Folsom State Prison is one of nine California correctional institutions now resuming normal operations and programming after a large-scale contraband seizure effort helped quell recent threats of violence inside state facilities, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
Statewide, the department launched modified programming on June 12 at 21 high-security prisons across Level III and Level IV areas following a surge in violence against correctional staff and incarcerated individuals. During subsequent comprehensive searches, correctional officers confiscated hundreds of prohibited items including weapons, drugs, cell phones, and escape paraphernalia. The seizures helped CDCR determine that the immediate threat at several institutions had been resolved.
According to the department, contraband recovered since June 12 included 169 improvised weapons, 310 cell phones, 55 hypodermic needles, and 798 additional items ranging from controlled substances to escape tools.
In addition to Folsom State Prison, normal programming has resumed at the following institutions: California Medical Facility, California Men’s Colony, California Correctional Institution, California State Prison in Corcoran, California State Prison in Solano, North Kern State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison, and Wasco State Prison.
Modified programming has also concluded for Level III inmates at High Desert State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, and the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison.
CDCR emphasized that enhanced search efforts are continuing at 12 additional institutions still under modified programming. Officials say these prisons are undergoing systematic security evaluations to determine when full operations can resume safely.
Contraband entry into state prisons is an ongoing concern, and CDCR says it employs numerous preventative strategies, including daily cell and bunk inspections, canine units trained to detect drugs and electronics, mail screening, and surveillance systems deployed at most facilities.
The department reiterated its commitment to the safety of correctional staff and the incarcerated population, stating that the swift action taken across the state reflects its focus on proactive security and institutional integrity.
Copyright © 2025, Folsom Times, a digital product of All Town Media LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
