Folsom State Prison

Folsom State Prison (FSP) is one of 33 prisons operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). It is located in the city of Folsom in Sacramento County, 20 miles (30 km) from the state capital of Sacramento, California, USA.

Current facility

Both FSP and California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC) have mailing addresses in "Represa, CA 95671"California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/FSP.html Folsom State Prison (FSP).] " Accessed 15 Dec 2007.] [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/SAC.html California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC).] Accessed 15 Dec 2007.] ; however, "Represa" (which means "dam" in Spanish) is merely the name given to the "State Prison post office" because it is close to Folsom Dam. [Durham, David L. "California's Geographic Names. A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State". Clovis, CA: Word Dancer Press, 1998. ISBN 1884995144]

As of the United States 2000 Census, FSP and SAC had a combined inmate population of 7,246 housed at level 1 and 2 security, the two lowest levels of security for prisons operated by the CDC. Level 1 prisoners are housed in open dormitories without a secure perimeter, and Level 2 prisoners may be housed in open dormitories with secure perimeter fences and armed guard coverage. However, there are no dormitories within the FSP secure perimeter, and prisoners are housed in one man cells, two to a cell. In 2004, the majority of level 2 prisoners were moved to other prisons and level 3 prisoners took their place. FSP's population in early 2005 was approximately 3,400.

There are five housing units within the secure perimeter, including the original two-tiered structure. Unit 1 is the most populous cellblock in the United States, with a capacity of nearly 1,200 inmates on four five-tiered sections.

All cells include toilet, sink, bunks, and storage space for inmate possessions. There are two dining halls, a large central prison exercise yard, and two smaller exercise yards. The visiting room includes an attached patio as well as space for non-contact visits.

History

FSP is California's second-oldest prison, long known for its harsh conditions in the decades following the California Gold Rush. Construction of the facility began in 1878 on the site of the Stony Bar mining camp along the American River. The prison officially opened in 1880. Inmates spent most of their time in the dark behind solid boiler plate doors in stone cells measuring 4 feet by 8 feet (1.2 by 2.4 m) with 6 inch (150 mm) eye slots. Air holes were drilled into the cell doors in the 1940s, and the cell doors are still in use today.

FSP was the first prison in the world to have electric power, which was provided by the first hydroelectric powerhouse in California. The quarry at FSP provided granite for the foundation of the state capitol and much of the gravel used in the early construction of California's roads.

Although FSP now houses primarily medium security prisoners, FSP was one of America's first maximum-security prisons; a total of 93 prisoners were hanged at FSP between December 13, 1895, and December 3, 1937. After that time executions were carried out in the gas chamber at California's San Quentin Prison.

California's vehicle license plates have been manufactured at FSP since the 1930s. Other prison industries include metal fabrication and a print shop.

The Folsom Prison Museum is located on the prison grounds, which is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There was also a shop with inmate-made handicrafts for sale to the public, but it closed in 2005.

Music and film

FSP was made known to the outside world by country music legend Johnny Cash. Cash narrated a fictional account of an outlaw's incarceration in his song "Folsom Prison Blues" (1956). In addition, Cash performed two live concerts at FSP. The first was in 1966 and the most famous live concert was at the FSP cafeteria on January 13, 1968, which was recorded as the album "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison". Cash later said of the FSP inmates "they were the most enthusiastic audience I have ever played to."Sullivan, James. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/09/13/MN72348.DTL California prison concerts defined outlaw persona.] "San Francisco Chronicle", September 13, 2003.] The "Folsom Prison Blues" single from that album was #1 on the country music chart for four weeks, and the album was on the top 200 pop album chart for 122 weeks. A 40th anniversary tribute concert was to take place in the same cafeteria at FSP on January 13th, 2008, with a special appearance by Cash's original drummer W.S. "Fluke" Holland.Associated Press. [http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/09/people.cashconcert.ap/ Johnny Cash tribute at Folsom prison canceled.] January 9, 2008.] The original plans were to stream the concert over the internet, with four nonprofit groups underwriting the show and sharing in any profits the show might realize. However, a few days before the concert was to occur, it was canceled in a dispute over filming rights, media access, and security concerns. [Furillo, Andy. [http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/620590.html Folsom Prison concert is off. The promoter balks at rules to let the media film a tribute to Johnny Cash.] "Sacramento Bee", January 9, 2008.]

FSP is also referred to in the song "Walla Walla" on their 1998 album "Americana" by American punk rock band The Offspring, "Folsom prison is the destination".

FSP has been the location of a number of feature films, including "Riot in Cell Block 11," "Heat", "American Me," "The Jericho Mile," "Another 48 Hours," "Diggstown," parts of "Walk the Line" (a biopic of Johnny Cash), and "Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison," which was the inspiration for Cash's song. The television drama "21 Jump Street" also featured FSP when Johnny Depp's character Tom Hanson was imprisoned for murder.And a few shots for the movie "Pros and Cons".The prison was central to the documentary film, "Code of Silence" by Amy Happ [http://www.freespeech.org/videodb/index.php?action=detail&video_id=10612&browse=0] . FSP was renamed for the movie "Frankie and Johnny" with Al Pacino. In the FSP Museum there is the identification of the fake Penitentiary.

Incidents

A warden of FSP, Clarence Larkin, was stabbed during an escape attempt in 1937 and died from his wounds, becoming the only California warden to be killed in the line of duty. Violence at the prison peaked during the 1970s and 1980s when the Aryan Brotherhood and other prison gangs made prisons increasingly dangerous. The establishment of Secure Housing Units, first at California State Prison, Sacramento, and later at Pelican Bay State Prison and California State Prison, Corcoran, did much to control gang-related violence.

Famous prisoners

Famous men who were incarcerated at FSP include:
*Sonny Barger of Hells Angels
*Edward Bunker
*Duane "Dog" Chapman
*Eldridge Cleaver
*Joseph Gamsky, aka Joe Hunt, of the Billionaire Boys Club
*Glen Stewart Godwin, whose escape from Folsom earned him a spot on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list
*Cameron Hooker
*Rick James, musician
*Suge Knight, owner of Death Row Records
*Timothy Leary
*Charles Manson
*James Mitose
*William Mothershed (Book: The Mothershed Case, by Stephen J. Rivele)
*Bobby Purify (Original singer of: "I'm Your Puppet")
*Danny Trejo, actor
*Erik Menendez
*Fong Ching, Chinese mafioso.
*Robert Downey Jr., actor

References

External links

* [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/FSP.html Folsom State Prison] - official site
* [http://www.freespeech.org/videodb/index.php?action=detail&video_id=10612&browse=0 Code of Silence] ("Code of Silence" documentary film)