Institution Highlights
CDCR offers additional recruitment and retention pay as well as housing stipends at some of the priority prisons in addition to the regular salary. If you would like to be eligible for these additional bonuses please indicate it during your selection process.
- High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
- Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP)
- San Quentin State Prison (SQ)
- Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP)
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
475-750 Rice Canyon Rd.,
Susanville, CA 96127
Named High Desert State Prison by the Lassen County Board of Supervisors, the prison is located approximately eight miles east of the town of Susanville, or about a 1 hour 30 minute drive northwest of Reno, Nevada. HDSP provides vocational programs, educational programs, and work assignments for those inmates who are willing to participate. HDSP has a 35 bed Correctional Treatment Center (CTC) to provide for the health care needs of the inmates. Additionally, HDSP is designed to house inmates with disabilities who require specialized placement to accommodate accessibility issues under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).
Discover more about Susanville
High Desert State Prison is located in the north eastern part of California near Susanville. The area offers year round outdoor activities including, swimming, fishing, biking, snow skiing and riding all-terrain vehicles. You can do most of those activities at nearby Eagle Lake and Thompson Peak, located in Honey Lake Valley. You can hang glide from nearby peaks, and maybe catch a glimpse of the hawks and eagles that frequent the area. Nearby Lassen National Park includes the Sulfur Works, Kings Falls, Summit Trails and Bumpass Hell for hiking and
backpacking. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, Reno, Nevada is 90 miles south. Visit susanvillestuff.com for more location information.
Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP)
5905 Lake Earl Drive
Crescent City, CA 95531
Listen to the CDCR Unlocked podcast episode, Life in Crescent City, to learn why people love the Pelican Bay State Prison location for their career.
Pelican Bay State Prison is located in Crescent City. PBSP is located on 275 acres on the North Coast of California, 13 miles from the Oregon/California Border. The institution opened in 1989 to accommodate a need for a growing population of maximum security inmates. Since 2014 the institution has added educational classes at all levels, expanded spaces for education and learning, self-help programming, and rehabilitation advances that’s leading to more people paroling with a real chance for a better future. Listen to the podcast episode Life in Crescent City and read about Pelican Bay Facility D Rehabilitative Environment.
Discover more about Crescent City
Situated in the northwest corner of California along the Pacific coast, this thriving community is famous for some of the world’s most beautiful coastline. Cool ocean mists nurture the giant Redwoods in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The crystal clear Smith River is one of California’s largest wild river systems. The majestic Redwood forests, local beaches, river rafting, miles of hiking and wonderful places to fish are all easily accessible. Youth engagement is encouraged through events and organizations such as the county fair and 4-H. Del Norte County is uncrowded and unspoiled.
San Quentin State Prison (SQ)
Main Street
San Quentin, CA 94964
San Quentin State Prison is California’s oldest and best known correctional institution, which was established on the site currently known as Point San Quentin, in July of 1852, as an answer to the rampant lawlessness in California at the time. During its construction, inmates slept on the prison ship, the Waban, at night and labored to build the new prison during the day. San Quentin housed both male and female inmates until 1933 when the women’s prison at Tehachapi was built.
Discover more about San Quentin
San Quentin is an unincorporated community conveniently located along Interstate 580 and a mile from Interstate 101 in Marin County. Thirty Minutes from San Francisco and twenty from Oakland, San Quentin the community and state prison hug the San Francisco Bay with some of the most incredible views anywhere in the United States and beyond. Within a half hour there are museums, college and professional sports teams along with parks and big city attractions that are easily accessible. Day trips to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach add to the San Francisco Bay Area allure. The unparalleled diversity of the area appeals to most making it an extraordinary place to work, live and relax. Although the city of San Francisco is known for foggy, cold weather, San Quentin is north of the city and the fog bank and is usually warmer and sunnier.
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP)
31625 Highway 101
Soledad, CA 93960
The mission of Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) is to provide long-term housing and services for minimum and maximum custody male inmates. In doing so SVSP offers educational, religious and self-help programming in the ongoing effort to help alleviate adverse behavior and reduce recidivism within the prison system. SVSP employees take pride in their continual efforts to ensure the delivery of services to the inmate population and in their primary mission of ensuring public safety and trust.
Discover more about Monterey County
Salinas Valley State Prison is located in Monterey County on the Pacific Central Coast of California, famous for some of the world’s most beautiful coastlines. It also features the well-known destinations of Pebble Beach, Big Sur State Park and the John Steinbeck Center. Monterey County offers ideal climate, cultural diversity, and a unique blend of small-town and bigger city opportunity, all make this location a desired place to live, work and play.