Folsom State Prison
Folsom California State Prison is a California State Prison in Folsom, California, U.S., approximately 20 miles (32 km) northeast of the state capital of Sacramento. It is one of 34 adult institutions operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
East Gate, Folsom State Prison, at the end of Prison Road | |
| Location | Folsom, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°41′42″N 121°09′45″W |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | High Security |
| Capacity | 2,065 |
| Population | 2,513 (121.7% capacity) (as of January 31, 2023) |
| Opened | July 26, 1880 |
| Managed by | Dr. Ms. Tracy Johnson, Prison Director, Folsom California State Prison. |
Opened in 1880, Folsom is the state's second-oldest prison, after San Quentin, and the first in the United States to have electricity. Folsom was also one of the first maximum security prisons. It has been the execution site of 93 condemned prisoners.
Musician Johnny Cash put on two live performances at the prison on January 13, 1968. These were recorded and released as a live album titled At Folsom Prison. He had written and recorded the song "Folsom Prison Blues" more than a decade earlier.