Governor Newsom announces new staff-led initiative at Corcoran to support rehabilitation and reentry

What you need to know: Governor Newsom is bolstering the California Model at California State Prison Corcoran where staff have helped transform a previously deactivated facility into an housing community focused on rehabilitation, personal responsibility and preparation for release.

CORCORAN - Governor Gavin Newsom is bolstering California's rehabilitation-focused approach to public safety at California State Prison Corcoran. State leaders and community advocates marked the opening of a new staff-led housing community known as an honor dorm where accountability, constructive relationships and preparation for life after prison are central tenets.

At Corcoran, staff whose roles have been transformed by the rehabilitative focus of the California Model are putting those principles into practice in a new setting, expanding opportunities for incarcerated people to engage in rehabilitation, develop practical skills and prepare to return to their communities.

Public safety doesn't end at the prison gate - it means holding people accountable while giving them the tools to change, prepare for a job and return to their communities ready to contribute. At Corcoran, staff are helping lead that work, building an environment where responsibility, rehabilitation and meaningful participation go hand in hand.

Governor Gavin Newsom

A staff-led approach to rehabilitation and accountability

Staff leadership is central to the initiative, shaping how the community operates and how its expectations are put into practice. Staff are supporting an environment built around constructive engagement, personal responsibility and meaningful participation. The approach also creates opportunities to strengthen relationships between staff and incarcerated people, support staff morale and promote a more stable institutional environment.

"The opening at Corcoran reflects the work of staff and partners who are turning this approach into daily practice," said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. "We are connecting housing, programming and employment preparation with clear expectations for accountability. The goal is for people to use their time in prison productively and leave better prepared for the responsibilities ahead."

This honor dorm currently houses approximately 100 incarcerated people, combining single-cell housing and redesigning shared spaces with access to education, vocational training, rehabilitative programming and employment preparation.

Participation is voluntary and subject to eligibility requirements, including classification, behavior and readiness to engage in programming.

Employment preparation is another important part of the effort. By connecting rehabilitation with education, vocational training and opportunities to build work experience, the initiative aims to help participants develop skills they can use after release.

This work builds on the California Model, which has been taken hold throughout the prison system but was first demonstrated at scale through the transformation of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.

Building on the progress at San Quentin

The transformation of the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, most notably through the new Learning Center, has helped establish a path for growing the California Model. In 2023, Governor Newsom announced a vision to transform the former San Quentin State Prison into a rehabilitation-focused institution centered on accountability, education, personal development and successful reentry.

That transformation has included expanded educational and vocational opportunities, rehabilitative programming, peer engagement and changes to the institution's physical environment. The opening of San Quentin's 81,000-square-foot Learning Center in 2026 further expanded space for education, workforce training and reentry preparation. The Honor Dorm initiative also repurposed former death row housing to create an environment that recognizes positive behavior and commitment to rehabilitation.

Corcoran builds on those lessons in a different institutional setting, demonstrating what further developments of the California Model can look like, as the Model is cemented and expanded.

Rehabilitation results support the public safety case

California's rehabilitation efforts are grounded in the goal of reducing future crime by helping people return to their communities better prepared to succeed.

According to data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 81.5% of people who earned Rehabilitation Achievement Credits remained conviction-free three years after release. The same report found that 76.7% of people who earned Educational Merit Credits and 66.7% of people who participated in general rehabilitative programming remained conviction-free over that period.

These measures offer a view of outcomes following participation in different types of rehabilitation and education programs. They also underscore why expanding access to meaningful programming and preparation for release is an important part of California's public safety strategy.

These results reinforce a growing body of evidence that education, career training, treatment programs, and personal development opportunities help reduce recidivism while improving public safety.

National research also found that people who participate in correctional education programs are 43% less likely to return to prison. Research further indicates that investments in rehabilitation can reduce the costs associated with reincarceration.

California's approach pairs accountability for crime with efforts to prevent future harm. Helping people develop skills, engage in rehabilitation and prepare for life after incarceration is intended to reduce the likelihood of reoffending and help protect future victims.

Supporting victims and survivors

Effective rehabilitation benefits not only those working to rebuild their lives, but also crime victims, survivors, and communities. By reducing recidivism and increasing accountability, rehabilitation programs help prevent future harm and support safer neighborhoods.

Crime victims and survivors benefit from the increased accountability that results from effective rehabilitation programs. By nearly 3 to 1, crime survivor groups prefer sentences that hold individuals accountable while including programming that prevents recidivism. CDCR's investment in rehabilitation increases public safety and breaks the cycle of recidivism, meaning fewer families are harmed by crime and safer communities.

The Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services (OVSRS) helps victims and survivors understand and exercise their rights, receive notifications, access services, and participate in processes that promote accountability, healing, and justice. Victims and survivors may register confidentially with OVSRS to receive information and support.