Prisons

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Even in California, where prison access to technology and research resources is better than average, students regularly face dead ends.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to close five state prisons because of California's falling incarcerated population. The next one in line is in Riverside County.

California committed more than $200 million toward refashioning San Quentin as a hub for rehabilitation. Prisoners followed suit with their own plans to beautify the place with world-class murals.

California made it easier for young people convicted of serious crimes to get a second chance, except for those sentenced to life without parole. New legislation could change that.

California has used incarcerated firefighters since 1915 to battle wildfires. But we don't pay them, protect them or treat them like heroes. Lawmakers could change that.