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Folsom State Prison plans to house more inmates who want to be segregated from the general prison population because they are afraid of getting attacked.
The plan to exchange some existing Folsom inmates for prisoners requesting more protection this fall is part of a larger state effort to match inmates with correctional facilities that best suit their needs.
Folsom, which houses 4,100 inmates, would be the first of California's prisons to reflect the change.
"We took the system down to zero, (then) started building it up to getting the right population in the right bed," Scott Kernan, deputy director of the adult institutions division of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Officials said inmates needing more protection are a fast-growing group. The prisoners include former gang members, sex offenders and law enforcement officers.
Because such inmates tend to have fewer conflicts, they would be a better fit for Folsom than prisoners who affiliate with gangs, said prison spokeswoman Lt. Cheryl Campoy. The prison has one yard for all inmates, which makes it difficult to keep them separated, she said.
Four years ago, inmates and staff members were injured when rival gangs clashed in Folsom's prison yard. The incident led to legislative hearings following allegations of an attempted cover-up.
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