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Inside Pelican Bay State Prison

Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, Calif., is surrounded by razor wire, tall fences and towers manned by guards with rifles.

Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, Calif., is surrounded by razor wire, tall fences and towers manned by guards with rifles.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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Inside California’s highest-security lockup, Pelican Bay State Prison, are leaders of the largest prison protest in California history.
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DIY weapons

A tour at Pelican Bay begins with a briefing about the dangers of prison life and a show-and-tell that includes examples of the prisoner-made weapons.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Hiding place

Prison officials hold an X-ray negative of a weapon that a prisoner was trying to conceal inside his body at Pelican Bay.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Looking to leave the SHU

Pelican Bay State Prison inmate Jeremy Beasley, 39, a member of the Nazi Low-Riders and then elevated to the Aryan Brotherhood, shows his tattoos. At Pelican Bay since 1998, Beasley went to prison on a life sentence for murder and has since tried to kill another inmate and assaulted a guard. He agreed to debrief in order to be released from the security housing unit -- known as the SHU.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Nuestra Familia lieutenant

Pelican Bay State Prison inmate Javier Zubiate, a lieutenant of Nuestra Familia, is a convicted killer serving time in the SHU. Zubiate agreed to debrief to provide evidence on other gang members in order to be released from the SHU. Zubiate was also told he would receive medical treatment for an eye condition.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Agreeing to debrief

Another view of Zubiate.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Back to the pod

Zubiate is led back to his pod by a guard.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Home in Pelican Bay

Javier Zubiate is accompanied by a guard.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Exercise area

The concrete recreation area offers a place for controlled and monitored exercise.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

SHU exercise area

Inmate Javier Zubiate stands in the concrete recreation area.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Zubiate in the SHU

A guard watches inmate Javier Zubiate in the SHU.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

In the yard

Inmates in Unit B at Pelican Bay State Prison exercise and talk in the yard.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Exercise period

Pelican Bay inmates move from one spot in the yard to another during an exercise period.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Pelican Bay warden

Warden Greg Lewis, center, walks around Pelican Bay State Prison.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Danger warning

A sign warns inmates, staff and visitors that this portion of fencing at Pelican Bay State Prison is electrified.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Keeping people in, out

Razor wire and guard towers encircle Pelican Bay State Prison.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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