Inside The Walls Of The Calipatria State Prison

Desert Local News/ Fronteras takes you on an inside tour of the Calipatria State Prison located in the Imperial Valley .

[MSW]

i VISIT MY HUSBAND THERE AND VISITORS ARE HARRASSED AND TREATED AS IF THEY ARE INMATES AS WELL; EVEN THOSE THAT FOLLOW THE RULES. IT IS REALLY SAD TO SEE SO MANY MEN JUST WASTING THEIR LIVES SERVING TIME AT CALIPATRIA.

[MAC]

I VISIT MY HUSBAND THERE AND I HATE HOW INMATES AND THERE LOVED ONES ARE TREATED! IT'S A SAD SIGHT AND I HATE GOING THERE. IT WAS MY FIRST VISIT AND IT WAS HORRIBLE. I FEEL FOR THESE INMATES AND WISH THAT IT COULD CHANGE FOR THEM. JUST BE PREPARED IF YOU GO TO VISIT YOUR LOVED ONE FOR A HORRIBLE TIME TRYING TO GET IN.

[Donna L]

So true. I visit my son who has been there the last 4 years. The staff are a piece of work. I told one of the gards as she was checking me in and giving me a bad time that," really there weren't any rules, that it all depended on who was doing the checking, what kind of mood they were in and if they had gotten any the night before."Needless to say she tried to check me & my daughter in each time after that so she could send us back for one reason or another. I just plan on having to change clother so I always bring the world. I have only NOT been sent back once. They truly treat the visitors worse than the inmates.

[nancy]

no one knoew what goes on behind the prison walls but the inmates themself the guard are full of it they treat the inmates like crap i believe but just remember that what goes around comes around no mater what mistakes people do no one leaves without paying god

[Sheree]

I understand your feelings (the 4 posted before me), but you have to remember that it is prison and that it's not meant to be a nice place. I totally don't believe that the guards should treat people just any kind of way but whatever way they choose it should be consistant. Therefore I know what to expect. However, the inmates made a choice to go left instead of right and now they have to pay the consequences. If they wanted to continue to live the 'good life', then they should have thought about it before committing the crime. I don't want to offend anyone, but you can't go through life hurting people and don't expect nothing to come back to you eventually. It's not fair. To: Nancy....you're right at the end of the day we have to give account to God only and that goes for everyone including the guards that are being rude.

[sharon]

its not just that prison either califorcia correctional institution is horrible i was actually physically assulted when i went to visit there one day last year ended up with a concussion and all i was told was oh sorry we thought you were someone else,our family members may have broke the law but we the visitors did not

[Piss off wife]

[I would like to say, some of the inmates there, should not be there. Not all are bad. So don't get it twisted. And yes, I understand it's a prison, and prison should not be a cake walk, but they are human beings too.(Those that have been misunderstood). And yes, some of the guards are full of themselves. You must respect them, but what about our respect. I'm just a visitor. The inmates don't have a voice, we must be their voice. We should take a stand and call higher headquaters. So my little advice is to stop complainting about it, be about it. And yes, only my Heavenly Father can Judge us. GOD bless you all

[brenda]

My grandson is doing 25 to life @ salinas Valley and I know in the last 4 yrs its always the same. they find something wrong. Last visit the problem was we cannot wear two rings or a necklace unless it has a cross on it. I have no problem with my rings and necklace until last visit. I agree it happen at all the Prisons.

[Juan]

Unfortunately, prisons are not not places and are meant to be unpleasant. We are not in there for being good, but for commiting crimes against humanity and breaking laws set forth by the People. We are given every opportunity to prove our innocense and we are judged by our peers. Every story has two sides and times we only hear one.
In this country our prisoners live in comfort compared to other countries. In Asian countries if you are charged a drug offense you will be sentenced to death and remain shackled until that day should arrive. Theives hands are cut off in 3rd world countries, and in some countries it is illegal to even drink.
It costs taxpayers approximately $80,000 per inmate per year to support them while they are supposedly incarcerated and being rehabilitated.
2 out of 3 inmates serving prison time will return.
I know being treated without respect when you visit an inmate is awful, but we are not used to the prison life. Yes we are disrespected but that goes with prison life and we should be glad we do not have to visit them in a foreign prison where you have to sit on a hard bench, talking through a barbed wire fence in the rain.
God Bless