Wasco State Prison

The Wasco State Prison, also known as the Wasco State Prison-Reception Center, is located in Kern County in Wasco, California. This facility was constructed for the purpose of short term housing. Usually, inmates that are brought to the Wasco State Prison are those entering the California State Prison System for the first time.

During their stay at the Wasco State Prison, the inmates’ physical and mental health is evaluated, as well as the security level of the facility that they are to be placed. Furthermore, the required programs and additional institutional placement considerations will also occur during this brief stay at Wasco State Prison.

The Wasco State Prison is meant to house a total of 400 inmates in the general population, which actually help maintain the reception center itself. An overall total of just under 2,500 are meant to be housed in this facility, though there is currently about 6,000 inmates at the Wasco State Prison, making it one of the most overpopulated prison facilities in the state of California.

The Wasco State Prison was first opened in 1991 in order to help those that have been deemed to be abusers of drugs and controlled substances. Generally speaking, the facility as a whole is considered to be a medium security level facility.

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