JAMESTOWN, CA — A violent assault on a correctional officer at Sierra Conservation Center has thrown California’s prison reform strategy into controversy after an incarcerated man allegedly raped and held Officer Katie Jackson hostage for several hours, according to the Sacramento Bee.
The incident, now the subject of a lawsuit, is prompting criticism of the “California Model,” a system-wide shift toward rehabilitation-based prison policies, the Bee wrote April 10.
According to the Sacramento Bee, the assault occurred when Officer Jackson was working in a control room inside the Jamestown facility. The incarcerated man reportedly accessed the secure space and attacked her during her shift.
Jackson, supported by legal counsel, has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), arguing that new reform-driven policies contributed directly to the violent breach, the Sacramento Bee reported.
According to the Sacramento Bee, the California Model was introduced by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration and is inspired by Scandinavian prisons that prioritize rehabilitation and normalized conditions.
The system grants incarcerated people more autonomy, the Bee writes, but Jackson and other officers claim this freedom can lead to heightened risks for staff safety, especially in high-security environments.
“We have to work around certain rules and policies of the California Model in order to do our job.” – Officer Jackson
Jackson stated the model’s policies make it difficult to maintain safety and order, claiming, in the Bee story, “We have to work around certain rules and policies of the California Model in order to do our job.”
Correctional staff across California are voicing similar concerns, said the Bee, arguing CDCR’s reforms were implemented too quickly, without adequate training, staffing or safety protocols. While the goal of reducing recidivism is supported by many, critics say frontline workers were left out of the planning process.
At Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, CA, which has adopted the California Model, the Sacramento Bee said it observed correctional officers engaging more directly with incarcerated people as part of the new approach.
The Sacramento Bee explains Jackson’s case highlights a core tension in California’s evolving prison system: how to honor the humanity and dignity of incarcerated individuals without compromising the safety of those tasked with overseeing them.
The Bee writes reform advocates worry that backtracking could stall long-overdue progress, while staff insist that safety must come first.
