Avenal State Prison

Facilities

The structures on ASP's 640 acre include "17 open dorm buildings, six 200-bed open dorm E-bed buildings, six converted gymnasiums, a 100-cell administrative segregation unit, and a 10-bed firehouse." It is a "low-medium security" or "Level II" prison with "open dormitories with secure perimeter fences and armed coverage." Inmate programs include: Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, SAP, autobody, metal fabrication, plumbing and electrical, PIA furniture, warehouse and egg production.

Population, staffing and budget

As of fiscal year 2006/2007, ASP had 1,603 staff and an annual budget of $136 million. its September 2007 occupancy rate was 259.7%.

As of April 30, 2020, Avenal was incarcerating people at 143.7% of its design capacity, with 4,197 occupants.

History

In the early 1980s, "almost everyone" in the town of Avenal desired the prison to be built to improve the economic status of the town. It was reportedly "the first prison to be solicited by a local community."

Despite some opposition, and groundbreaking occurred in December 1985. The first inmates arrived in January 1987.

According to newspaper articles, the original name of the prison was "California Correctional Institution at Avenal", which the Kings County Board of Supervisors changed to "Avenal State Prison" in December 1987. According to the CDCR Web site, ASP "was originally known as Kings County State Prison. On February 22, 1988, it was officially named Avenal State Prison."

In 2001, a trap–neuter–return program was begun for feral cats that had lived on the prison grounds since it was built. ASP officials stopped the program (in February 2005) due to a perceived lack of effectiveness. Subsequently, "the prison traps cats and volunteers are allowed to pick them up at the prison."

In 2005/2006, ASP and Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) 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.

The receiver of the California state prison health care system blamed three deaths among ASP inmates in December 2006 on a "complete breakdown in medical care coverage."

As of October 31, 2020, Avenal State Prison had seen 2,881 cases of COVID-19 and 8 deaths.

Notable inmates

• Robert John Bardo (born 1970) – the murderer of Rebecca Schaeffer
• Gerald Parker (born 1955) – serial killer; was held during trial
• Billy Preston (1946–2006) – musician sentenced for cocaine possession, violation of probation, and insurance fraud
• Robert Chan (born 1975) – one of the murderers of Stuart Tay. Serving a Life Sentence.

References

References

1. "Daily Report of Population".
2. CDCR. "CDCR - Avenal State Prison (ASP)".
3. Avenal State Prison (ASP). (2009). "Mission Statement". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
4. link. (2007-12-14 15 Oct 2007.)
5. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. [http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/Offender_Information_Services_Branch/Monthly/TPOP1A/TPOP1Ad0709.pdf Monthly Report of Population as of Midnight September 30, 2007.] {{Webarchive. link. (October 26, 2008)
6. (April 30, 2020). "California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Monthly Report of Population As of Midnight April 30, 2020".
7. Walters, Dan. A Town That Wants Prison. ''[[The Sacramento Bee]]'', May 12, 1985.
8. Governor [[George Deukmejian]] signed a bill into law in September 1985 to authorize "$117 million from existing prison construction funds to build the prison",Deukmejian signs prison construction bills. ''[[Daily Breeze]]'' (Torrance, CA), September 25, 1985.
9. Geissinger, Steve. Avenal gives new prison project keys to the city. ''[[Daily Breeze]]'' (Torrance, CA), December 19, 1985.
10. State's First New Prison in 22 Years Opens in Avenal. ''[[The Mercury News. San Jose Mercury News]]'', January 29, 1987.
11. Good, Bob. Kings County Renames Avenal Prison. ''[[The Fresno Bee]]'', December 24, 1987.
12. Brazil, Eric. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2001/09/09/MN46428.DTL&type=news A death sentence handed down to a prison colony of feral felines is commuted to life -- and sterilization.] ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', September 9, 2001.
13. Jimenez, Sarah. [http://www.alleycat.org/prison.html Prison cat program declawed; fur flies: Avenal's feral felines were humanely trapped, neutered and freed.]{{Dead link. (May 2019)
14. The organization Feral Paws Rescue continues to advocate for reinstatement of the trap–neuter–return program.[http://www.feral-paws-rescue.com Feral Paws Rescue page.] {{Webarchive. link. (2019-01-03 Accessed 11 Nov 2007.)
15. Pappagianis, Demosthenes, and the Coccidioidomycosis Serology Laboratory (2007). [https://www.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1406.011 Coccidioidomycosis in California State Correctional Institutions.] ''Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences'' 1111 (1), 103–111.
16. Furillo, Andy. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070821114609/http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/328044.html Prison report cites valley fever risks. Construction may release spores that cause disease, increasing inmates' cases.] ''[[The Sacramento Bee]]'', August 16, 2007.
17. Schultz, E.J. [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/876981/care_of_avenal_inmates_blasted_crowded_prison_gives_poor_health/index.html Care of Avenal inmates blasted: Crowded prison gives poor health coverage, state medical czar says.] ''[[The Fresno Bee]]'', March 21, 2007.
18. {{usurped
19. Edinger, Marie. (2020-10-31). "8th inmate dies of coronavirus at Avenal State Prison".
20. "CDCR Public Inmate Locator Disclaimer".
21. "Billy Preston, 59, Organist Charted Funky Hits".