| California State Prison Prisoners cycle repeatedly back | | | | vary between 1 percent under capacity and 14 |
| and forth between prisons, where they do not receive | | | | percent over capacity, while the federal prison system |
| sufficient treatment, and inpatient facilities, where they | | | | is 34 percent above capacity. But most experts agree |
| are permitted to stay for only a short while. Prisoners | | | | that prisons have done little to make communities |
| have been warehoused and locked down in | | | | safer. San Quentin Prison San Quentin State Prison |
| overcrowded and brutal prisons - many due to the | | | | was opened in July 1852, and is the oldest prison in |
| 3strikes law - for longer and longer time. Through the | | | | California. Less than a quarter mile from the old prison |
| summer, groups of local, amateur baseball players gain | | | | is the California State Prison at Sacramento, known as |
| access to the prison yard and play against the inmates | | | | "New Folsom," which houses about 3,000 Level 4 |
| in weekly games. The California Department of | | | | inmates. In just over a month, seven women have died |
| Corrections (CDC) operates 32 prisons and 40 fire | | | | at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. |
| and conservation camps comprising about 3,000 | | | | According to internally generated California DOC data, |
| structures having 37 million gross square feet of | | | | as of July 2002 the EOP system, which was designed |
| building space. There are six major prison gangs that | | | | to hold 2,481 prisoners, was catering to 3,179. The |
| are recognized nationally for their participation in | | | | gangs, organized along racial lines, have historically |
| organized crime and violence. From 1975 to 1985, | | | | been a major source of inmate friction and disorder |
| members committed 40 homicides in California prisons | | | | within the California prison system. The court system in |
| and local jails, as well as 13 homicides in the community. | | | | the state of California ought to be on death row too. |
| The machine shop at the prison, run by inmates, | | | | More than 626 out of every 100,000 Californians are |
| manufactures steel frames for double bunks-and triple | | | | incarcerated. The California Department of Corrections |
| bunks-in addition to license plates. As a result of these | | | | supports the project by accommodating the program |
| focus groups, we developed a two week, 8 session | | | | inside San Quentin. Built in 1852, San Quentin was an |
| health promotion intervention for HIV+ inmates | | | | answer to rampant lawlessness in California. One of |
| preparing to be released from prison. There have been | | | | the issues was moving Death Row from San Quentin |
| 15 deaths at the prison this year; nine in 1999 and 10 in | | | | because it is no longer the optimal location for |
| 1998. If the prison is filled to capacity, it will have about | | | | California's condemned. The debate on prison |
| 500 full-time employees, most of them guards. | | | | overcrowding continues and is not likely to go away |
| Operation from the grounds of San Quentin, the Prison | | | | any time soon and while the media continues to |
| Law Office is an aggressive advocacy group that | | | | overlook these issues and the politicians do their best |
| assists inmates in unanswered appeals, and is often | | | | to avoid them it looks like there is no solution coming |
| involved in class action suits which are to the benefit | | | | anytime soon. |
| of everyone. Provision of inadequate health care | | | | Ian Mate writes about The California State Prison |
| creates needless pain and suffering for the many | | | | System. |
| prisoners who require such services. State prisons | | | | |