Families Launch Database to Document Inmate Safety Concerns in California Prisons

The California Prison Harm Record aims to collect and analyze reports of alleged sexual assault, extortion, retaliation, and preventable harm across multiple state prisons.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A newly formed coalition of families with incarcerated loved ones has launched the California Prison Harm Record, a private documentation initiative designed to collect and organize reports of alleged sexual assault, extortion, retaliation, and preventable harm across multiple California state prisons. The effort was catalyzed by the case of 31-year-old Neeko Daniels, who survived an attempted sexual assault at Corcoran State Prison and was later assaulted, extorted, and beaten at Mule Creek State Prison.

Why it matters

The coalition is calling for independent review and immediate protective transfers for vulnerable inmates, as they say the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation does not publicly disclose granular data on sexual assault, retaliation, or vulnerability classifications within the prison system.

The details

Under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), correctional agencies are required to protect vulnerable individuals from sexual abuse and provide medical and mental health care following an assault. Federal courts have also held that prisons have a constitutional duty to protect people in their custody from sexual and physical harm. Advocates say Neeko's case raises questions about whether similar experiences are occurring in other California prisons and whether families may be tracking patterns the state has not publicly disclosed.

  • Neeko Daniels was assaulted at Corcoran State Prison and later at Mule Creek State Prison.
  • Neeko Daniels is currently hospitalized with a broken jaw and screws in his mouth after the Mule Creek assault.

The players

Neeko Daniels

A 31-year-old inmate who survived an attempted sexual assault at Corcoran State Prison and was later assaulted, extorted, and beaten at Mule Creek State Prison.

Brenda Jackson

Neeko Daniels' grandmother, who is speaking out about her concerns for his safety if he is transferred back to Mule Creek State Prison.

California Prison Harm Record

A newly formed coalition of families with incarcerated loved ones that has launched a private documentation initiative to collect and organize reports of alleged sexual assault, extortion, retaliation, and preventable harm across multiple California state prisons.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

The state agency that oversees California's prison system, which the coalition says does not publicly disclose granular data on sexual assault, retaliation, or vulnerability classifications within the prisons.

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What they’re saying

“My grandson did not go to prison to be sexually assaulted, extorted, and beaten. He is in a hospital with screws in his mouth, scared for his life, and no one will tell us anything. I am speaking because families have to come forward. What is happening inside these places is not right.”

— Brenda Jackson, Neeko Daniels' grandmother (PRNewswire)

What’s next

The coalition is calling for independent review by the California Attorney General, the Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, as well as immediate protective transfers for vulnerable inmates.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability within the California prison system, as families seek to document patterns of alleged sexual assault, extortion, retaliation, and preventable harm that they say the state has not adequately addressed or disclosed.