California Institution for Men explained

Prison Name:California Institution for Men (CIM)
Location:Chino, California
Status:Operational
Classification:minimum to maximum
Capacity:2,763
Population:2,867 (104.8% capacity)[1]
Populationdate:January 31, 2023
Opened:21 June 1941
Managed By:California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Warden:Travis Pennington

California Institution for Men (CIM) is a male-only state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California. It is often colloquially referenced as "Chino". In turn, locals call the prison "Chino Men's" or just "Men's" to avoid confusion with the city itself.

Facilities

CIM is a 2500acres[2] facility located east of Los Angeles on arid farmland.[3] Facilities include:

Population and staffing

As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, CIM had 2,327 staff and an annual budget of $232.2 million.[6] As of February, 2012 it had a design capacity of 2,976 but a total institution population of 5,266, for an occupancy rate of 177 percent.[7]

As of April 30, 2020, CIM was incarcerating people at 112.8% of its design capacity, with 3,357 occupants.[8]

History

CIM opened in 1941 and "was the first major minimum security institution built and operated in the United States."[2] It was the fourth state prison built in California (after San Quentin State Prison, Folsom State Prison, and the original California Institution for Women at Tehachapi).[4] Since the California Correctional Institution replaced the original California Institution for Women at Tehachapi,[9] CIM is now the third-oldest California state prison.

In 1970, a commercial diver training program started at CIM. In following years, the program's graduates had much success in finding jobs after release from prison and a recidivism rate of only 12 percent.[10] The program was "closed in 2003 due to budget constraints," but reopened in 2006.[11]

Inmate Kevin Cooper escaped from CIM in 1983. In retrospect, factors that may have contributed to the escape included conviction "under an alias," an undetected "history of escaping from jails and mental hospitals," and "a hole in a fence" surrounding CIM.[12] Three days after Cooper's escape, four people were found dead in nearby Chino Hills, and Cooper was later convicted of murdering them.[13] However, there have been doubts raised as to Cooper's guilt over the years.

In 1987, officials of the city of Chino opposed a plan to build a ward at CIM for inmates with HIV/AIDS because they "believe[d] it would threaten the community."[14] After "Corrections Department officials announced they wouldn't increase the AIDS inmate population to more than 200 men," opposition decreased.[15] The ward was constructed and received its first patients in May 1988, making it the second such AIDS ward in California (following one opened in 1984 at the California Medical Facility).[15]

Shayne Allyn Ziska was a correctional officer at CIM "from January 1984 through October 2000."[16] In 2004 he was arrested for helping the Nazi Lowriders (a white supremacist organization) "distribute drugs and assault inmates" inside CIM.[16] In 2006, Ziska was convicted "on charges of conspiracy, civil-rights violations and violent crime in aid of racketeering" and sentenced to 17 years and was released in 2021.[12] [17]

Correctional Officer Manuel A. Gonzalez Jr. was stabbed to death in CIM in 2005.[12] Factors that may have contributed to the killing were prison overcrowding, understaffing, a failure to segregate the inmate in question due to a history of violent behavior, the inmate's lengthy stay at CIM, the inmate's access to a weapon, and the officer's lack of a protective vest.[12] [18] In the aftermath of the Gonzalez murder, CIM instituted reforms.[12] [18] The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in July 2007 agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle a lawsuit by Gonzalez's family.[19]

In 2005 and 2007, the state of California proposed building hundreds of new units for mentally ill inmates at CIM and at the nearby California Institution for Women; local officials opposed such plans.[20] [21] A "general acute-care hospital at CIM" had received a license to operate in 1984, but in March 2006 the hospital operating room was closed and in July 2007 the plan was "to relinquish the license" because the facility was not functioning as a hospital.[22]

