Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revision budget proposal recommends the closure of another California state prison by October 2026, reducing CDCR funding by $700 million and potentially freeing up funds to support vital programs.
California’s prison system is unprepared for climate-related disasters, with outdated evacuation plans, inadequate transportation, and overcrowding exacerbating the risks to incarcerated individuals.
California criminal justice advocates are warning that the state’s closed prisons are vulnerable to federal takeover, as Trump’s Alcatraz proposal has sparked a conversation about the state’s infrastructure and the need for permanent closure and redirection of funds into housing, education, and healthcare.