California Institution for Men

It’s prison… nuff said…

Understaffed on Counselors this California prison’s administration feels that it is more important to shift inmates around ahead of Federal Mandates in a bizarre shell game than to create Exit Plans which are required for release. Inmates don’t receive these plans often until the last couple of weeks of incarceration despite the well reasoned policy that they begin these at 6 months from release (as they require coordination with supervising counties and various agencies of the social safety net as well as family). One counselor told an inmate who is awaiting initiation of an Interstate Compact request and who has no contacts in the state that they should think about coming up with another plan like just picking a street corner like Florence and Normandy and just be declared transient. When asked about this possibility the Los Angeles Department of Community Supervision was livid that anyone at a state prison would suggest doing this as it is highly illegal. If you or a loved one are incarcerated at this prison beware of their lack of giving a shit about whether you or your loved one survives for 5 seconds after you’re out of custody. They’ve got inmates to shift around between prisons.

I worked there for 25 yrs. Any questions?

Why is it no surprise that the photographs on here are crap? Why someone can’t take a picture of the sign at the entrance is beyond me. The facility is old and worn down, although I’m surprised they don’t have a prison museum, both with all the stories about the property since its inception in 1941, and the extra vacant land that’s going unused (at taxpayers’ expense).
And the additional questions on here are funny — I’ve never heard of a prison that accepts credit cards. I think cash is the preferred method of bribery.

One of the tougher prison I have heard of and seen. When the officers say drop, its better to do so. When you walk into the administration and level 1 areas for the priviledged prisoners there is a nicer mood.
I remember that summer in some of the other areas you could hear an ambulance almost every day. I saw lots of labor opportunities as there were farm areas and lots of cows. I did not see anyone working with these cows, these cows who left a huge stench in the air for the slow couple miles till the entrance.
There were many parts of this prison I never say, but I do remember one of the kitchens. It always smelled like way too many eggs. I would hear the food was good when the inmates prepared it, «they hooked it up.»