penned by a man serving time at San Quentin (SQ) in 1915 describes how the institution observed Fourth...
Read More About 1915 letter describes San Quentin Fourth of July
Thanks to early prison road construction camps, incarcerated crews connected communities with parks across the state. Much like CALFIRE/CDCR conservation...
Read More About Prison camps connected communities with parks
Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp (YCC) is celebrating 80 years of rehabilitation. Founded in 1945, the camp has continued serving...
A booklet titled “State of California Forestry Honor Camp Program” was produced for the 86th Congress of Correction held in...
California Medical Facility (CMF) in Vacaville held a celebration to honor the institution’s 70 years of public safety. The CMF...
Women serving sentences in state prison began with Agnes Read who was sent to the prison ship, the Waban, in...
During a 1965 conference of Federated Women’s Clubs, the superintendent of the California Institution for Women discussed the history of...
Read More About 1965: History of women in California prisons