28 Years in California Prisons: The Untold Reality of Prison Life
About this episode
Chad Hester shares his experiences and insights from 28 years working in California prisons, revealing the harsh realities of prison life.
Retired California Department of Corrections Special Agent Chad Hester reveals what really happens inside California prisons after 28 years behind the walls. From Level 1 camps to Level 4 yards, SHU, SNY gang-dropout yards, and internal affairs investigations, Chad shares the untold realities of prison life. In this raw, no-holds-barred interview, Chad reveals: How prison levels 1–4 actually work and who ends up where. The reality of racial politics, shot callers, and prison gangs. Why SNY yards were often even more violent than mainline. Riots, stabbings, homemade weapons, prison-made alcohol, and staff assaults. What happens to sex offenders in different parts of the prison system. How judges, politics, and policy changes reshaped California corrections. The psychological toll on officers and the burden he carried home for decades. A must-watch for anyone interested in true crime, law enforcement, prison reform, or what really happens behind prison walls. Chad’s story is one of the most honest and detailed accounts of life inside the California prison system you will ever hear. If you liked this interview, please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, comment, and share.
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