Resources
Guides
Plain-English guidance for families and incarcerated people navigating the CDCR disciplinary process.
Getting the documentsHow to get a copy of the Rules Violation Report and hearing documentsWhat to request, how your loved one should ask, which documents matter beyond the RVR, typical timeframes, and what to do when the paperwork arrives.Read guide →Due processUnderstanding due process in CDCR disciplinary hearingsHow the disciplinary process is supposed to work, where it commonly breaks down, and why procedural issues — not innocence — are often the most viable basis for a challenge.Read guide →Family supportHow to support your loved one after they receive a Rules Violation ReportWhat the RVR process looks like, what your loved one should do from inside, and the concrete steps you can take from outside — including how to use this tool to build a foundation for an appeal.Read guide →ProgrammingCDCR programs and activities that make a real differenceA data-backed guide to education, vocational, treatment, and activity group programs inside CDCR — what the evidence shows about recidivism reduction, what Proposition 57 credits apply, and the concrete steps to request an assignment.Read guide →Understanding traumaAdverse Childhood Experiences and the path to incarcerationThe science behind why trauma in childhood is the single strongest predictor of incarceration — what ACEs are, what the data shows, recommended books for families, and the organizations bringing trauma-informed healing inside California prisons.Read guide →