Prisons - CalMatters

A solitary confinement cell at the Main Jail in San Jose on Dec. 16, 2019. Ben Margot, AP Photo

A veto for the ‘Mandela’ bill that sought to limit solitary confinement in California

by Nigel Duara September 26, 2022September 30, 2022

Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected legislation that would have made the nation’s most wide-ranging changes to solitary confinement.

An alleyway with tagging from local gangs near the intersection of Rosewood and Clinton Avenues in east Bakersfield on Nov. 16, 2021. Photo by Larry Valenzuela for CalMatters

‘A perfect storm of bad’: Report finds incarceration rates highest among rural Californians

by Nigel Duara August 31, 2022August 30, 2022

California prison laborers and an excavator operator help construct an emergency pipeline to increase supplies of potable water in Willits in 2014. REUTERS/Noah Berger

California lawmakers reject ballot proposal that aimed to end forced prison labor

by Byrhonda Lyons June 30, 2022June 30, 2022

prison

Tying water access to labor in overcrowded prisons is wrong

by Guest Commentary June 28, 2022June 27, 2022

prisons

California can find better ways of dealing with dying prisoners

by Guest Commentary June 22, 2022August 5, 2022

The N. A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility in Stockton on March 2, 2022. Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

State’s juvenile prison workers score $50,000 bonuses

by Byrhonda Lyons June 16, 2022June 15, 2022

A truck arrives at a Port of Oakland shipping terminal in Oakland on Nov. 10, 2021. AP Photo/Noah Berger

Criminal Justice

Prison rehab: Can California learn anything from Norway?

by Nigel Duara June 10, 2022June 10, 2022

Voters cast their ballots at the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters office in Sacramento on June 7, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Trump, math, political games: Dissecting California’s primary

by Emily Hoeven June 10, 2022June 10, 2022

Susan Ottele holding a photo of her son Adam Joseph Collier who committed suicide while in solitary confinement in a California state prison. Photo by Tojo Andrianarivo for CalMatters

Inmate shuffle: How California bounces around its mentally ill prisoners

by Byrhonda Lyons and Jocelyn Wiener June 2, 2022June 2, 2022

A thirsty state

by Ben Christopher June 2, 2022June 2, 2022