A Superior Court judge has ruled the state may proceed with its plan to convert the Valley State Prison for Women into a male facility.
The conversion was previously put on hold while the court considered a legal challenge by the city of Chowchilla.
In January the city asked the court to compel the state to conduct an environmental impact study, before moving ahead with its plan, to determine what effect the proposed conversion would have on its community. Female prisoners also objected on the grounds they would lose valuable rehabilitation opportunities in the transfers.
Madera County Supervisor David Rogers told the Merced Sun there is concern the wives and girlfriends of male prisoners relocated to the prison would follow them there, causing an increased strain on community resources.
State prison officials claim there is no need for a study though, and argue the conversion only moves inmates around and does not impose any new burden upon the community.
Many women have already been moved in preparation for the planned influx of male prisoners. According to the Fresno Bee 100 male inmates were moved into the prison on Oct. 11.
Conversion of the prison will force the state to re-house the remaining women in one of the state’s other two women’s facilities, which are already operating beyond design capacity.
The state is currently under a federal court order to reduce its prison population to 137.5 percent of design capacity by June 30, 2013. Federal judges in September denied a state request to modify that order.
The Superior Court ruled the need to comply with the federal court order trumped the city’s immediate concerns. Another hearing is scheduled on Dec. 7 to determine whether the state will have to proceed with a review of the conversion’s impact.
