I have read may threads asking about rules and regulations that pertain to the CDC. I am posting a link to the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 15. This is basically the Corrections "Bible" that dictates what the rules are in prison. The link is to an Adobe Acrobat PDF file. So, hopefully you all will have Adobe downloaded on your computer. There are tons of information in this book. You can research the rules on Visiting, Inmate Disciplinary Process, Classification Scores, etc...

I hope that this will help several of you to better understand the Department and how it is ran. You will find that if we (CDC) followed every rule to a "T", the advantage would not be in the inmates favor. The rules, if fully enforced, can be alot worse for them. Thank goodness, we still have the ability to be flexible in our everyday dealings with the prisoners. HTH, and be safe. :)

http://www.corr.ca.gov/RegulationsPolicies/PDF/Title%2015/English/Title%2015.pdf

That link as well as several others ones containing important information are available on the "California Legal Links" Sticky Thread located on the main California Forums Page. The link is below.

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57721

That is sure nice of the two of you members to help out other members with
loved ones here in our CA prisons, and help them to understand alot of the
titles and chapters that CDC runs... :)

Thanks!

Thank you both for supporting us and giving us good advice sometime we really need it. gate keeper you know what I mean.

...gate keeper you know what I mean.
10-4 ma'am! You're welcome and good luck. I hope the advice helps. :thumbsup:

Gatekeeper and Sgt, thank you both for the helpful information. There is a lot I don't know about doc and certainly helps!!

Gatekeeper and Sgt, thank you both for the helpful information. There is a lot I don't know about doc and certainly helps!!
That's says it all Sassy. That is why I post here. ;)

Most people don't have a clue what prison is about. You only know from what you see in the movies and the media. Both of which never paint a pretty picture of what it is really like.

I understand that some of my posts are going to offend, or hurt some of the readers. :( That is not my intention when I post. I post to help enlighten, and educate you all on how the system works. There are reasons why the CDC does the things they do. Most don't know the reasons, so I will tell you why we do the things we do.

I am sorry, but some of you are under the impression that we are sadistic people that punish imates for being in prison. That is not true. We are all trained that confinement itself is their punishment. Unfortunately your only resource for information is the inmate him/herself. Do you think that you are getting the whole story when they write you, or talk to you on the phone? Like I had written to one of the members on here...think about this. If you ever say to yourself, or someone else, "Oh my son/daughter/child/friend would never,...blah, blah blah." Then you are lieing to yourself. Think about the things you have done with, and in your life. Can you hear your mother telling someone, "Oh my son/daughter/child/friend would never,...blah, blah blah"? But you know that you have, or would do what she is saying you wouldn't. The same thing goes with your loved one that is incarcerated. Remember that there are always two sides to the story and you typically just get the one. Believe me, I'm no angel myself and there are things that I have done in my life that would spin my mom's head. Luckily for me, I had a guardian angel that kept me from dying, or going to jail.

Believe it or not, the reason many of us have joined the department is to help. First and foremost, you the public. Our main function is too insure the public's safety from those that have been sentenced to prison. While working inside, most of us assist and help inmates every day. We are required to make sure that inmates get what they have coming. The people I work with do make sure. Most of us go beyond what is required and assist inmates when they have exhausted the proper channels. I always listen to what an inmate has to say, because to him, whatever he has to say is important (keep this in the context of serious issues.). He may not like the answer at the conclusion of our conversation (which most of the time they don't. ;) ), but I will listen. I try to weed out the manipulation (which they are very good at) and address real concerns that the inmate has. Communication is the key.

