Valley State Prison for Women

Infobox Prison
prison_name = Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW)

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/images/aerialShots/VSPW_8x10.jpgAerial View]
location = Madera County, California, United States
coordinates = coord|37.1050|-120.1550
status = Operational
classification = minimum-maximum
capacity = 1,980 (but houses 4,252 as of September 2007)
opened = 1995
closed =
managed_by = California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
director = Tina Hornbeak, Warden

Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW) 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 Central California Women's Facility.

Current facility

VSPW "covers approximately 640 acres."California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/VSPW.html Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW).] Accessed 26 Dec 2007.] As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, VSPW had a total of 1,058 staff and an annual operating budget of $125 million. As of September 2007, it had a design capacity of 1,980 but a total institution population of 4,252, for an occupancy rate of 214.7 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.] ]

VSPW 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")
* Security Housing Unit (SHU), "the most secure area within a Level lV prison designed to provide maximum coverage"

According to the prison's official Web page, "The mission of VSPW is multi-fold. VSPW functions as a Reception Center (RC) and as a General Population institution providing education and vocational opportunities for inmates. For inmates requiring a higher level of management care, VSPW has an Administrative Housing Unit (ASU) and Security Housing Unit (SHU). VSPW is also designed as the hub facility for female inmates with mobility impairments, and the ASU and SHU serves as a hub for housing inmates in the Mental Health Services Delivery System (MHSDS) at the Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOP) level of care. VSPW also houses pregnant inmates."

History

The prison opened in April 1995. In 1996, the City of Chowchilla was given permission to perform a "non-contiguous annexation" of VSPW. [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, July 20, 2005.]

Ted Koppel interviewed Dr. Anthony DiDomenico, the chief medical officer of VSPW, in October 1999 for an episode of "Nightline".Delsohn, Gary. Prison Doctor Loses Post Over TV Comment. He Told Newsman Women Inmates Like Pelvic Exams. "Sacramento Bee", October 15, 1999.] The physician was quoted as saying "I've heard [female] inmates tell me that they would deliberately like to be examined [i.e., receive a pelvic examination ] . It's the only male contact they get." Prior to the airing of the "Nightline" episode, DiDomenico was reassigned "to a desk job in Sacramento" for his remarks. [ Bentley, Rick. Series Exposes the Untold Women's Prison Experience. "Fresno Bee", October 29, 1999.]

An October 2000 California state legislative committee hearing on female inmates' medical issues was held at VSPW.Davis, Jim. Chowchilla Inmates Criticize Health Care. One Legislator Says the Women's Testimony 'Curdled My Stomach.' "Fresno Bee", October 12, 2000.] At the hearing, approximately 15 inmates "described grave medical problems" at VSPW and Central California Women's Facility; however, the physician representing the California Department of Corrections stated that she felt the female inmates "were getting the best care possible."

After being sentenced in July 2002 "to four years in prison" for involuntary manslaughter because her dogs killed her neighbor in San Francisco, Marjorie Knoller "was transferred within hours" to VSPW. [Webby, Sean. Judge Sentences S.F. Woman to 4 Years for Fatal Mauling - Maximum Term for Neighbor's Death. "San Jose Mercury News", July 16, 2002.] Knoller was "still serving her time" at VSPW when her husband Robert Noel was paroled from High Desert State Prison in September 2003. [Matier, Phillip, and Andrew Ross. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/09/10/BA295078.DTL Robert Noel, of killer-dog case fame, to get out of prison. Former attorney will serve 2-year parole in Solano County.] "San Francisco Chronicle", September 10, 2003.] During her time at VSPW, Knoller "refused to work." [ Curtis, Kim. Owner of Killer Dog to be Released - Served About Half of Four-Year Term. "San Jose Mercury News", September 11, 2003.] The January 1, 2004, "Los Angeles Times" stated that "Knoller [had] served all of her sentence at" VSPW. [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.] The January 1, 2004, "San Francisco Chronicle" reported that Knoller was to be released from VSPW to "serve three years' parole somewhere in Southern California." [Zamora, Jim Herron. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/01/BAGBD423DJ1.DTL Knoller likely to be freed from prison. Parole may begin today in dog-maul case.] "San Francisco Chronicle", January 1, 2004.] According to newspaper reports on January 3, 2004, however, Knoller was actually released from Central California Women's Facility on January 1, 2004, and sent to Ventura County on parole. [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.]

Starting in April 2007, VSPW 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 VSPW "swelled by 8 percent"; furthermore, "the court-appointed overseer of prison medical care" stated that VSPW's medical system might "collapse entirely" due to the extra prisoners.

Differences between VSPW and Central California Women's Facility

VSPW should not be confused with Central California Women's Facility (CCWF), a female-only state prison also annexed to the city of Chowchilla and located just south of VSPW. According to Amnesty International, VSPW and CCWF 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, CCWF had a design capacity of 2,004 (larger than VSPW) but a total institution population of 4,230 (smaller than VSPW).
* Another womens prison that was very popular because of the surrounding moat was in Huntington Beach but was replaced by Marina High School.

References

External links

* [http://www.vspw-ifc.com/ Inmate Family Council at VSPW.] Accessed 26 Dec 2007.
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20031130204823/http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engamr510531999 Amnesty International's findings and recommendations relating to Valley State Prison (California).] 1 April 1999.