California Prisons Limit Activity Amid Violence Increase

Recent weeks have seen intense scrutiny over several high-security prisons in California as officials enact strict controls on movement, calls, and visits amidst growing violence concerns this year.
Starting last Saturday, these restrictive measures are impacting the highest-security areas of almost a dozen facilities, including the California Correctional Institution, California State Prison-Los Angeles County, and California State Prison-Sacramento.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, meals must now be delivered directly to inmates in their housing units, and any showers or movements must be executed in a “controlled manner.” Phone and tablet calls, as well as visitations, face restrictions as part of the new protocols.
Despite these limitations, incarcerated individuals retain access to medical care, legal services, and other vital appointments, prison authorities clarified.
They stressed that this adjusted program differs from a lockdown and is solely intended for Level IV housing units.
Pressed for further details, a CDCR spokesperson noted that an in-depth investigation is underway to identify the root causes of escalating violent incidents at Level IV facilities across California.
This investigative initiative began after officials categorized seven deaths since the year’s start as homicides, with three occurring just before the enforcement of these rules.
One case involved Joshua L. Peppers, 39, who succumbed to his injuries at a medical facility following an attack by another inmate at Los Angeles County on March 7. He was imprisoned for second-degree robbery.
On the same day, Jake T. Kennedy, 32, was discovered with multiple stab wounds in his cell at Sacramento prison, eventually dying in a triage area where officers also found an improvised weapon. Kennedy was serving time for carrying a concealed weapon and for a subsequent prison assault.
Later, German M. Merino, 37, lost his life after an assault by two fellow inmates at Kern Valley State Prison, where he was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder.
Such violent occurrences spotlight the persisting issue of prison violence, particularly for inmates who face life sentences without significant hope of release.
In another instance from January, Mario Campbell, 36, was fatally attacked by two inmates on the Sacramento prison yard. Those inmates were serving life sentences with parole eligibility. Officers found three makeshift weapons at the scene, and Campbell died at a medical facility shortly afterward.
The stringent conditions remain until investigations conclude, but the timeline for completion is currently indeterminate.
The previous year saw 32 homicides reported within these state-run prisons, according to the California Correctional Health Care Services.