Central California Women's Facility

Infobox Prison
prison_name = Central California Women's Facility (CCWF)

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/images/aerialShots/CCWF_8x10.jpgAerial View]
location = Madera County, California, United States
coordinates = coord|37.0935|-120.1528
status = Operational
classification = minimum-maximum
capacity = 2,004 (but houses 4,230 as of September 2007)
opened = 1990
closed =
managed_by = California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
director = Deborah L. Patrick, Acting Warden

Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) is a female-only California state prison located near to and annexed to the city of Chowchilla (5 miles southeast from the airport), in Madera County. It is across the road from Valley State Prison for Women. Its official Web page states that it is "the largest female correctional facility in the United States."California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/CCWF.html Central California Women's Facility (CCWF).] Accessed 26 Dec 2007.]

Current facility

CCWF "covers 640 acres." As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, CCWF had a total of 1,205 staff and an annual operating budget of $138 million. As of September 2007, it had a design capacity of 2,004 but a total institution population of 4,230, for an occupancy rate of 211.1 percent.California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Monthly/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad0709.pdf Monthly Report of Population as of Midnight September 30, 2007.] ]

CCWF holds prisoners at almost all security levelsCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/docs/20071015-WEBmapbooklet.pdf California's Correctional Facilities.] Accessed 22 Dec 2007.] :
* Reception Center (RC), which "provides short term housing to process, classify and evaluate incoming inmates"
* Level I housing ("Open dormitories without a secure perimeter")
* Level II housing ("Open dormitories with secure perimeter fences and armed coverage")
* Level III housing ("Individual cells, fenced perimeters and armed coverage")
* Level IV housing ("Cells, fenced or walled perimeters, electronic security, more staff and armed officers both inside and outside the installation")
* Condemned (Cond) housing which "holds inmates with death sentences"

The prison "provides inmate academic education, work and vocational training, counseling and specialized programs for the purpose of successful reintegration into society."

History

The Madera County board of supervisors gave the prison its current name in 1989 "after months of discussion and disagreement." [Lopez, Pablo. Madera County Board Names Women's Prison. "Fresno Bee", September 6, 1989.] CCWF opened in October 1990, having cost $141 million to construct. [Christensen, Kim. New Madera women's prison to open. But facility won't ease overcrowding at Frontera by much. "Orange County Register", September 30, 1990.]

In 1996, the City of Chowchilla was given permission to perform a "non-contiguous annexation" of CCWF. [City of Chowchilla. [http://www.ci.chowchilla.ca.us/dept.%20forms/Com%20Dev/General%20Plan%20Update/INTRO_PREFACE.pdf General Plan Update, Introduction and Preface, Discussion Draft.] General Plan July 20, 2005.]

Starting in April 2007, CCWF received some inmates from California Rehabilitation Center after closure of the women's wing at that prison.Schultz, E.J. [http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/262850.html Female inmates: Jammed behind bars? Chowchilla lockups are at more than double their capacity, provoking health concerns.] "Sacramento Bee", July 9, 2007.] The population at CCWF "swelled by 8 percent."

