Pelican Bay State Prison is located in Del Norte County, in the outskirts of Crescent City. Pelican Bay State Prison is considered to be a super max facility, housing some of the most dangerous inmates in the state of California. Pelican Bay State Prison is also a fairly new complex, having opened its doors only in 1989. The facility was created in order to alleviate some of the overpopulation that was occurring throughout the rest of the California State Prisons, and was designed to house only those inmates that were considered to be high security risks. 

The location of Pelican Bay State Prison was chosen due to its remote nature, being far from some of the major cities in the state such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. The facility is just outside of the border between California and Oregon, and was designed to house about 2,500 inmates. However, this number has grown, making Pelican Bay State Prison among those other facilities with overpopulation issues, now housing over 3,300 prisoners.

All of the prisoners in Pelican Bay State Prison are considered to be at a Level IV maximum security classification. This entails specific planning in terms of the physical construction of the facility, which is why the grounds and operations are divided. Furthermore, there are also two divisions of inmate housing, which is known as general population and its most famous feature, the Security Housing Unit. The Security Housing Unit, or SHU, is an X-shaped structure of buildings which functions as the super max portion of the facility 

The Wasco State Prison, also known as the Wasco State Prison-Reception Center, is located in Kern County in Wasco, California. This facility was constructed for the purpose of short term housing. Usually, inmates that are brought to the Wasco State Prison are those entering the California State Prison System for the first time. 

During their stay at the Wasco State Prison, the inmates’ physical and mental health is evaluated, as well as the security level of the facility that they are to be placed. Furthermore, the required programs and additional institutional placement considerations will also occur during this brief stay at Wasco State Prison.

The Wasco State Prison is meant to house a total of 400 inmates in the general population, which actually help maintain the reception center itself. An overall total of just under 2,500 are meant to be housed in this facility, though there is currently about 6,000 inmates at the Wasco State Prison, making it one of the most overpopulated prison facilities in the state of California. 

The Wasco State Prison was first opened in 1991 in order to help those that have been deemed to be abusers of drugs and controlled substances. Generally speaking, the facility as a whole is considered to be a medium security level facility. 

Folsom State Prison is the second oldest facility of its kind in the state of California, only behind San Quentin. Folsom State Prison is located outside of the state capital of Sacramento in the city with the same name. Folsom State Prison opened its doors in 1880, and is one of the first maximum security facilities in the United States. It was also the first facility to have electricity, which may be why it also saw the execution of nearly 100 inmates over a span of just over forty years.

As of ten years ago, the total population housed at the Folsom State Prison was about 4,400 inmates. However, the original plans for the facility on meant to house less than 2,000, making it one of the most overpopulated state prisons in California. 

The inmates are separated into five housing units which make up most of the facility of the prison, which cell Unit 1 being one of the most overpopulated cellblocks in the United States, with almost 1,200 inmates. The cells are all constructed to have a toilet, sink, storage space, and bunk beds. There are two dining halls in Folsom State Prison, and a large exercise yard at the center of the facility and two smaller yards. 

Even though Folsom State Prison is known to be one of the more hostile prisons in the country, the facility is probably best known due to Johnny Cash’s song titled “Folsom Prison Blues.” Furthermore, Cash also performed twice at the Folsom State Prison, making it one of the most well-known popular culture references to date.

Chino State Prison, which is actually named the California Institute for Men, is most well-known and referred to in relation to the city it is located in, Chino, California, found in the county of San Bernardino. The facility itself functions more of a reception center for those that are newly convicted felons or those out on parole that are returning to custody. Most of these individuals will hail from Southern California.

Chino State Prison was first opened in 1941 as the largest minimum security facility in the United States. Chino State Prison is also the fourth California State Prison to be built, is now considered to be the third-oldest in the state. Chino State Prison is meant to hold only over 3,000 inmates and prisoners, though its current population is much closer to 6,000, almost doubling the initial capacity of the institution.

The facilities of the Chino State Prison are built on about 2,500 acres of land. The largest facility is the Level I structure, which also the largest Level I population in the state of California. Level I refers to the security level of the building, which is minimal, consisting of open dormitories that are not confined by a secure perimeter. 

There are also a total of three Reception Centers, which serve as temporary housing for individuals entering that need processing. The Reception Center Central accommodates inmates that are to be considered medium to maximum level security risks, while Reception Center East takes the same security level inmates, though these have special needs or considerations, such as outpatient care and similar medical situations.

Kern Valley State Prison is located in Delano, California, and is actually next to another prison facility, which is known as North Kern State Prison. Kern Valley State Prison is considered to be a maximum level facility which opened in June of 2005, making it one of the newest state prisons in California. Originally designed to hold less than 2,500 inmates, the population currently held at Kern Valley State Prison is more than double that amount, at just over 5,000 inmates.

Kern Valley State is comprised of four facilities that house the inmates, while two separate stand-alone buildings house the Administrative Segregation Units. All of these facilities are encircled by an electrified perimeter fence. Furthermore, there is also a minimum security facility within Kern Valley State Prison, which is known as the Level I Minimum Support Facility. Facility D is the housing unit that is considered to be temporary and holds inmates while they are being processed. The entire complex sits on about 600 total acres.

Kern Valley State institutes various types of programs to serve the inmates, such as providing for different work assignments as well as educational opportunities and even vocational training programs. Even though it is meant to be a maximum security prison, the main goal for the Kern Valley State Prison stems from the idea of rehabilitation and preparing inmates for life after incarceration.