Anybody have a friend or family member in High Dessert State Prison, in Susanville, California? Leave your story here....

Welcome aboard Candi, good to see another Californian.

Isn't the High Desert in the Kingdom of Nye?

:p Got that from Art Bell!!

your funny Veronica...... Art Bell is cool too.....

Thanks B ray.... where in Cali u from?

I'm not in California (although I wish I was) My brothers live there so can I be considered a "resident by association"- ?Anyway, CandyLady- just wanted to welcome you here

welcome to pto, candylady!

Mid valley here, Stockton

Thanks all for such a warm welcome.....

Welcome Candy Lady....

Finally was able to get back on the site just now... Glad you are with us... I am not in California but I am glad you are with us here at PTO.

Donna

Hi candylady....another "WELCOME to PTO" :)

thecandylady,

Welcome to PTO. I don't know anyone currently at susanville, but I have talked to many who have done time there. I'll try & answer any questions you may have. I've been to many CDC facilities, LOL. Take care----Ken

I'm not in California, but I often wish I was.

Especially when in mid-winter, our weather is 40 below zero!

(Canya guess I'm shivering in Ca-Ca-Ca-Ca-Canada?)

Welcome CandyLady, from the Crazy Canuck!

Menolly

even being away from Alaska for 22 yrs I still can't use to this 90-100 degree stuff here in the valley.

Hi Candy Lady
Wlcome!! Im here just outside of Los Angeles. Annie

hey there candy i am a native cali just relocated to texas i had a friend that did some time there what up...??

Hi Candy, wish I could help. Welcome!

(I'm in Virginia)

I live about an hour and a half from Susannville... I was born and raised here... Patty

Here's a pic

I knew a guy at High Desert.
That place was pretty cool. IT's about a hour and a half out side of Reno.

I HAVE A FRIEND WHOS HUSBAND IS IN SUSANVILLE, SHE LIVES IN BAKERSFIELD AND ITS QUITE A DISTANCE FOR HER. SHE HATES IT BECAUSE HES SO FAR.

DeDe,
You sure told the truth about that, it is a long distance.
The good thing is once you get there and you get to visit it makes it worth the trip. I use to go up with a friend like every few months and we would just stay the weekend in Reno.::)

Hi everyone! I haven't been here in awhile, but just noticed this post. I have a pen pal in HDSP, named Don Pequeen.

High Desert State Prison in Susanville appears to be a very overcrowded, mainly maximum security prison. It seems all the higher security prisons in California are very overcrowded.

From the CDC website, it looks like High Desert State Prison is mainly a Level IV facility. It has 2,830 Level IV inmates and is designed to hold 1,524, or 185.7% of capactiy.

The prison also has 1,034 Level III inmates with a designed capacity of 400, or 258.5% of capacity. The reception center designed for 100 had 368 inmates on November 20th, 368.0% of capacity.

There are a 313 inmates on Level I and Level II under not very overcrowded conditions.


http://www.cdc.state.ca.us/facility/insthdsp.htm

I got a homeboy at HDSP right now. He is serving a 27 year sentence. I went to visit him on Thanksgiving and there had recently been a big fight between the Whites and Hispanics on A-yard I believe. Anyhow, its a tough prison but there are definitely worse. Hope this helps.

My son was in High Desert... He's in Corcoran now... I think they are all bad :( Patty

My pen pen used to be in High Desert, but is now in the Corcoran SHU.

dmb your right on the money. In fact CDC wants to close some level 1 CCF's & use the money to pay for a new level 3-4 prison. It's mostly from 3 strikes cases. Because of how they do their point system, anyone doing more than 10yrs would end up on a 3-4 yard. If someone has a 25-life sentence it will take them forever to get their points low enough to even get an overide to a level 3 yard. I believe if they redid how they calculate their points, many of these guys on a 3-yard could end up on 2 yards, & some on 4yrds could end up on 2-3yards. I've seen lifers on 2 yards so they can do it when it suits them. The prisoners won't like it, but it would relieve some of the overcrowding. I was on a lifer reception yard, & some guys had been waiting over a year for a cell to open up on a mainline yard.

Didn't they recently recalculate the point system? Wasn't it changed already?

Here's the way I see it.

F*#% three strikes.
F*%@ the 3 and 4 yard prison building they're considering
F@%* the lawmakers who sheist us into something we think is something else

oh yeah...one more F#*% the big man in the big house...he's the worst of all of them in this state of ours.

Building new prisons isn't doing anything but putting more money into his campaign fund...it's making OUR taxes higher...but since he and his cronies don't PAY taxes (oh...that's a WHOLE OTHER TOPIC, but it's true) then it's not hurting them.

F*$& EM ALL! (that was a good album)

Welcome, welcome! I'm in southern california! Welcome to PTO! You'll find lots of love and support here! --HELEN

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post here. I found this site doing an internet search for information on CA state prisons. Not as easy to get info as you'd think, is it? I'm impressed with this forum and hope to learn more as I go along.

My brother in law is serving his first (I hope last) prison term in the High Desert State Prison. He was processed at DVI and assigned there hoping to join the fire program.

Please bear with me on these questions.

1. My husband (his brother) is so excited that his brother got in the fire program as he thinks it will straighten him out and he can become a fireman when he gets out. Can felons become a California fireman? What have fire program parolees done, if anything, after they get out?

2. Is OZ realistic?

3. What are the real dangers a Level 1 prisoner at this prison can face?

Thanks in advance.

