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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The Unlocking History series uses extensive research culled from historical records while CDCR Time Capsule republishes historical documents as originally written.

Bus is transporting youth offenders to Preston.

State creates new agency for young offenders

Institutions for young offenders sparked the need for more oversight, resulting in the creation of the California Youth Authority, which...

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Drawing of Whittier State Reform School in Los Angeles.

Whittier, Preston reform schools open doors

With the closure of the two previous reform schools in San Francisco and Marysville, the state established two new schools...

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Drawing of San Francisco Industrial School.

State opens first reform school, acquires ship

To deal with youth crime, San Francisco set aside land to build a reform school, but when plans stalled, the...

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Young teen boy mugshot with numbers 20863.

California prisons evolved to handle youth

Crimes committed by youth ranged from murder to theft but without alternatives to state prison, most ended up in San...

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A prison tower and a chain-link fence with the words: The Correctional Officer. Doing Time - Life as an Inmate.

1970s: Officer training film emphasizes empathy

California Medical Facility was given an 8mm film that appears to have been shot in the mid- to late-1970s or...

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Victim services information table with two women standing behind it.

Timeline: Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services

Crime victim and survivor services weren't always readily available but today there are many way to serve the community.

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Mexican musicians painted on prison wall.

Artists made mark at California Medical Facility

In 1961, California Medical Facility (CMF) launched an arts program almost by accident when the superintendent at the time wanted...

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Prison matron sits at a desk.

Women working in prison started in 1885

Early in the state’s history, incarcerated women were supervised by prison matrons but that wasn’t always the case. This is...

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Painting of 1920s style men and women.

San Quentin historic murals launched artist’s career

In 1951, a young man named Alfredo Santos was busted for dealing heroin, earning him a stint at San Quentin...

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Lyle Herman in correctional officer uniform.

1988: Officer Lyle Herman slain trying to stop robbery

Folsom Correctional Officer Lyle Herman, Jr., died June 29, 1988, after suffering head injuries when he intervened during a robbery.

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