California State Prison, Solano

Infobox Prison
prison_name = California State Prison, Solano (SOL, CSP-Solano, CSP-SOL, Solano State Prison)

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/images/aerialShots/SOL_8x10.jpgAerial View]
location = Vacaville, California, United States
coordinates = coord|38.322|-121.975
status = Operational
classification = medium
capacity = 2,610 (but houses 6,025 as of September 2007)
opened = 1984
closed =
managed_by = California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
director = D.K. Sisto, Warden

California State Prison, Solano (SOL) is a male-only California state prison located in the city of Vacaville, Solano County. It is newer than California Medical Facility, the other state prison in Vacaville.California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/docs/20071015-WEBmapbooklet.pdf California's Correctional Facilities.] 15 Oct 2007.] SOL is also known as "CSP-Solano"California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/SOL.html California State Prison, Solano (SOL).] Accessed 15 Dec 2007.] , "CSP-SOL" [ [http://prisontalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-201915.html California State Prison, Solano (SOL) Guide.] Prison Talk Online thread, 14 May 2006, accessed 16 Dec 2007.] , and "Solano State Prison" [ [http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/4977/ Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments.] 21 Dec 2006.] .

Current facility

As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, SOL had a total of 1,308 staff and an annual operating budget of $158.4 million. As of September 2007, it had a design capacity of 2,610 but a total institution population of 6,025, for an occupancy rate of 230.8 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.] ]

SOL's 146 acres include the following facilities, among others:
* Level II housing ("Open dormitories with secure perimeter fences and armed coverage").
* Level III housing ("Individual cells, fenced perimeters and armed coverage").

History

A California "prison construction boom" between 1984 and 2005 was "driven by years of increasingly tough anti-crime legislation."Furillo, Andy. Prison boom fades. As the building grinds to a stop, officials grapple less with housing criminals and more with figuring out how to return them to society. "Sacramento Bee", July 12, 2004.] This boom "started with the construction of California State Prison, Solano, which opened in August 1984." By 1998, SOL was so crowded that "emergency triple bunks" were added. [Stites, Roxanne. Squeezing in surplus prisoners - Already overcrowded, California State Prison, Solano ready for "triple bunking" to hold even more. "The Reporter" (Vacaville, CA), April 13, 1998.] A 2001 U.S. District Court ruling and a 2002 U.S. Court of Appeals decision supported the "right of Muslim inmates" at SOL "to attend regular weekly religious services and wear beards in accordance with their faith." [Hamlin, Brian. Inmates can worship on their terms. "The Reporter" (Vacaville, CA), December 31, 2002.]

References