Thirty years ago this week President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the second week in May as National Correctional Officers Week. Today we look at California’s state prison system.

The first state-run facility used as a prison was a ship named The Waban that was anchored in the San Francisco Bay in 1851. Today, the system is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the nation with more than 30,000 officers, parole agents and investigators.

118,383: The number of felons housed in California state prisons as of midnight April 30

5,222: The number of women who are felons in the state prisons

131.9%: Prison occupancy in facilities and camps

747: Number of inmates on death row as of May 4

4,253: California prisoners housed in Arizona and Mississippi

ADULT FELON POPULATION

The prison population has declined in recent years. But the population at many facilities is more than 150 percent of designed capacity.

Recidivism rate

The percentage of inmates who return to prison within three years in California was 61 percent in FY 2008-09, the most recent year statistics are available.

PRICE PER PRISONER

Annual cost to incarcerate an inmate in a California prison

Security $32,019

Inmate health care

Medical care $14,834

Psychiatric services $3,359

Pharmaceuticals $2,143

Dental care $1,246

Facility operations and records

Facility operations $4,334

Classification services $1,798

Maintenance of inmate records $723

Reception, testing assignment $145

Transportation $24

Administration $4,171

Inmate food and activities

Food $2,082

Inmate employment $823

Clothing $354

Inmate activities $102

Religious activities $123

Rehabilitation programs

Academic education $1,237

Cognitive behavioral therapy $823

Vocational training $377

Miscellaneous $93

Total $70,810

PORTION OF STATE BUDGET

2017-18 General Fund expenditures under governor’s current proposal



POPULATION IN PRISON

In 2011 California prisons were operating at 179.5 percent of design capacity. They have declined to 131.9 percent as of May 2017.

ANNUAL MEAN WAGE FOR GUARDS

Correctional officers and jailers by state for May 2016

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, California had 37,050 correctional officers and jailers in May 2016. The number reflects local, county and state employees.

Sources: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, State of California Department of Finance