CALIFORNIA – The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced August 4 that the California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) in Riverside County will close by Fall 2026.
The closures are in response to projected prison population declines in future years and the need for cost savings.
Fully deactivating CRC is expected to save California about $150 million per year in General Fund expenditures.
CDCR says it aims to manage resources responsibly to support public safety and Californians. The state’s 2025-26 budget included the CRC closure as one of several difficult actions needed to address the state’s fiscal position.
Declining prison population
A declining prison population has allowed CDCR to end its use of contract prisons and the California City facility lease.
CDCR says the prison population is now around 91,000 – its lowest since the late 1980s, down from over 173,000 in 2006.
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), prison populations at both the state and county levels have been declining largely due to various changes in law.
These include the 2011 Public Safety Realignment, Proposition 47 (2014), Proposition 57 (2016), as well as various changes made during the pandemic.
CDCR has previously closed three institutions: Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, California Correctional Center in Susanville, and Chuckawalla Valley State Prison in Blythe.
The department has deactivated 11 facilities, parts of 2 others, and 42 housing units across 11 prisons.
These closures, deactivations, and administrative savings total hundreds of millions in yearly savings.
CDCR working to reduce impacts on staff and inmates
CRC is a Level II medium-security prison housing felons. The facility has 1,191 staff and about 2,766 inmates.
CDCR says it is working to reduce impacts on staff, volunteers, and inmates during the deactivation process. The state will support the local community and workers through an economic resiliency plan.
 announced August 4 that the California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) in Riverside County will close by Fall 2026.){kind=link}