Controversies about health services

Health services at CCWF have been the subject of controversy over the years, as exemplified by the following events:
* In June 1991, an inmate died; some inmates "refused to report to their prison jobs" to protest the prison's medical care "which they said was linked to the death." [McCarthy, Charles. Prisoners Strike to Protest Health Care. An Inmate's Death Prompts a Two-Day Demonstration at Chowchilla Women's Prison. "Fresno Bee", July 3, 1991.] Later, an autopsy showed that the inmate "died of acute inflammation of the pancreas," not "an overdose of the tranquilizer Haldol" as some inmates believed.McCarthy, Charles. Disease Blamed for Death of Tranquilized Inmate. "Fresno Bee", July 19, 1991. ]
* Over 100 protesters outside the prison in January 1994 alleged that CCWF "failed to provide a medical specialist and educational programs to deal with HIV/AIDS-infected inmates," and that CCWF's healthcare providers "often ignore inmate ailments and provide little or no follow-up examinations." [Medina, M. Cristina. Protesters Say Prison Health Care Inadequate. Demonstrators at the Central California Women's Facility at Chowchilla Say Little is Done for HIV/AIDS-Infected Inmates. "Fresno Bee", January 30, 1994.]
* An April 1995 class action lawsuit against CCWF and California Institution for Women "allege [d] that inmates suffer terribly and in some cases die because of inadequate medical care." [Sward, Susan, and Bill Wallace. Female Inmates Sue State Prisons. Neglect of health care cited. "San Francisco Chronicle", April 5, 1995.] A 1997 settlement agreement led to two reports showing "improvements" in health care for female prisoners, but plaintiffs' lawyers claimed that "the changes deal [t] mostly with medical records, not actual care." [Vitucci, Claire. Report finds improvements to inmate care: But women's health services still substandard, lawyers say. "Press-Enterprise" (Riverside, CA), December 22, 1999.]
* From July to November 1996, a private laboratory billed CCWF $161,000 "for thousands of medical tests, including Pap smears to detect cervical cancer, AIDS tests, biopsies and urinalyses" even though the tests had never been used on the inmates.Russell, Sabin. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/07/06/MN84857.DTL State Fumbles Prison Lab Testing. Company's fake results may never have been corrected.] "San Francisco Chronicle", July 6, 2000.] At least six other prisons also used the laboratory. Although the State of California closed the laboratory in 1997, a 2000 newspaper investigation found that there was "little evidence of any attempt by the California Department of Corrections to retest inmates or notify them that their test results were faked."
* In 1999, an inmate with "hepatitis C and liver disease" died after being "prescribed anti-TB medications known to be toxic to patients with liver disease."McCarthy, Charles. Kin, Chowchilla prison settle in inmate's death. "Fresno Bee", June 14, 2002.] A wrongful-death lawsuit based on the case was "settled for $225,000" in 2002.
* In the "month and a half" prior to December 20, 2000, seven CCWF inmates died.Russell, Sabin. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2000/12/20/MN176081.DTL 2 More Die At Women's Prison in Chowchilla. 3 of 7 recent deaths under investigation.] "San Francisco Chronicle", December 20, 2000.] Of these, four "apparently succumbed to chronic terminal illnesses," but an advocacy group claimed that the deaths "were precipitated by inadequate care." The other three "died suddenly and unexpectedly," which led to autopsies being performed. As a result, the three causes of death were determined to be "heart problems and natural causes," "a severe asthma attack and chok [ing] on her vomit after a routine strip search," and "clogged arteries and an enlarged heart."Leedy, Matt. Heart Attack Killed Inmate. Stanford U. Doctors Back Earlier Findings in Chowchilla Case. "Fresno Bee", April 6, 2001.] Nevertheless, "relatives of the three women" and a physician from the University of California, San Francisco "who reviewed their deaths" held the opinion that "better health care could have saved their lives."
* A hospice program was started at CCWF in the summer of 2000, but by mid-2001 was "seldom" used.Leedy, Matt. Chowchilla Prison Hospice a Developing Cocoon. Dying Inmates Seldom Have Used the New Facility. "Fresno Bee", April 14, 2001.] One possible explanation was a low amount of funding compared with the men's hospice at California Medical Facility; another possible explanation was CCWF's granting "compassionate releases to dying inmates who otherwise might enter the program."
* In December 2003, seven CCWF inmates sued seven physicians and "several nurses" for "malpractice, negligence and unprofessional conduct."Aleman-Padilla, Lisa. Inmates sue over medical services - Seven in Chowchilla allege they didn't get adequate treatment. "Fresno Bee", December 19, 2003.]
* In February 2007, the California Office of the Inspector General concluded "Numerous studies show that despite an annual cost of $36 million, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s in-prison substance abuse treatment programs have little or no impact on recidivism."Office of the Inspector General, State of California. [http://www.oig.ca.gov/reports/pdf/substanceabuseprograms.pdf Special Review Into In-Prison Substance Abuse Programs Managed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.] February 2007.] The report specifically mentioned the "New Choice female felon program" at CCWF, for which "12-month recidivism rates... were lower for non-participants than for participants."

Death Row

After Governor Pete Wilson decreed in December 1991 that CCWF shall hold all female Death Row inmates in California, Maureen McDermott became the first Death Row inmate at CCWF. [McCarthy, Charles. Women's Death Row is Created - Inmate Waits to Die in Madera County. "Daily News of Los Angeles", December 16, 1991.] [Wilson, Wayne. Four Await Fate at Hands of State on Women's Death Row. "Sacramento Bee", September 14, 1993.]

In May 2002, "attorneys for eight women on Death Row" at CCWF argued in court that the women "should not be forced to give blood and saliva samples for California's ballooning DNA database of convicted felons." [Hallissy, Erin. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/05/08/MN242746.DTL Female death row inmates sue to stop DNA tests. Attorneys argue women shouldn't have to provide samples to state.] "San Francisco Chronicle", May 8, 2002.]