On August 8, 2009, a prison riot broke out at CIM during which over 250 inmates were injured, and which ultimately took more than twelve hours to put down. The cause of the riot is under investigation.[23] The riot broke out at 8:20 p.m. Although other races were involved the riot was mainly between Hispanic inmates and African American inmates. The prison's damages were severe, bathroom sinks ripped off the walls, fires broke out, and 50 inmates were taken to nearby hospitals. The riot caused a lockdown of the prison and six others in the area.[24]

In February 2010, the youth facility Heman G. Stark Youth Correctional Facility was closed. California authorities indicated they would incorporate the facility into CIM. As of 2017, it remains empty except for an apartment-style housing unit for CDCR employees.[25]

In August 2020, CIM's role as a reception center ended, and it was one of three former reception centers in California that were reclassified.[26]

Coronavirus outbreak

As of December 4, 2020 it was reported that the COVID-19 virus had killed 27 inmates at CIM,[27] and the virus had infected 172 staff with 789 recovered cases[28] 18 active cases and 1036 inmates had been infected and had since recovered.[29]

Notable people

Inmates

Staff

References in popular culture

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Monthly Report of Population As of Midnight January 31, 2023. January 31, 2023. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Internal Oversight and Research. September 21, 2023.
  2. Web site: California Institution for Men (CIM) . Mission Statement . California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . 2009 . 2009-08-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090813142819/http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/CIM.html . August 13, 2009 .
  3. Nicholson, Lucy. "My day in a California prison." Reuters. June 6, 2011. Retrieved on May 16, 2013.
  4. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. California's Correctional Facilities. 15 Oct 2007.
  5. "Adult Facilities Locator." California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Retrieved on September 24, 2011.
  6. Web site: California Institution for Men (CIM) . Institution Statistics . California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . 2009 . 2009-08-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090814182118/http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Visitors/Facilities/CIM-Institution_Stats.html . 2009-08-14 . dead .
  7. Web site: WEEKLY INSTITUTION/CAMPS POPULATION DETAIL. CDCR. 16 February 2012. 11 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130911195519/http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/WeeklyWed/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad120208.pdf. dead.
  8. Web site: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Monthly Report of Population As of Midnight April 30, 2020. April 30, 2020. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Internal Oversight and Research. May 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503014424/https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/research/wp-content/uploads/sites/174/2020/05/Tpop1d2004.pdf. May 3, 2020.
  9. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. California Correctional Center (CCI). Accessed 29 Nov 2007.
  10. Schexnayder, C.J. Diving into success: underwater training helps inmates get jobs. The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), August 28, 2000.
  11. DeRobertis, Shelli. CIM inmates dive in for a better future. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA), December 1, 2006.
  12. Stockstill, Mason. Criminal Neglect: Years of indifference turned Chino prison dream into nightmare. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA), July 23, 2006.
  13. Susman, Tina. Jury urges death in gas chamber for Cooper. Daily Breeze (Torrance, CA), March 2, 1985.
  14. Associated Press. Chino Officials Object to Proposed AIDS Ward at Prison. Daily News of Los Angeles, November 8, 1987.
  15. Associated Press. State Sets Up Isolation Ward to Care for AIDS Inmates. San Jose Mercury News, April 28, 1988.
  16. Leveque, Rod. Guard accused of aiding gang. The Sun (San Bernardino, CA), July 30, 2004.
  17. https://archive.org/details/shayne-ziska-update-2024
  18. Austin, Paige. Rehabilitating prison: Findings forcing changes at aging facility. The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), September 18, 2005.
