California State Prison, Sacramento
California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC) is a male-only state prison located in the city of Folsom, in Sacramento County, California. The facility is also referenced as Sacramento State Prison, CSP-Sacramento, CSP-SAC, and occasionally, New Folsom or New Folsom Prison which was its official name prior to October 1992.[2][3]
 Aerial View | |
| |
| Location | Folsom, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38.694°N 121.153°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Minimum-maximum |
| Capacity | 1,828 |
| Population | 2,363 (129.3% capacity) (as of April 30, 2020[1]) |
| Opened | October 1986 |
| Managed by | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation |
| Warden | Jeff Macomber |
Because the facility is adjacent to Folsom State Prison (FSP), both SAC and FSP share the mailing address: Represa, CA 95671. Represa (translated as "dam" from the Spanish language) is the name given to the State Prison post office because its adjacency to Folsom Dam.[4][5]
The facility houses maximum security prisoners who were difficult to manage at other prisons and who have long sentences.[6]
Facilities
As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, SAC had a total of 1,585 staff and an annual operating budget of $187 million.[2] As of September 2007, it had a design capacity of 1,788 but a total institution population of 3,260, for an occupancy rate of 182.3 percent.[7]
As of April 30, 2020, SAC was incarcerating people at 129.3% of its design capacity, with 2,363 occupants.[1]
SAC's 1,200 acres (490 ha) facilities include:[2][8]
- Level I housing – Open dormitories without a secure perimeter
- Level IV housing – Cells, fenced or walled perimeters, electronic security, more staff and armed officers both inside and outside the installation
- Psychiatric Services Unit.
The prison has "three similar but separate self-contained facilities... each comprised of eight housing blocks and a recreation yard."[9] The housing blocks "are partitioned into three separate, self-contained sections forming a 180 degree half circle." The "180" design is considered the "most secure prison design" because it "gives control-booth officers a straight-on look at prisoners." In contrast, the "270" design "with portions of the house reaching back behind the blind side of the booth" is considered less secure.[9][10]
History
When they were built, the maximum-security buildings of what is now SAC were considered an "addition" to FSP. The first FSP inmates were transferred to the addition on October 1, 1986.[11] In 1986, the prison was administered by the Folsom warden and was called New Folsom. In October 1992, its name was changed to CSP-Sacramento, and was administered as a separate prison with its own warden."[2]
Erik Menendez was sent to SAC with a sentence of "life in prison without parole" in September 1996.[12] He was married there in June 1999.[13]
A major fight involving about 150 inmates occurred at the prison in September 1996, with 13 inmates injured and 17 shots fired by officers (one of which struck and killed an inmate).[14] Local officials opposed a 2001 law and two 2005 bills that might eventually have led to a transfer of death row operations from San Quentin State Prison to SAC.[15][16]
On May 20, 2011, a large-scale riot broke out at the prison. Prison spokesman Sgt. Tony Quinn said the incident started just after 10 a.m. when two inmates began fighting with each other. The fight then took over the yard with approximately 150 inmates getting involved. At least two inmates were stabbed multiple times and were taken to an outside hospital for treatment.
On August 12, 2015, a riot occurred at SAC in which Hugo Pinell (of the San Quentin Six) was killed.[17]
References
- "California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Monthly Report of Population As of Midnight April 30, 2020" (PDF). California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Internal Oversight and Research. April 30, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 3, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC) (2009). "Mission Statement". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Archived 2008-10-26 at the Wayback Machine 5 May 2006.
- Durham, David L. California's Geographic Names. A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, CA: Word Dancer Press, 1998. ISBN 1-884995-14-4
- Schlosser, Eric. The Prison-Industrial Complex. Atlantic Monthly, December 1998.
- CNN Wire Staff. "California probes why guards fired seven rounds in prison riot." CNN. December 8, 2011. Retrieved on December 8, 2011.
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Monthly Report of Population as of Midnight September 30, 2007 Archived October 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, cdcr.ca.gov; accessed August 22, 2015.
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. California's Correctional Facilities Archived 2007-12-14 at the Wayback Machine, cdcr.ca.gov, October 15, 2007.
- Sacramento County Grand Jury. California State Prison, Sacramento ("New Folsom"). In Final Report for 1998-1999, June 30, 1999.
- Furillo, Andy. Folsom Prison Leads in Violence. Five Inmates Slain in Past 9 Months. The Sacramento Bee, September 11, 1998.
- Grieve, Tim. 20 Folsom Inmates Will Move Into Prison Addition. The Sacramento Bee, October 1, 1986.
- Burke, Anne. Menendezes Sent to Different Prisons. Daily News of Los Angeles, September 11, 1996.
- Erik Menendez weds in prison. San Diego Union-Tribune, June 16, 1999.
- Furillo, Andy, and Janine DeFao. Inmates Rampage at Folsom. Officers Open Fire - 1 Prisoner Killed, 13 Hurt. Sacramento Bee, September 28, 1996.
- Padmanabhan, Sekhar. Area leaders decry signing of prison bill. Sacramento Bee, October 21, 2001.
- Is death row in Folsom's future? Two state legislators propose relocating the state's highest-security facility from San Quentin. Sacramento Bee, May 29, 2005.
- John, Paige St. "Hugo Pinell, infamous 'San Quentin Six' member, killed in prison riot". latimes.com.