As of mid-2007, California had the largest number of women on Death Row of any U.S. state with 15 (followed by Texas with 9).Streib, Victor L. [http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/FemDeathJune2007.pdf Death Penalty for Female Offenders, January 1, 1973, Through June 30, 2007.] July 13, 2007.] The Death Row inmates' names (with years of sentencing) are:
* Maria Delrio (aka Rosie) Alfaro (sentenced 1992)
* Dora Luz Buenrostro (1998)
* Socorro Caro (2002)
* Celeste Simone Carrington (1994)
* Cynthia Lynn Coffman (1989)
* Kerry Lyn Dalton (1995)
* Susan Eubanks (1999)
* Veronica Gonzalez (1998)
* Maureen McDermott (1990)
* Michelle Lyn Michaud (2002)
* Sandi Dawn Nieves (2000)
* Angelina Rodriguez (2004)
* Mary Ellen Samuels (1994)
* Janeen Marie Snyder (2006)
* Catherine Thompson (1993)

Other infamous inmates

Betty Broderick was moved from California Institution for Women to CCWF in March 1992. [Rose, Jeffrey J. Prisoner Broderick is moved. Court recommended counseling isn't available at facility. "San Diego Union-Tribune", March 21, 1992.] She will become eligible for parole in March 2010. [Her dark thoughts: pleading insanity. "San Diego Union-Tribune", July 30, 2003.]

Marjorie Knoller was released from CCWF and sent to Ventura County on parole in January 2004. [Parrilla, Leslie. Parolee in fatal dog-mauling case moves to Ventura County. "Ventura County Star", January 3, 2004.] [Cavanaugh, Andrea. Parolee's Plans Unknown - San Francisco Woman Convicted in Dog Mauling Sent to Ventura County. "Daily News of Los Angeles", January 3, 2004.] [Booth, Claire. Knoller Paroled In Dog-Mauling Death - Sent To Southern California, She Must Find A Job But Can't Practice Law. "Contra Costa Times", January 3, 2004.] [Associated Press. Woman imprisoned in dog mauling case is released. "Daily Breeze" (Torrance, CA), January 3, 2004.] She had reportedly just served "about 16 months" at Valley State Prison for Women. [Malnic, Eric. Owner of Killer Dogs to Go Free; The woman convicted in the fatal S.F. mauling will be paroled to the Southland. Her husband was paroled to Northern California. "Los Angeles Times", January 1, 2004.]

Ellie Nesler was first imprisoned at CCWF for a 10-year sentence beginning in January 1994. [Frank, Russell. Nesler Lawyers to Ask Again for Bail. "Modesto Bee", January 26, 1994.] During her stay, she received treatment for breast cancer. [Rafferty, Carole. Hailed as an Avenging Hero 18 Months Ago, Ellie Nesler Adjusts to Prison Life as She Confronts Disease and the Consequences of her Actions. Ellie Nesler: A Mother's Regret. "San Jose Mercury News", October 9, 1994.] She was released in October 1997 after a plea bargain. [Reed, Dan. Killer of Molester Due to Go Free. Friends Await Nesler Release. "San Jose Mercury News", September 29, 1997.] [Ryan, Joan. Chastened Ellie Nesler Freed. Plea bargain in slaying of alleged molester. "San Francisco Chronicle", October 2, 1997.] She was again at CCWF between 2002 and June 2006 to "serv [e] a sentence for selling drugs." [Woman Who Shot Man in Courtroom Freed. "San Jose Mercury News", June 6, 2006.]

Dorothea Puente "was convicted in 1993 on five counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole" at CCWF. [Wiley, Walt. New charm graces house where Puente once killed. "Sacramento Bee", June 11, 2004.]

Susan Atkins of Charlie Manson fame, was transferred to CCWF in May 2008 due to the fact that she is dying of brain cancer. Ms. Atkins has weeks to live and there is no hope of recovery.

Differences between CCWF and Valley State Prison for Women

CCWF should not be confused with Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW), a female-only state prison also annexed to the city of Chowchilla and located just north of CCWF. According to Amnesty International, CCWF and VSPW together are "possibly the largest women’s prison complex in the world."Amnesty International Canada. [http://www.amnesty.ca/usa/supermax.php When cruelty becomes routine: Supermax detention in the USA.] Undated, c.1999. Accessed 25 Dec 2007.] The differences between the two prisons include:
* CCWF opened in 1990; VSPW opened in 1995.
* CCWF has Condemned housing, while VSPW does not.
* VSPW has a Security Housing Unit (SHU), while CCWF does not.
* As of September 2007, VSPW had a design capacity of 1,980 (smaller than CCWF) but a total institution population of 4,252 (larger than CCWF).

References