The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has gone further to promote the failed California Model and reduce officer safety. On April 08, 2026, CDCR published new policy encouraging its officers to forgo defensive tactic standards so that inmates can be happier and have a more fun time while in prison.
The California Model of Prison Management was implemented in CDCR in March 2023 with the sole mission of providing inmates with more freedoms and entertainment opportunities. Although years of criminological research predicted the core concepts of the California Model would fail, CDCR pushed the model on the prison staff and inmate population. Since the implementation of the California Model, CDCR has seen a large increase in staff attacks and inmate escape attempts. Current numbers show CDCR staff are 54% more likely to be attacked by inmates since the implementation of the California Model. Despite the failure of the model, CDCR continues to develop and force unsafe policy to make the prisoners happier.
On April 08, CDCR updated its Department Operations Manual (DOM) section 53020.1 to encourage its officers to give inmate handshakes, high-fives, and fist bumps. Handshakes and high-fives are not part of normal defensive tactics and the use of these gestures reduces officer safety. When shaking hands, a person can grab an officer and control them. Often handshakes are with the dominant hand and when shaking hands this hand is not available to grab defensive tools or use the radio; worse it puts the officer in a position for an opponent to easily slash the officer’s forearm. Years of law enforcement practice and experience have informed officers to not shake a person’s hand while in uniform. CDCR does not care about officer safety and desires its officers to put themselves at risk so inmates can feel good.
Although CDCR is putting inmate happiness as a higher priority than officer safety, we at the Toughest Beat have some advice for officers. The new policy does not yet require you to shake the hands of inmates. Although handshakes seem like a tool to develop rapport or show support, from a tactical standpoint they are unsafe. We suggest you politely refuse the handshake or high-five and sate “I don’t shake hands on duty.” Consider offering a fist bump instead and keep your bladed stance when that close to a suspect.
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