Prisons close as California inmate population dwindles

California authorities have ordered the closure of state prisons for the first time in nearly two decades: Four are destined to be shut down in whole or in part, and three more are being discussed for possible closure.

“The significant decrease in the state’s incarcerated population over the past year is allowing CDCR (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitati0n) to move forward with these prison closures in a thoughtful manner that does not impact public safety,”  Kathleen Allison, head of the state correctional system, said recently in a written statement.

Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy is slated to be deactivated by Sept. 30. The California Correctional Center, or CCC, built 58 years ago in Susanville, will be closed by June 2022. The Susanville prison — one of two in the area — has about 2,100 inmates and 1,100 staff members; Deuel about the same.

The closures reflect a dramatic departure of California’s prison expansion of the 1980s and 1990s, when new prisons were built to accommodate a swelling inmate population.

The closure of the two state prisons was included in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2020-21 budget.

In addition, the secure Level 1 yards of the California Correctional Institution (CCI) in Tehachapi and the Correctional Training Facility (CTF) in Soledad will close by June 2022.

Three more institutions apparently are being considered for closure, although there has been no official confirmation.

The steady population decline has stemmed in part from courts ordering the overcrowded prisons — at one point they were holding twice the number they were designed to hold — to shed inmates, as well as sentencing changes approved by voters and in the Legislature.

Many inmates were shifted to custody in the counties.

That shift, known as “realignment” during the administration of former Gov. Jerry Brown, transferred state inmates to local county jails, and ultimately led to the release of prisoners who were serving sentences for nonviolent crimes.

The closures reflect a dramatic departure of California’s prison expansion of the 1980s and 1990s, when new prisons were built to accommodate a swelling inmate population.

As of July 14, California had 35 prisons holding 98,723 inmates. The figure includes women but excludes people on parole, or in juvenile detention facilities and fire conservation camps.

When parolees and others are included, California has about 161,00 people under state supervision.

By one estimate, the numbers reflect a decline of more than 20,000 prison inmates from the year before.

The closure of the prisons will result in the relocation of both inmates and staff to other prisons across the state.

The latest prison shutdowns are  the first state prison closures since the 2003 closing of the Northern California Women’s Facility in Stockton.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2020-21 state budget reflects the governor’s plans — announced earlier — to shut down the two institutions.

Meanwhile, eight fire camps were closed throughout the state.

Newly signed legislation enables former inmate firefighters to seek firefighting jobs upon release. Inmates have been a critical part of California’s firefighting efforts for decades.

The closure of the prisons will result in the relocation of both inmates and staff to other prisons across the state. The prison officers who guard the inmates received pay increases through the new budget, and there may be buyouts and retirements to help soften the blow.

Currently, about 30,000 officers guard inmates in the state prisons and youth correctional institutions.

Often, closures occur much to the dismay of the cities that host prisons.

These facilities are regularly economic strongholds in otherwise economically depressed regions. In Susanville, for example, prisons offer some of the highest salaries in the city.

Advocates for prison closure often call for the institution of economic agendas preventing cities from being reliant upon prisons for success and growth.

When the structures are abandoned, however, it is uncertain how the structures will be converted to other uses.
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Editor’s Note: Corrects 5th graf and updates to show that portions of the prisons in Soledad and Tehachapi will be closed by June 22, 2022, but not the entire prisons. Recasts lede to conform.