United States Penitentiary - Lompoc

[TragicsLady]

My man was moved to a federal Prison ( USP lompoc ) bout 8 months ago, things got real rocky of him being moved over 850 miles away but now things are getting better and I dont know anything about where he's at..So if anyone has info on this instutute, Thank you so much.... I would love to be able to send him some books and stuff for Christmas and his birthday...so Any ideas ?????

[cysreese]

TragicsLady,

Hope this info helps.

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1795

http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles...ews/news16.txt

http://www.bop.gov//locations/instit...isit_hours.pdf

http://www.bop.gov//locations/instit.../lof/index.jsp

[TragicsLady]

Thank you cysreese for all the sites hopefully I'll get some new info lol

[masterP]

I have been reading over all the postings and the information on these two camps is not current.

Does anyone have advice and knowlege of what it is like at each of these two camps at the present time? Not that you get a choice but my lawyer tells me I can request it.
Thanks for the help.

[sandra8376]

Check the federal forum & you should be able to find people who have loved ones at these institutions. I have a penpal at Lompoc FPC, but he just moved there so I really don't know much yet.

[fcilompoc]

I didnt receive a phone call I was supposed to get yesterday..
Can someone tell me if anything is going on at FCI Lompoc that
would prevent him from calling?

[Zelda50]

Yes, I heard that, on Monday, there was an inmate fight at Lompoc FCI (low). One inmate was taken to the hospital. All three facilities were locked down, so no phone calls or visits.

[fcilompoc]

Thank you so much for letting me know. I've been so worried yesterday and today trying to figure out what is wrong. That's makes me feel better, now that I know what is going on.

Originally Posted by Zelda50

Yes, I heard that, on Monday, there was an inmate fight at Lompoc FCI (low). One inmate was taken to the hospital. All three facilities were locked down, so no phone calls or visits.

[Sistah]

It's now Wednesday and haven't heard a thing for two days. Anyone have any latest news on Lompoc?
Thanks.
Sistah

[fcilompoc]

I haven't heard anything either since Monday. I found this article in the Lompoc Record which explains what happened:...

Three inmates hurt in prison fight

By Luis Ernesto Gomez/Staff Writer

The low-security section of the U.S. Penitentiary in Lompoc remained locked down Wednesday after three inmates suffered minor injuries in a fight Sunday night, a prison spokesman said.
The lockdown will continue until an investigation is completed, spokesman Erwin Meinberg said.
No staff members were injured, he added.

Meinberg declined to release the names of the inmates and the extent of their injuries, but said they were treated at the Lompoc District Hospital and released shortly after.

Several inmates were involved in a series of fights that broke out at two of the housing units in the low-security section around 10:45 p.m. Sunday, he said.

“As a precautionary measure, the low- and medium-security institutions were placed on lockdown,” he said. The medium-security area was taken off lockdown Tuesday, he added.

Meinberg declined to release details of the incident, including how many inmates were involved and whether any makeshift weapons were used and said officials “have an idea of what happened, but it's under investigation.”

During a lockdown, inmates are not allowed out of their “housing units,” and their work and educational programs are temporarily suspended, he explained.

He said the Lompoc complex has three different levels of security - minimal, low and medium.

The most recent riot at the Lompoc complex happened in June 2003 when a group of inmates allegedly attacked prison staff - including correctional officers, food employees and a chaplain - and caused more than $20,000 of property damage, according to newspaper accounts at the time.

Federal prosecutors reportedly charged eight prisoners with rioting, assaulting federal officers and destruction of federal property.

April 3 also marked 10 years after an inmate allegedly killed a correctional officer at the complex in 1997.

Inmate Roy Green allegedly used a makeshift knife to kill Scott Williams, 29, during a fight that also injured four other officers.

Prosecution in Green's case is still pending.

Luis Ernesto Gomez can be reached at 739-2218, or lgomez@

lompocrecord.com

May 31, 2007

Originally Posted by Sistah

It's now Wednesday and haven't heard a thing for two days. Anyone have any latest news on Lompoc?
Thanks.
Sistah

[fcilompoc]

Has anyone gotten a phone call yet from FCI Lompoc?

[Sistah]

they are still on lockdown...that is no visiting this weekend. At least that is what I heard. I have received my calls, though guarded. Do hope that you hear soon.
Sistah

[haley657]

Does anyone know if Lompoc camp phones are on yesterday or today?

