Location: Folsom, Calif. Twenty-five miles east of Sacramento, Folsom sits beside the American River.
Ambiance: Folsom, California's second-oldest prison, was originally designed to house inmates with long sentences and the state's most difficult prisoners, earning it a reputation as "the end of the line." Now it's a medium-security prison.
Famous Guests: Death Row Records owner Suge Knight was once incarcerated here, as were musician Rick James and television's Dog the Bounty Hunter! (Contrary to popular belief, Johnny Cash, who wrote "Folsom Prison Blues," once performed at the prison but was never incarcerated here.)
Activities: Folsom houses a license plate factory, a sign shop and furniture factory to keep prisoners busy. Educational programs, rehabilitative programs and a wide array of vocational classes, including electronics and graphic arts, prepare prisoners for reentry into society.
Staff: This prison has roughly 1,000 staffers to handle the prison population of 4,000-plus.