Pleasant Valley State Prison
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| Location | Coalinga, California |
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| Coordinates | 36°07′54″N 120°14′56″W / 36.1316°N 120.2490°WCoordinates: 36°07′54″N 120°14′56″W / 36.1316°N 120.2490°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Minimum to maximum |
| Capacity | 2,616 |
| Population | 5,188 (198%) (as of fy 2006/07[1]) |
| Opened | November 1994 |
| Managed by | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation |
| Director | James A. Yates, Warden |
Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) is a 640-acre (260 ha) minimum-to-maximum security state prison in Coalinga, Fresno County, California. The facility houses Sirhan Sirhan, the convicted assassin of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, convicted murderer Erik Menendez, rap performer X-Raided and formerly Bone Thugs-n-Harmony member Flesh-N-Bone as well as Hans Reiser, the primary developer of the ReiserFS and Reiser4 computer filesystems, and convicted murderer.
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[edit] History
The prison opened in November 1994. On July 17, 2000, PVSP activated two substance abuse programs involving community services for inmates who have a history of substance abuse. PVSP recently converted one of its general population yards into a sensitive needs yard (SNY) in November 2002, and now houses approximately 900 SNY inmates on D Facility. Then in May 2004 converted A Facility to a sensitive needs yard and houses 1000 inmates on A Facility.[2]
In 2005-2006, PVSP and Avenal State Prison (ASP) were particularly affected by Valley fever, with 150 new cases from PVSP and 30 from ASP in 2005 and 514 at PVSP and 91 at ASP in 2006.[3][4] In 2007 Valley fever had killed at least four PVSP inmates and one staff member over the previous two years.[5]
[edit] Programs
- Prison Industry Authority (PIA): None
- Vocational: Air conditioning and refrigeration, auto body, auto detail, auto mechanics, auto paint, building maintenance, carpentry, computer repair, consumer electronics, dry cleaning, drywall, electrical work, janitorial, landscape and gardening, machine shop, masonry, mill and cabinetry, office services, small engine repair, plumbing, welding.
- Academic: Adult Basic Education, High School/GED, Pre-Release, English as a Second Language, Literacy Program.
- Other: Community Service Crews, Religious, Arts-in-Corrections, Computers for Schools.
[edit] Notable inmates
- Gregory Scott Haidl, the son of former Orange County Assistant Sheriff Don Haidl, was charged with the 2002 videotaped rape and molestation of an unconscious 16-year-old girl on a pool table in a Newport Beach garage. The 2005 trial that resulted in the conviction of all three defendants and was one of the highest-profile trials ever in Orange County. Haidl, Keith James Spann and Kyle Joseph Nachreiner, violated her with foreign objects, and are seen laughing and joking with one another during the assault. He served part of a 6 year sentence and was released in 2008.[6]
- Stanley Howse aka Flesh-n-Bone - Convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Howse served an 11 year sentence for threatening his neighbor with an AK-47. Howse is a member of the American rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. He was released on July 13, 2008
- Erik Menendez - Convicted with his brother, Lyle, of killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
- Jesse Rugge - Convicted of aggravated kidnapping. Notorious for his association with Jesse James Hollywood and his involvement in the kidnapping/murder of Nick Markowitz. He is serving 7 years to life. Jesse is portrayed, though with a different name, by Justin Timberlake in the film adaptation of this case, Alpha Dog. As of October 2010, he is serving his sentence in Avenal State Prison.[7]
- Sirhan Sirhan - Convicted assassin of Robert F. Kennedy. Moved from California State Prison, Corcoran as of October 29, 2009.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) (2009). "Institution Statistics". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/PVSP-Institution_Stats.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) (2009). "Mission Statement". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/PVSP.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.[dead link]
- ^ Pappagianis, Demosthenes; Coccidioidomycosis Serology Laboratory (2007). "Coccidioidomycosis in California State Correctional Institutions". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1111: 103–111. doi:10.1196/annals.1406.011. PMID 17332089. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1196/annals.1406.011. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ Furillo, Andy (16 August 2007). "Prison report cites valley fever risks. Construction may release spores that cause disease, increasing inmates' cases.". The Sacramento Bee: p. A1. http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/328044.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.[dead link]
- ^ Furillo, Andy (9 September 2007). "Disease clouds a prison's future. A deadly outbreak of valley fever is sparking doubts about expanding the Pleasant Valley lockup in Fresno County". The Sacramento Bee. http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/368363.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.[dead link]
- ^ Welborn, Larry; Srisavasdi, Rachanee (11 March 2006). "Haidl, co-defendants get 6 years each". The Orange County Register. http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1040658.php. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ http://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/search.aspx
- ^ Deutsch, Linda. Robert F. Kennedy's killer is moved to new site. Associated Press, November 2, 2009.
[edit] External links
- Pleasant Valley State Prison official webpage
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Official website
- Coleman, Donald E. (9 Feb. 2004). "Conflict in Confinement: Severe overcrowding in state's prisons breeds all types of trouble". The Fresno Bee. http://www.fresnobee.com/local/v-printerfriendly/story/8101687p-8958147c.html. Retrieved 2009-08-20.[dead link]
