Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Operations Manual

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Chapter 6 – Adult Classification

Article 1 – Reception Centers

Updated June 3, 2025

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61010.11.2 Background Factors

  • There are two lines at the beginning of this Section that are identified as the First Arrest Date or Age and the Date of Birth.

    • Enter the date of the inmate’s first arrest or age at first arrest. This information may be on the CI&ICriminal Identification and Information, the PORProbation Officer Report, sentencing transcripts, or provided verbally by the inmate.

    • Enter the birthdate found on the Legal Status Summary.

  • Age at First Arrest (Boxes 30-31)

    • Calculate the inmate’s age at first arrest based on the date of the inmate’s first arrest. If there is no record of arrests prior to the commitment offense, use the date that the inmate was arrested for the current commitment offense.

    • If there is a record of the “age” of first arrest, but no date is given, use the age given. If there is a record of the “year” of first arrest, but no date, use the age the inmate would have become during that year.

    • Age at First Arrest is the record of an arrest regardless of the outcome. A sustained petition or conviction is not required.

      • Contact with law enforcement that is noted as “detention only” shall not be considered an arrest.

    • If during the interview, the inmate voluntarily indicates that he/she was first arrested at a younger age than is documented, use that information, and enter “per inmate” on the CDC Form 839. Document the inmate’s statement within the ISRSInstitutional Staff Recommendation Summary.

    • When the Age at First Arrest is determined, drop the months and use the full year, and apply that information to the Age at First Arrest Matrix. Enter the corresponding point value in Boxes 30-31. If the value is zero, enter zero. Enter all single digit numbers in Box 31.

  • Age at Reception (Box 32)

    • Using the date of birth and the Date Received CDC, calculate the Age at Reception. When the Age at Reception is determined, drop the months and use the full year. Apply that information to the Age at Reception Matrix. Enter the corresponding point value in Box 32. This is always a single digit value. If the value is zero, enter zero.

  • Term in Years (Boxes 33-34)

    • Enter the number of years of the total term between the brackets provided on the form. The number of years is documented on the Legal Status Summary.

      • A sentence of death or life without possibility of parole shall result in a maximum score of 50.

      • For sentences of 25 years-to-life for murder (including conspiracy), the base term is 25 years.

      • For sentences under PCPenal Code § 667.7 with a term of life without parole for 20 years, the base term is 20 years.

      • For all other life sentences, the base term is 15 years. This includes Third-Strike and non-murder life sentence of 25 to life.

      • Any enhancements or determinant terms for other counts or offenses to be served consecutive to a life term shall be added to the base term before calculation of the term score.

    • Drop the months and use full years.

      • Multiply the number of years by two (2) and enter this value in Boxes 33 and 34. Any single digit value is entered in Box 34.

      • The maximum number of points for term in years is 50.

      • If the sentence is less than one year, enter zero.

    • If an inmate’s term changes during this incarceration, do not prepare a correction to the CDC Form 839. Prepare a CDC Form 840 and complete the Section F #4 “Change in Term Points.” Term points shall be based on the inmate’s total term as identified on the most current Legal Status Summary.

  • Street Gang/Disruptive Group (Boxes 35-38)

    • For the purpose of Placement Score evaluation, if available information indicates that the inmate is or has been involved with gang activity; enter six (6) points in Box 35. An inmate’s housing preference alone is not indicative of gang activity. Do not assess points unless the Method of Verification Code is one of those listed. “Validation” by an IGIInstitution Gang Investigator (see STG Investigator) is not required in order to identify and document street gang/disruptive group activity for the purposes of assessing a score on the CDC Form 839.

    • Points are applied for involvement in street gang/disruptive group activity. Points are not assessed for prison gang membership. Unless there is a record of street gang or disruptive group activity for this inmate, you will not apply points for street gang/disruptive group activity. For example, if the inmate is a member of Nazi Low Riders and demonstrated involvement in the Nazi Low Riders disruptive group or any street gang faction prior to arrival to the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, he is assessed six (6) points for involvement in street gang/disruptive group activity. Since Nazi Low Riders is also a prison gang, the inmate is also subject to further investigation and potential validation as a member of the Nazi Low Riders prison gang.

  • Type of Street Gang/Disruptive Group Codes.

    • Apply the code that most closely identifies the inmate’s street gang/disruptive group. Enter the appropriate alpha codes in Boxes 36-37.