If any of you need advice or information, I will do what I can to assist. I will throw out a disclaimer that if it pertains to the safety and security of the institution, I cannot and will not reveal the information, but I will PM you and explain why I cannot give you the info. Be safe and I will do my best to make sure you are. :)

WOW gatekeeper you have said a mouth full but a very informative mouth full just the same.
You are right in one way -- sosme folks don't have a clue what prison life is like or all about. But like most of us here at PTO we found out the hard way -- by having a love one sentenced to prison. And yes we see what goes on and hear the horror stories. And yes at times both sides do tend to exaggerate or over exaggerate and this does brng about all sort of comiplications. But you know that is life.
You are right we may always agree with the context of what you say or even how you say it. But at least you did give up the information as best u could or what u thought we needed to know. And the same thing goes for you -- I am sure there are times or there have been times when one of us has said something that you may not have liked or agreed with. But you know that is one way we both learn from one another, by listening and talking together.
We don't have to like one another--but it does help to hear another side (sometimes).
I like to say there are 3 sides to every story -- your side, then there is my side and then there is the truth.
Life is hard -- and then dealing with a loved one who is in prison does bring additional stress to us.
Ans those of us who have loved ones locked up deal with it as best we can or as best we know how to do. Yes we do handle it as best we can -- but it sure does help to get another perspective on the way things are or can be. Now we don't have to like it -- but unfortunately we must live with it.
IT is somewhat of a relief to here what u have to say -- but at the same time I think back to the way some convicts have been treated by co's and guards who were working at the prisons to collect a pay check -- kick a@@ and take names. Now I know this is not what you want to hear or what u probably think of your co-workers. But come on let's be real here we both know that are those who do not feel as you do about helping convicts and going that extra mile for and with them. Yes maybe there are more there who feel and respond as you do, but unfortunately I do not feel that way nor do I choose to believe this. I tend to think that what I have seen and heard frist hand is the way it is. And Yes I might be wrong, but once again this is just my 2 cents worth.
Now I have run into some really considerate and fair minded CO's and guards over the years, but at the same time I have also run into my share of just the opposite. Then again I am not naive enough to believe the way they respond to me is the same way they respond to the convicts behind the walls. But you know I have learned when life hands you lemons you make lemonaide. You take the good with the bad -- the bitter with the sweet and the do your best to make the best out of an awkward situation.
I know that prison is not suppose to be a country club, but at the same time you must realize that these are our husbands, significant others, sons, fathers, brothers, cousins, pen-pals, and friends -- and they do not deserve to be given treatment that is less than the treatment
animals do receive.
For you see it is not up to you nor me to play G_d and judge them. On the judgement day we will all have to answer for our sins and transgressions to a higher power.

I agree with Sassy's post and wish to add my postscript based on my personal experiences with the system. 1) I believe that the 3 strikes situation has rendered many a nonviolent offender to the system when justice could have been far better served by a program, community service or other intervention methods. Tearing apart families, most often by incarcerating the breadwinner has an unbelievable ripple effect that most often harms innocent victims by the simple fact they are related to the offender. It is also a fact that some of these offenders are often wonderful fathers, sons, and husbands who have resorted to illegal means often times to keep the family afloat in the wake of financial pressures. They are not wreckless criminals that pose a threat to society, they are the ones that didn't have as good a guardian angel as you and me, to use your example. I also resent the 'guilt by association' my teenage son and I have had to deal with which brings me to the next point. 2) I have been treated rudely by CDC staff in the reception area for absolutely no reason I can discern other than the fact that I am related to an inmate. Power tripping happens - if you do not believe it, I'm surprised. I believe as a group, you are good human beings putting in your hours like the rest of us trying to make your jobs as tolerable as possible working in an environment that does not present the comforts others know and take for granted. In every group there seems to be a few who march to the beat of a different drummer. Within the inmate population, the same is true. Unfortunately an impersonal system that does not allow a judge to set the time to fit the crime has made things worse for all of us on both sides of the wall. I also want to note here that I have posted three different times in the "It's not all bad..." forum acknowledging those CO's who have gone the extra mile. In the five years that I have been visiting CMC, my husband has pointed out two CO's that he knows to step over the line of job description, i.e., they are abusive and enjoy it. Perhaps to you, two out of a few thousand is not a bad number, to us, it's two too many. We acknowledge that our loved ones did the crime and deserve to do some time. A picnic, no. Just fair treatment of one human being to another. If an inmate does not choose to act accordingly, so be it, pay the price. 3) I believe SHU's are immoral and wrong for the vast majority that are incarcerated therein. Taking an individual who chooses not to snitch in order to remain alive does not necessarily make him SHU material. By the time he is released, he probably is, though. It is inhumane under the law of the land as well as God's law. Once again, every group has a few exceptions. Inmates who genuinely pose a threat to other inmates, guards and others exist and must be dealt with by extreme measures. Twenty three hours a day, 365 days a year with no end in sight would make most of us socalled "normal" people into a criminal element. 4) searching us for the contraband most frequently brought in by CO's is complete crap. Once again, it's a majority thing - a few have stupidly violated a law that has made it miserable for the majority. Unfortunately, this majority is once again guilty by association. Because you are CO's does not make you exempt from corruption. By personal experience I know one thing for a fact: some cops and CO's lie through their teeth and the system buys it. An inmate is already deemed a liar from the get go and their words - often times truthful words - fall on deaf ears. 4) efforts to make the CDC a "correction" institution through education and vocation of inmates is a huge step in the right direction for all of us. Too little, too late. I brought 5 huge boxes of brand new novels and text books to the facility and was told that they had neither the manpower nor the hours to search each book individually for contraband and therefore, it was not worth their time. THAT is criminal!