[Archie999]

FCI Lompoc Low


ABSTRACT


Located near Santa Maria, CA on a breezy southern Pacific peninsula adjacent to the Vandenberg Airforce Base, The Lompoc Federal prison complex maintains a Medium/High security compound referred to as the “New Rock”, a Low security compound and an ancillary out-custody satellite camp. The three different compounds are all physically separated from each other. There is no mixing of populations between the three facilities.

The Low security compound at FCI Lompoc houses about 1,000 inmates in four separate housing units. Inmate population at the Low security compound is comprised of: 65% Spanish, 15% Black, 10% White and 10% Pacific Islander or other mixed races. Lompoc Low maintains controlled movements Monday through Friday and an open campus on weekends. The Spanish control the yard with their overwhelming numbers. The following narrative is based on my recent 2007 experience at the Low security compound only.

WEATHER


Located on an elbow peninsula in southern California, morning weather in Lompoc is generally cool, breezy, damp, foggy and overcast. Average morning temperatures range from 50 – 60 degrees under cloudy skies although the climate plummets during the winter months. After the morning fog burns off, average daily temperatures range from 75 – 90 degrees under bright sunny skies with cooler temperatures in the winter months. Overall, the weather is pleasant with no humidity however it can at times be overly chilly and breezy given proximity to the ocean.


HOUSING UNITS


A-Unit: Very old three story building without air-conditioning. A-Unit contains the following:

• Three TV rooms in the basement - one each for blacks, Spanish & whites
• Laundry in the basement – waiting lines for washers & dryers = 15 to 20 bags, 1 – 2 hours at any given time. It is well worth it to hire someone to do your laundry for $10 per month.
• Staff offices in the basement
• Health services on first floor
• Second floor contains open bay (ie: locker/bed, locker/bed – no cubicles) living quarters at both ends of the floor. The middle of the floor contains eight-man rooms, TV & microwave rooms and two bathrooms each with five showers, five toilets, four urinals and six sinks. Waiting lines for toilets and showers are common.
• Third floor is identical to second floor.

B-Unit: Almost identical to A-Unit with open bay living quarters and eight-man rooms on floors 1-3 with TV & laundry in the basement. No air-conditioning.

K-Unit: Single story, more modern building with open bay living quarters and no air-conditioning.

J-Unit: Single story, more modern building with open bay living quarters and no air-conditioning. J-Unit houses inmates enrolled in the Residential Drug Assistance Program (RDAP).

Inner Compound: Outdoor open area with telephones, card tables and four TV’s under a roofed pavilion.

FOOD & COMMISSARY


Food is good with baked or BBQ chicken and hamburgers once per week. Breakfast is usually the worst meal of the day commonly consisting of dry cereal, boiled eggs, grits and toast. Commissary is good with a wide variety of foods, beverages and necessities. NO tobacco.

UNICOR – PRISON INDUSTRIES


Lompoc Low maintains a UNICOR Prison Industries Sign Factory. As of 2007, there is a two year waiting list for new inmates seeking UNICOR work with UNICOR pay. Inmates with previous UNICOR experience are generally expedited ahead of new inmates.

NON-UNICOR EMPLOYMENT


There is a scarcity of work at Lompoc Low. There are too many inmates and too little work. All inmates are assigned employment 7 hours per day but that job may require only five minutes of actual work. Most inmates listen to their radios or play cards while at work. Compound Maintenance Services (CMS) and Food Service are the largest work groups.

IMMIGRATION


Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintains an Immigration & Naturalization Services (INS) center and court at the Low. Inmates with US residency issues are processed weekly at the INS center.

RELIGION


Religious services are offered weekly in a beautiful chapel containing cathedral ceilings and stained glass windows. The church is stunning for a prison chapel.

RECREATION


Lompoc Low maintains the best recreational facilities I have seen during my tenure in the BOP and include the following:

Outdoor Facilities: Free-weights & nautilis equipment !!!!!!! Lompoc Low is one of the few institutions in the BOP that still has weights. Outdoor facilities also include softball fields, soccer fields, tennis, basketball, running track, racquetball (very popular), horseshoes and bocce.