      • CR Crip

      • BL Blood

      • NH Northern Hispanic street gang/disruptive group

      • SH Southern Hispanic street gang/disruptive group

      • ASAccounting Services (see ASB) Asian street gang/disruptive group

      • BD Bulldogs

      • WH White Supremacists, Neo Nazi, Skinheads, etc.

      • BK Black street gang/disruptive group (not Crip or Blood)

      • MC Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs

      • OTOvertime Other street gang/disruptive group not listed

    • Method of Verification Code.

      • Apply the letter code that is most indicative of the gang activity in Box 38. Use the letter code provided. Indications of street gang or disruptive group activity are:

        • Self Admission.

        • Tattoos and symbols. Body markings, hand signs, distinctive clothing, graffiti, etc., which have been identified by gang coordinators/investigators as being used by and distinctive to specific gangs.

        • Written material. Any material or documents evidencing gang activity such as the membership or enemy lists, constitutions, organizational structures, codes, training material, etc., of specific gangs.

        • Photographs. Individual or group photographs with gang connotations such as those, which include insignia, symbols, or validated gang affiliates.

        • Staff information. Documentation of staff’s visual or audible observations which reasonably indicate gang activity.

        • Other agencies. Information evidencing gang activity provided by other agencies. Verbal information from another agency shall be documented by the staff person who receives such information, citing the source and validity of the information.

        • Association. Information related to the inmate’s association with gang affiliates.

        • Offenses. Where the circumstances of an offense evidence gang activity, such as where the offense is between rival gangs, the victim is a verified gang affiliate or the inmate’s crime partner is a verified gang affiliate.

        • Legal documents. PORProbation Officer Report or court transcripts evidencing gang activity.

        • Communications. Documentation of telephone conversations, mail, notes, or other communication, including coded messages evidencing gang activity.

    • Do not assess points for an inmate’s housing preference. Housing preference alone is not indicative of street gang/disruptive group activity.

  • Mental Illness (Boxes 39-43)

    • If a CDC Form 128C, Mental Health Placement Chrono, has been prepared in the RCReception Centers that indicates the inmate is a participant in the Mental Health Services Delivery System (MHSDS), except for those cases that have been designated Medical Necessity, enter four (4) points in Box 43.

    • If the determination is made after the CDC Form 839 has been prepared and endorsed, but prior to leaving the RCReception Centers, the CDC Form 839 shall be corrected and the case referred to the CSRClassification Staff Representative on a CDC Form 840 for appropriate housing.

      • Determine the Level Of Care (LOC) that has been designated by the RCReception Centers health care staff on the inmate’s CDC Form 128C. Place an “X” in the appropriate box only if 4 points have been entered in Box 43, if not, leave the LOC box blank.

      • LOC:

        • Correctional Clinical Case Management System (CCCMSCorrectional Clinical Case Management System) (Box 39).

        • Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOPEnhanced Outpatient Program) (Box 40).

        • Mental Health Crisis Bed (MHCB) (Box 41).

        • In-patient hospitalization at a Department of Mental Health (DMHDepartment of Mental Health (see Department of State Hospitals DSH)) facility (Box 42).

    • Do not prepare a correction if the inmate continues in the MHSDS, but there is a change to the inmate’s LOC prior to transfer from the RCReception Centers.

  • Prior Jail or County Juvenile Sentence of 31+Days (Box 44)

    • These items require a review of the PORProbation Officer Report and the CI&ICriminal Identification and Information, CLETSCalifornia Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, and FBIFederal Bureau of Investigation Multi State Record in order to identify prior sentences of 31 days or more. A “sentence” is imposed by the court. Incarceration time or time in custody is not considered a “sentence.” Apply no more than one (1) point for each category.

      • Count any sentence of 31 days or more. Do not count suspended sentences.

      • Count any sentence under a delinquency petition which involves a crime rather than “status offender” placements. For example, “beyond parental control” should not be counted. Burglary, however, would be counted.

      • Count CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation placements for diagnostic evaluation (PCPenal Code § 1203.03 “Z” cases) followed by a grant of probation. In these cases, the inmate is sentenced to county jail, given credit for time served, and released to probation rather than being returned directly back to the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to serve a prison term.

  • Prior Incarceration(s) (Boxes 45 and 46)

    • CYASee Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Juvenile State or Federal Level (Box 45)

      • Count placement in state or federal facilities for juvenile offenders.

    • CDC, CRCCalifornia Rehabilitation Center, Adult State, or Federal Level (Box 46)

      • Count any state or federal level incarceration for adult offenders.

      • Count previous commitments to the Civil Addict program.

  • Total Background Factors Score

    • Total the number of points assessed for this Section and place the sum on the line provided.