Well-unfortunately Twinky, to answer one of your questions, no, felons can not become fire fighters when they are out. A felon cannot have ANY job working for the government here in good old California, you can't even be a postal worker! My boyfriend did fire camp the first time he was in, and is hoping to do it again. It IS a very good thing to do, if you have the opportunity to do it. It makes your time go by faster, because you're outside a lot and not stuck in a 6x9 all day long-and you get work credits, as at any job in prison, for earlier release. Also, it is the highest paying job you can get, that I know of, in CA state prison, at about $1.00 per hour. I know, it sounds like nothing, and it is, but it's the most you can get. Beats $0.65 per hour. Right? :) Well-anyways, hope this helped a little. And by the way, welcome to the PTO family! You'll find a lot of love and support in here. It's good to have you, my fellow Californian! :) --Helen--

Thanks, Helen! I didn't think a felon could work as a firefighter, but wasn't sure. I will be using this forum to educate my husband's family about these very issues. My mother in law and hubby were so excited about the fire camp, I don't want them having false expectations.

I read on another thread that the tend not to assign the short termers as much to fire Camp. My BIL is in for four years, so will serve two. He has a six month credit so far I think, so may be in a year and a half. I wonder it he will see Fire Camp at all? He just arrived in Susanville last week.

My mother in law doesn't know if she can bear seeing her son in the prison setting. Ditto for my husband. That is their decision to make. Bless her heart, she writes him so often.

Twinky

Pixie I'm not sure thats correct. I had a CO tell me that 2 years after dischargeing your number you can get a government job. They are limited though. This was years ago so things may have changed. I'll have to look into it.

Twinky

No OZ is a TV show & isn't at all realistic compared to all the prisons I've been to in Calif.

As for the dangers, level 1 yards are pretty kick back. I have seen guys stabbed, & beaten on 1 yards, & have been in riots on 1 yards. So the danges are the same on all yards, They just aren't as prevelent as a 4yard. Same things happen on 1 yards as on other yards, just not as often. 99% of guys on one yards have no problems at all.----Ken

Ken,

Thank you for your information. It is very appreciated. When you get a chance, it would be most helpful to clarify the government job issue for California felons.

Another question, how are the gang problems at Susanville compared to other prisons? My BIL is white, but has a dark complexion. He is probably about 5 foot 5, and very handsome. As you can imagine, we have worries of him being raped. Is it an issue, or have I been watching too much Oz?

Twinky

Oh, okay, then in that case, I'd like further info on that too. I very well may be wrong. My info is from Billy, and he may have it wrong too. He just always wanted to be a firefighter, and was dissapointed when told he never could.

Twinky,

I don't want to diminish rape, it does happen. However it is rare. Most prisoners pride themselves in turning a prisoner, & making him perform sex acts on his own. This is usually out of fear, or desperation etc. As long ass he is willing to defend himself, & stand up for himself, he should have no problem.----Ken

This was one of my biggest fears about my son going to prison! RAPE! But, we have talked about it and I have talked to many others about this and they all say that usually those who submit to sex, it is usually because they want too!

My son is 220 and 6'1" and has never had a problem with this kind of behavior!

My Ex was at Susanville for 8 years and he loved it there!

Love
Kathy

Well, my BF just got moved there 3 days ago. He's training for fire camp there, then he should be back down to Norco. But he's a level one. I read on the CDC website it was a primarily higher security prison, but I dunno-he's there. --Helen
P.S. Does anyone know their mail guidelines?

Hey if anyone plans to go and visit anyone in susanville n would like someone to tag along on with em and help with gas then please pm me.

HEY CANDY . WELCOME TO PTO. I HAVE MY BOYFRIEND DOING TIME IN C.V.S.P, BUT I AM NEVEROUS AS HELL HE SUPOSE TO BE COMING HOME NEXT MONTH > BUT WHO KNOWS I ALSO GOT 2 PEN-PAL IN TX PRISON SYSTEM. SO I HERE IF Y WANT TO TALK OKAY>

Just found out I was wrong about what prison he was at-theres a "prison" AND a "conservation camp" in Susanville. Billy's at CCC. :confused: I'm dumb! --Helen

I'm glad to hear that some inmates like it at High Desert. I heard it had no AC and it's in the desert. Our family member was just in the orientation unit and could make only one phone call for the month. I called to get information as he is about to get out and they held it against him at their meeting.

Hi there! He was in HDSP, but is now at CCC, here in lovely old Susanville NOT!!! LOL!!!!!!!

My son is at HDSP, CCC is the fire camp up there in susanville. HDSP is not the fire camp. I have visited up there twice now. I rented a motel in town the first time and visited fri sat and sun nice long visits. As he had been in county for about two years our visits had been short and through glass it was so nice to give him a hug. The next time I went with my guy and we stayed in Reno and I went only on SAT and Sun. Will go again next month. Need to visit as much as possible before the snow hits the ground and the roads are impossible. 350 miles for me. Wish I could go more. I know it means so much.

hi and welcome mu husband is in h.d.s.p in susanville.

We haven't heard from my BIL for awhile. How's the heat and how are they holding up.


Is there more sickness during summer? My BIL got altitude sickness when he first got there as well as high blood pressure. He can't participate in fire camp until his health stabilizes.

Twinky

well i just visited my husband and you can feel the heat already..im not sure about the sickness in the summer but i havent really heard anything...sorry..

Has anyone heard the latest? From now through July 1 there will be no Friday visits! All thanks to Gray Davis and the budget crunches!!!