Indoor Facilities: Indoor gymnasium, basketball court, exercise bicycles, pool tables, music room with acoustic & electric guitars and drums available for inmates, audio-visual room with CD’s and CD players also available for inmates


LIBRARY & EDUCATION

The library contains a fair collection of leisure reading materials, books, magazines, newspapers, typewriters and legal resources. Inmate legal clerks provide guidance in the library but most legal work must be done by inmates themselves.

The Low maintains a mandatory GED program for inmates without High School diplomas. Inmates serve as teachers and instructors in the GED program. College correspondence and college degree courses are offered but inmates are responsible for all tuition, fees, books and expenses unless a tuition waiver can be obtained. As of 2007, staff did not allow inmates to receive many of the required college textbooks.

CONTRABAND


There is no alcohol or drugs at the Low and only a little smuggled tobacco. Prison tattoos provided with beard trimmer motors, metal guitar string needles and homemade ink are very popular.

VIOLENCE


Violence is common at Lompoc Low with monthly and weekly fist-fights between clashing inmates. Like many other federal prisons, violence is not random but rather retaliatory for violations of the informal, unspoken inmate code-of-conduct.

CONCLUSION


Lompoc Low is a good place to do federal time IF you can keep yourself busy with recreational activities such as weightlifting and racquetball. It is impossible to stay busy at Lompoc Low by only working a daily job and watching TV. The different races co-habit well however the Spanish control the compound with their majority population. The Spanish are political but ultimately very practical and reasonable. There is nothing they won't barter or bargain for.

[Csmcgrl23]

Thanks for sharing, my man was there and I'm glad he isn't anymore!!! Visiting there was very stressful getting past the Ion Scanner and a few CO's were really rude but it is what it is...I didn't know about fights and all that till after he got out...he kept that part from me the entire time he was locked up. Thanks for sharing!!!

[gotcott]

Arhie 999,thank you so much for this very realistic and accurate account of Fed life in californias facilities, it is a validation which puts to bed much conjecture of those not privy to the difference in Californias Fed institutions and there politics. I hope those in the future will be more aware of the facts and rely on the relevance of first hand accounts in which you have provided and revere them accordingly,Thanx again! Gotcott

[noname10]

Welcome to PTO and thanks for the information on the facility. There have been quite a few members going to Lompoc and this will be good information to have on the board.

[newbie2006]

Does Anyone Have A Detailed Account Like This One For The Camp???

[gotcott]

Originally Posted by noname10

Welcome to PTO and thanks for the information on the facility. There have been quite a few members going to Lompoc and this will be good information to have on the board.

Pretty much the same only no fences and a few more more privelages or freedoms, The fed is the Fed wherever you are, there are varied differencs but not much it's the facilities and thier varied which way the wind blows around standard policies that are good for that moment or staff next shift or facility different atmosphere different mood the next. Gotcott

[naijames007]

Hi, Can you tell me what the phone situation is like? I registered with CBS prior to my friend being sent there on 10/2/07 and i haven't heard from him? Do calls get placed through inmate accounts or would you know of another call service?
Thank you for the extensive information!

[naijames007]

Hello! I can't answer you Q but my friend was transferred out there on 10/2 and i still have not heard from him?
Can you post when you hear something? I'll do the same.
Thanks

[Csmcgrl23]

P would purchase minutes and call me pre-paid. He would only call collect if he had no money on his books. I never had to set up my phone with any kind of service and when he called pre-paid he could call any of my phones, home, cell and work (direct line). It's actually much cheaper for them to purchase the minutes...it's like $69 for 300 minutes, it's at least twice that if they only call collect. I know lots of inmates that just purchase the minutes as they are using them...I think it helps keep track of how many minutes they have left.

[curlyhead]

That was a great , insightful glimpse into lompoc low, I am sure many will benefit from this info> thanks! I wish we had a section ; where x inmates posted a review of the facility they were at for the ohters that will be going there!!!THANKS!

[haley657]

Which camp is he is?
The phones are working as far as I know but I don't think he would be able to call this quickly if he just got there on the 2nd.

[naijames007]

Shoot I didn't know there were several camps? Everytime i call the CO/admin isn't helpful at all.....So you don't think he'dbe able to call yet?
Question for you. How do the phones work? Do i have to sign up to a service to accept calls or can he pay them with money on his books?
Thank you for all your help!