California State Prison, Sacramento

Infobox Prison
prison_name = California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC, CSP-Sacramento, CSP-SAC, Sacramento State Prison)

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/images/aerialShots/SAC_8x10.jpgAerial View]
location = Folsom, California, United States
coordinates = coord|38.694|-121.153
status = Operational
classification = minimum-maximum
capacity = 1,788 (but houses 3,260 as of September 2007)
opened = 1986
closed =
managed_by = California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
director = James Walker, Acting Warden

California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC) is a male-only California state prison located adjacent to Folsom State Prison (FSP) in the city of Folsom, in Sacramento County. Both SAC and FSP have mailing addresses in "Represa, CA 95671"; 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] California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/SAC.html California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC).] Accessed 15 Dec 2007.] SAC is also known as "CSP-Sacramento", "CSP-SAC", and "Sacramento State Prison" [ [http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/800/ Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.] 5 May 2006.] . It is occasionally called "New Folsom" or "New Folsom Prison" which was its official name prior to October 1992.Schlosser, Eric. [http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/199812/prisons The Prison-Industrial Complex.] "Atlantic Monthly", December 1998.]

Current facility

As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, SAC had a total of 1,585 staff and an annual operating budget of $187 million. 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.California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Monthly/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad0709.pdf Monthly Report of Population as of Midnight September 30, 2007.] ]

SAC's 1,200 acres include the following facilities, among othersCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/docs/20071015-WEBmapbooklet.pdf California's Correctional Facilities.] 15 Oct 2007.] :
* 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."Sacramento County Grand Jury. [http://www.sacgrandjury.org/reports/98-99/gjury98-99-08.asp California State Prison, Sacramento ("New Folsom").] In "Final Report for 1998-1999", June 30, 1999.] 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."Furillo, Andy. Folsom Prison Leads in Violence. Five Inmates Slain in Past 9 Months. "Sacramento Bee", September 11, 1998.] (In contrast, the "270" design "with portions of the house reaching back behind the blind side of the booth" is considered less secure.)

History

When they were built, the maximum-security buildings of what is now SAC were considered an "addition" to FSP.Grieve, Tim. 20 Folsom Inmates Will Move Into Prison Addition. "Sacramento Bee", October 1, 1986.] The first FSP inmates were transferred to the addition on October 1, 1986. According to the official Web site, "...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."

Erik Menendez was sent to SAC with a sentence of "life in prison without parole" in September 1996. [Burke, Anne. Menendezes Sent to Different Prisons. "Daily News of Los Angeles", September 11, 1996.] He was married there in June 1999. [Erik Menendez weds in prison. "San Diego Union-Tribune", June 16, 1999.]

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). [Furillo, Andy, and Janine DeFao. Inmates Rampage at Folsom. Officers Open Fire - 1 Prisoner Killed, 13 Hurt. "Sacramento Bee", September 28, 1996.] Local officials opposed a 2001 law and two 2005 bills that may eventually have led to a transfer of death row operations from San Quentin State Prison to SAC. [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.]

References