California
The table below displays aggregate COVID-19 data for incarcerated people and staff in carceral facilities located in California. The State DOC Data Grade represents our assessment of the transparency and quality of those data reported by California's state department of corrections.
The Behind Bars Data Project ceased regular COVID data collection on January 18, 2022.
| Cumulative Cases | Active Cases | Cumulative Deaths | Tests | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incarcerated People | Count | Per 10k | Count | Per 10k | Count | Per 10k | Count | Per 10k | |
| State Adult Prisons | 90,720 | 7,616 | 240 | 28 | 260 | 22 | 3,850,985 | 327,356 | |
| Federal Prisons | 5,388 | 3,940 | 16 | 12 | 29 | 21 | -- | -- | |
| ICE Detention Centers | 2,834 | 23,855 | 50 | 421 | 1 | 8 | -- | -- | |
| State and Local Youth Facilities | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
| Staff | Count | Per 10k | Count | Per 10k | Count | Per 10k | Count | Per 10k | |
| State Adult Prisons | 55,851 | 8,799 | 253 | 40 | 49 | 8 | -- | -- | |
| Federal Prisons | -- | -- | 16 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | |
Facilities by
| Facility | Incarcerated People | Staff |
|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Jails County Jails | 9,975 | 6,150 |
Wasco State Prison State Adult Prisons | 5,299 | 1,699 |
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility State Adult Prisons | 4,836 | 2,017 |
Avenal State Prison State Adult Prisons | 4,342 | 1,531 |
North Kern State Prison State Adult Prisons | 4,323 | 1,731 |
1
5.0k
10k
Spikes represent the cumulative cases in a facility for incarcerated people
Data Reporting & Quality Scorecard
Data Reporting & Quality GradeD*
This scorecard assesses data reporting and quality for the state department of corrections in California. Read more about our scoring methodology and to see how this jurisdiction compares to other state and federal systems.
Scores assessed as of December 29, 2022.
The Behind Bars Data Project ceased regular COVID data collection on January 18, 2022.
Data reporting for incarcerated people
Cumulative Cases
By facility
Cumulative Deaths
By facility
Active Cases
By facility
Tests Administered
Systemwide only
Population
By facility
Vaccinations
By facility
Boosters
By facility
Data reporting for staff
Cumulative Cases
By facility
Cumulative Deaths
By facility
Active Cases
By facility
Tests Administered
None
Population
By facility
Vaccinations
By facility
Boosters
None
Data quality
Machine Readable
No
Regularly Updated
Yes
Clearly Defined
Yes
Contextualized Historically
Yes
Prison and Jail Releases Related to COVID
We collect data on jurisdictions across the U.S. that have released people from adult prison and jail custody in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click a row to view full details.
| Facility | People released | Release details | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Santa Rita County Jail Alameda | 247 | Minor offenses, Short remaining sentence | ||||||
Multiple facilities Alameda | 500 | Short remaining sentence | ||||||
Statewide prisons California | 3,418 | Minor offenses, Short remaining sentence | ||||||
County-wide jails Los Angeles | 250 | Minor offenses | ||||||
County-wide jails Los Angeles | 5,193 | |||||||
Grassroots and Community Organizing Efforts Related to COVID
Our team collects data on grassroots and community organizing efforts by incarcerated people, their families, community-based organizations, nonprofits, and advocates aimed at influencing government agencies to protect the lives of people incarcerated in prisons, jails, and detention centers against the threats posed by COVID-19. Click a row to view full details.