  19. Leveque, Rod. Slain guard's family settles. Whittier Daily News, July 10, 2007.
  20. City Council of Ontario, California. Resolution To Oppose Proposed Mental Health Facility At California Institution For Men - Chino. June 7, 2005.
  21. DeRobertis, Shelli. Prisons' role to grow. The Sun (San Bernardino, CA), February 1, 2007.
  22. DeRobertis, Shelli. CIM hospital to forfeit license. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA), July 26, 2007.
  23. News: 250 inmates hurt, 55 hospitalized after California prison riot - CNN.com . CNN . April 28, 2010 . August 10, 2009.
  24. Web site: Orange County Register: Local News, Sports and Things to Do . Ocregister.com . 2022-06-14.
  25. "A history of housing youth at Stark facility comes to a close ." Santa Barbara Sun. February 21, 2010. Retrieved on August 10, 2010.
  26. News: Napoles . Marianne . 2020-08-24 . Men's prison in Chino is no longer a reception center . Chino Champion . 2020-11-25.
  27. Web site: California Institution for Men has 6th virus-related death - SFChronicle.com . www.sfchronicle.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200526201516/https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/California-Institution-for-Men-has-6th-15281609.php . 2020-05-26.
  28. Web site: 2020-05-11 . 4 more inmates at California Institution for Men die from coronavirus . 2024-06-12 . The Mercury News . en-US.
  29. Web site: Population COVID-19 Tracking . 2024-06-12 . COVID-19 Information . en-US.
  30. Web site: CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer.
  31. Web site: Charges Withdrawn in Double Murder Case. Gordon Grant. Los Angeles Times. December 30, 1966. Newspapers.com.
  32. Edwards . Gavin . Q&A: Shifty Shellshock of Crazy Town . . March 15, 2001 . 864 . 35 .
  33. Tony Rafael, The Mexican Mafia, Encounter Books, 2007. Page 284.
  34. Book: Emsley, John. Molecules of Murder: Criminal Molecules and Classic Cases. 2008-01-01. Royal Society of Chemistry. 9780854049653. en.
  35. Book: O'Connor. J. Patrick. Scapegoat: The Chino Hills Murders and the Framing of Kevin Cooper. 2012. Strategic Media, Inc.. Rock Hill, SC. 978-0-9842333-7-3. 55–58.
  36. Book: O'Connor. J. Patrick. Scapegoat: the Chino Hills Murders and the Framing of Kevin Cooper. 2012. Strategic Media, Inc.. Rock Hill, SC. 978-0-9842333-7-3. 59.
  37. Cooper v. Brown, 565 F.3d 581 (2009), p.582
  38. News: Nationalist Chinese Officials Didn't Know DeKaplany Was A Murderer Was. 28 February 2014. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1 March 1976. 11. In one day, he was released from the California Institute for Men at Chino[..]. Newspapers.com.
  39. Book: California Journal. 7. 1976. California Center for Research and Education in Government. The parole board is under fire for releasing Geza De Kaplany, San Jose physician [..].
  40. 1996-05-13. Hitting Bottom. People. 45. 19. 62. 0093-7673. 2022-03-13. 2016-09-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20160923221426/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20141272,00.html. dead.
  41. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/14442222/ 'Brawler' hoping to gain boxing championship
  42. Web site: CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer . 2023-04-13 . inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov.
  43. News: Police look for gang leader in woman's death . 2012-06-09 . Los Angeles Times . 2001-11-28.
  44. https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/20/movies/AP-EU-Switzerland-Polan.html?hp
  45. Web site: Preview unavailable . . .
  46. Stax, p. 193
  47. Stax, p. 196
  48. Stax, 197
  49. Web site: CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer .
  50. Web site: 2024-05-31 . He posed as a Hollywood hotshot. He was actually a 'master manipulator' with a dark fantasy. . 2024-06-12 . NBC News . en.
  51. Web site: Shrestha . Naman . 2024-03-21 . Victor Paleologus: Where is the Killer Now? . 2024-06-12 . The Cinemaholic . en-US.
  52. Web site: Class Notes. www6.miami.edu. 2016-01-19.
  53. Whitty, Stephen. "Down by Law." Entertainment Weekly. April 9, 1999. Retrieved on September 27, 2010. "The 25-minute black-and-white flashback begins with Norton waking up in Chino, angry and uncowed;"
  54. Thomas Harris, Red Dragon (Dell Publishing: New York, 1981), 130.

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