Prisons

A narrow prison cell with yellow-painted walls contains a stainless steel sink and toilet unit, a small white bucket on the floor, and a black metal bed frame without a mattress. Above the sink, a wall-mounted shelf holds a few items, including toilet paper and a towel. Harsh wall-mounted lights cast strong illumination, highlighting the chipped paint and worn surfaces throughout the confined space.

Justice

California prisoners sleep with ‘one eye open’. Should they have their own cells?

Potentially volatile cellmates are a fact of life in California prisons. That may change as the state's incarcerated population declines, freeing up space for single-person quarters.

By

Joe Garcia

• November 3, 2025

Detainees, wearing green jumpsuits and holding gray blankets stand in line, inside a detention facility.

Commentary

Immigrant resistance movement forged in California prisons persists decades later

A protest by a Salvadoran immigrant incarcerated in California's Imperial Valley in the 1980s resonates decades later as detained migrants again participate in hunger strikes to bring awareness to the inhumane conditions they face.

By Jessica Ordaz • October 16, 2025

A line of firefighters wearing helmets and headlamps walk along a dirt road at night beside a blazing wildfire. The flames and smoke cast an orange glow as the crew moves forward carrying tools and gear.

Justice

California’s incarcerated firefighters to see ‘historic’ pay increase in laws Newsom signed

Hundreds of California’s incarcerated firefighters will see an increase in pay, a new death benefit and a faster path to expungement of their criminal records under laws Gov. Gavin Newsom signed.

By

Cayla Mihalovich

• October 13, 2025

Photo illustration of Lyle and Erik Menendez, set against a fragmented collage of newspaper headlines and paparazzi

Justice

Inside the Menendez parole hearings: How fame and notoriety collide with justice

Celebrity helped the Menendez brothers get a shot at parole, but it also brought even more scrutiny to them as they made a case for release.

By

Joe Garcia

• September 30, 2025

A person wearing a blue shirt with the words “CDCR PRISONER” in large yellow letters on the back stands behind a chain-link fence, with other people in similar uniforms visible in the background near portable buildings.

Justice

California shrank prisons with sentencing changes. A new study shows how that’s working

Several new California laws gave incarcerated people a second chance at freedom. A new report provides the first in-depth look at how they’re working.

By

Cayla Mihalovich

• September 25, 2025

A view through chain-link and barbed wire fences shows an outdoor space within a correctional facility. Several individuals are visible, some standing or walking near the fences and others seated at picnic tables in the background. The scene is set against a backdrop of tan hills, industrial buildings, and a clear blue sky, highlighting the enclosed and institutional environment.

Commentary

After 35 years in prison, a San Francisco former inmate found dignity working at Alcatraz

Stanford Chatfield worked for decades as a prisoner, making 28 cents an hour. Now he's out and supports himself with tours at Alcatraz. He says people value his lived experience.

By Stanford Chatfield • September 24, 2025

The California Rehabilitation Center, CRC Men's jail in Norco in 2012. Photo by Damian Dovarganes, AP Photo

Justice

Corrections officers at Norco prison make plea to state to keep it open

Some correctional officers at the prison in Norco are trying to keep the California Rehabilitation Center open by presenting it as an option to solve the overpopulation in county jails.

By

Aidan McGloin

• September 17, 2025

A prison corridor with beige concrete walls and rows of closed cell doors. A correctional officer in a green uniform speaks with a person in a blue shirt walking into a doorway. Wheelchairs line the hallway floor, and fluorescent lights illuminate the space.

Politics

Complaints about California’s hellishly hot prison cells have been mounting for years

After years of complaints from inmates and advocates about hot temperatures inside prison cells, California is finally embarking on a plan to cool some cells. But it’s only a test, and it will only help a fraction of inmates.

By

Jeanne Kuang

• September 4, 2025

The witness stand next to the judge's section of a courtroom. the witness stand includes a black office chair and microphone. The U.S. flag and the California flag can be seen near the wall in the background next to the California seal.

Commentary

California law silences abuse victims in court. Why won’t the Legislature change this?

California courts often restrict defendants who are abuse victims from using evidence of violence against them as a defense. Lawmakers just rejected a bill that would allow it.

By Susan Bustamante • September 2, 2025

Justice

Back to the future: Will this California prison become a luxury hotel again?

As the Norco prison prepares for a closing date in 2026, city leaders hope to overcome a number of hurdles to bring back its luxurious past.

By

Deborah Brennan

• August 27, 2025