(a) The term of imprisonment fixed by the judgment in a criminal action commences to run only upon the actual delivery of the defendant into the custody of the Director of Corrections at the place designated by the Director of Corrections as a place for the reception of persons convicted of felonies.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the place of reception shall be an institution under the jurisdiction of the Director of Corrections.

(1) As an emergency measure, the Director of Corrections may direct that persons convicted of felonies may be received and detained in jails or other facilities and that the judgment will commence to run upon the actual delivery of the defendant into such place and that any persons previously received and confined for conviction of a felony may be, as an emergency, temporarily housed at such place and the time during which such person is there shall be computed as a part of the term of judgment.

(2) In any case in which, pursuant to the agreement on detainers or other provision of law, a prisoner of another jurisdiction is, before completion of actual confinement in a penal or correctional institution of a jurisdiction other than the State of California, sentenced by a California court to a term of imprisonment for a violation of California law, and the judge of the California court orders that the California sentence shall run concurrently with the sentence which such person is already serving, the Director of Corrections shall designate the institution of the other jurisdiction as the place for reception of such person within the meaning of the preceding provisions of this section. He may also designate the place in California for reception of such person in the event that actual confinement under the prior sentence ends before the period of actual confinement required under the California sentence.

(3) In any case in which a person committed to the Director of Corrections is subsequently committed to a penal or correctional institution of another jurisdiction, the subsequent commitment is ordered to be served concurrently with the California commitment, the prisoner is placed in a penal or correctional institution of the other jurisdiction, and the prisoner is not received by the Director of Corrections pursuant to subdivision (a), the Director of Corrections shall designate the institution of the other jurisdiction as the place for reception and service of the California term.

(c) Except as provided in this section, all time served in an institution designated by the Director of Corrections shall be credited as service of the term of imprisonment.

(1) If a person is ordered released by a court from the custody and jurisdiction of the Director of Corrections pursuant to Section 1272 or 1506 or any other provision of law permitting the legal release of prisoners, time during which the person was released shall not be credited as service of the prison term.

(2) If a prisoner escapes from the custody and jurisdiction of the Director of Corrections, the prisoner shall be deemed an escapee and fugitive from justice, until the prisoner is available to return to the custody of the Director of Corrections or the State of California. Time during which the prisoner is an escapee shall not be credited as service of the prison term.

(d) The Department of Corrections may contract for the use of any facility of the state or political subdivision thereof to care for persons received in accordance with this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 828, Sec. 127.)