Unlocking History
Using extensive research culled from historical records, Inside CDCR explores the rich history of the people, places and programs that helped shape the modern state correctional system.

The world was forever changed after the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said,...

While researching Unlocking History, stories can emerge from faded memos such as the California Men's Colony (CMC) great cat caper...

Since the 1860s, Thanksgiving has been observed in prison thanks to the efforts of early staff and volunteers. The first...

From California's early days, even before statehood, military veterans have shaped what would become today's prison system.
Read More About Military veterans helped shape prison system

A Del Norte case dating to 1913 had an impact on generations to follow, including the Taggart family who still...

For October's final Cemetery Tales, we unrolled the list and dropped to the last names of those buried at San...

An unanswered complaint about food quality ended with the shooting death of a hospital superintendent in 1916. The man responsible...

A man linked to 11 disappearances or deaths, but only convicted of forgery, leads us to the strange tale of...

CDCR Unlocked podcast takes the “unlocked” theme one step further with this episode, a conversation with Unlocking History creator Don...

This week's Cemetery Tales features two men, incarcerated 30 years apart, who ended up in the San Quentin and Folsom...