Learn More → State by State
California
Political repression plays out state by state — shaped by local institutions, prosecutors, and movements for defense. These are the documented political prisoners and cases the census holds for California.
1,533Documented
32In custody
958Released
13Awaiting trial
Eras of repression in California
Where California’s entries fall across the census’s historical eras.
1930s 361
1970s 206
1960s 205
1910s 176
2020s 125
1980s 90
Recent dashboard entries from California
The newest published events and reporting located in California, updated automatically from the live dashboard.
Other
Whistleblower alleges FBI targeted Los Angeles anti-ICE protesters
Prosecution
Charges dropped against five Stanford students over pro-Palestine protest
Prosecution
Judge dismisses all charges against the Stud Alley 18 arrested during San Francisco Pride weekend
Protest
Two injured at Teamsters protest outside Amazon warehouse; sheriff says motorcyclist intentionally struck crowd
Other
Five invited reporters held at gunpoint by Vandenberg Space Force Base security
Other
Photojournalist Steven Berumen shoved by federal officers while covering an LA immigration protest
Prosecution
Anti-ICE protester accused of pouring lighter fluid on CHP car is sentenced to prison
Prosecution
Westlake man sentenced for anti-ICE protest actions
Documented cases
1,533 entries in the census — every one stays in the record, whether the case is open or closed.
Gary Johnson
Released
Gary Johnson was a homeless rights activist who in 2010 slept on the steps outside Santa Cruz City Hall in pro...
Rodney Johnson
Released
Rodney Johnson, a member of the Communist Workers Party, was one of the "NASSCO 3," three San Diego shipyard a...
Ryan Johnson
Released
Ryan Johnson was a US Army soldier who refused deployment to Iraq and sought refuge in Canada. He helped organ...
Victor Johnson
Victor was individually named in the caption identifying the eight Modesto maritime defendants in this union h...
Curtis Jones Jr.
Released
Curtis Jones Jr. was arrested on November 13, 1976.
Corporal Curtis Jones Jr. was one of the "Camp Pendleton...
Ellis O. Jones
Released
Ellis O. Jones was a Los Angeles writer and co-leader, with Robert Noble, of the Friends of Progress. He testi...
Hank Jones
Released
Jones was active in the late-1960s/early-1970s Black Power milieu as a former Black Panther and later became k...
Tahan K. Jones
Released
Tahan K. Jones was arrested on January 9, 1991.
US Marine lance corporal who declared conscientious objection...
Michael Justesen
Released
Michael Justesen was arrested on November 19, 1977.
White anti-imperialist activist and former Weather Underg...
Zachary Karas
Released
Zachary Karas was arrested on May 31, 2020.
Possession of Molotov cocktails at the La Mesa police-HQ protest,...
Esther Karpiloff
Released
Esther Karpiloff was one of the staff of the communist children's summer camp at Yucaipa, California convicted...
Samuel H. Kashinowitz
Released
Samuel H. Kashinowitz was a Los Angeles Communist who, together with Ben Dobbs and Henry Steinberg, was senten...
Steve Kelly
Released
Father Steve Kelly SJ is an American Jesuit priest and one of the most prolific Plowshares activists in U.S. h...
Roy Kepler
Released
Roy Cecil Kepler was a pacifist and founder of Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park. Local reporting documents jail fo...
Matthew Keys
Released
Matthew Keys is a journalist and social media editor who in 2010 allegedly provided members of the hacktivist...
Jeff Kibre
Released
Jeff Kibre was a Hollywood studio worker and leader of the rank-and-file movement against the mob-linked leade...
Kathy Kimbrough
Released
Kathy Kimbrough was arrested in the December 8 raid on the 55th Street Panther residence. Contemporary Party r...
Diamond Kimm
Released
Diamond Kimm was a Korean-born metallurgical engineer, former Office of Strategic Services operative, and edit...
Earl King
Released
Earl King was secretary of the Marine Firemen's Union and a defendant in the Point Lobos murder case. Arrested...
Nicole Kissane
Released
Nicole Kissane is an animal rights activist from Southern California who, along with Joseph Buddenberg, was in...
Katya Komisaruk
Released
Katya was an anti-nuclear activist who, on June 2, 1987, single-handedly destroyed a NAVSTAR satellite ground-...
Fred Korematsu
Released
Fred Toyosaburo Korematsu was a Japanese-American welder in Oakland, California who refused to comply with Civ...
Ron Kovic
Released
Ron Kovic is a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant who was paralyzed from the chest down in the Vietnam War and became...
Shirley Kremen
Released
Shirley Kremen was a student tried in San Francisco for sheltering Smith Act fugitives Robert Thompson and Sid...
Institutions in California
Prisons, jails, and detention centers in California that appear in the census’s case files.
San Quentin State PrisonSan Quentin, California
171 cases
Federal Bureau of Prisons
60 cases
Sharp Park Detention CampSharp Park, California
33 cases
Presidio StockadeSan Francisco, California
28 cases
Los Angeles County JailLos Angeles, California
26 cases
Folsom State PrisonFolsom, California
22 cases
San Quentin Rehabilitation CenterSan Quentin, California
16 cases
Metropolitan Detention Center, Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
15 cases