I do not wish to leave this on a bad note albeit, a truthful one. I do want to tell you both that I too appreciate the time you have taken to post here and share your wealth of information. It has been a benefit to us all. You seem to be the best of what the system has to offer. I hope you will continue to shoot straight with us (no pun intended) as we need and appreciate honest and level headed opinions from your side of the wall.

Sweetthing....excellent post on your thoughts. Too bad on the books/bible donations but drugs have been found in the bindings in the past and with R&R cut it is not possible to search large quantities of books.

Gatekeeper...of course I see first hand much of what you posted. I have read many posts on this site dealing with "will they change" or "I feel better that they are in prison" in which many of the difficulties in dealing with a family members behavior are discussed. Imagine having 120-200 in a dayroom surrounded by the homies and all the bravado that comes out. To steal yet another quote from a convict, "all of these guys expect compassion and courtesy from anyone they meet but 80% of them don't deserve either from anybody in green or blue". Pretty eye opening. I've found that I can be professional at all times and keep compassion and courtesy for those that deserve it.

...Imagine having 120-200 in a dayroom surrounded by the homies and all the bravado that comes out. To steal yet another quote from a convict, "all of these guys expect compassion and courtesy from anyone they meet but 80% of them don't deserve either from anybody in green or blue". Pretty eye opening. I've found that I can be professional at all times and keep compassion and courtesy for those that deserve it.
Spoken like a true guard. :thumbsup:

I keep coming up with an empty website when I click on your link, I even did a cut and paste and your link took me to an error page and says the site is no longer there. Do you have another/newer link to title 15?


I have read may threads asking about rules and regulations that pertain to the CDC. I am posting a link to the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 15. This is basically the Corrections "Bible" that dictates what the rules are in prison. The link is to an Adobe Acrobat PDF file. So, hopefully you all will have Adobe downloaded on your computer. There are tons of information in this book. You can research the rules on Visiting, Inmate Disciplinary Process, Classification Scores, etc...

I hope that this will help several of you to better understand the Department and how it is ran. You will find that if we (CDC) followed every rule to a "T", the advantage would not be in the inmates favor. The rules, if fully enforced, can be alot worse for them. Thank goodness, we still have the ability to be flexible in our everyday dealings with the prisoners. HTH, and be safe. :)

http://www.corr.ca.gov/RegulationsPolicies/PDF/Title%2015/English/Title%2015.pdf

http://www.corr.ca.gov/RegulationsPolicies/PDF/Title%2015/English/Title%2015.pdf

Try this....does it work for you?

Does anyone have a PDF of Title 15 so that I can have a copy? I tried links on the web and none of them work.

There is a current link to the PDF in each of the prison guides but here ya go
Click here (http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Regulations/Adult_Operations/docs/Title15-2007.pdf)