California Correctional Institution (CCI) is a supermax

state prison This is a list of U.S. state prisons (2010) (not including federal prisons or county jails in the United States or prisons in U.S. territories): * Alabama * Alaska * Arizona * Arkansas * California * Colorado * Connecticut * Delaware ...

in the city of Tehachapi in southern California. CCI is sometimes referred to as "Tehachapi prison" or "Tehachapi".Pepper, Art, and Laurie Pepper. ''Straight Life: The Story of Art Pepper''. Updated ed. New York: Da Capo Press, 1994. As stated by the

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacrame ...

, its overall mission is "to incarcerate and control felons, while providing the opportunity for meaningful work, training and other programs. The prison provides programs for those inmates who are willing to work and participate fully in available programs."

Facilities

Kern County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Tehachapi Highlighted

CCI is in the

Cummings Valley Cummings Valley is in California's Tehachapi Mountains. Cummings Valley was settled by the Kawaiisu people before the arrival of white Americans, largely of Irish origin As of November 2020, the facility's total population was 2983, or 107.2 percent of its design capacity of 2,783.

History

The original California Institution for Women, the first women's facility in California, opened on the site of what is now CCI in 1932. It was sometimes referred to as "Tehachapi", as in the 1940s films '' Maltese Falcon'' and ''

Double Indemnity ''Double Indemnity'' is a 1944 American crime film noir directed by Billy Wilder, co-written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, and produced by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Sistrom. The screenplay was based on James M. Cain's 1943 novel of the same ...

''. The institution was "run for many years independently from the correctional system for men" but beginning in 1944 was gradually brought under the control of the California Department of Corrections. After the 1952 Kern County earthquake on July 21, "made the brick dormitories unsafe", the institution was closed and the 417 prisoners were sent to the new

California Institution for Women California Institution for Women (CIW) is a women's state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California, east of Los Angeles, although the mailing address states "Corona," which is in Riverside County, California. Facil ...

Corona Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to: * Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star * Corona (beer), a Mexican beer * Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...

. The prison was reopened in 1954 as CCI, an all-men's prison. In 1985–1986, maximum and medium security facilities were added to it. The Southern Maximum Security Complex at Tehachapi was "touted as the most advanced in the country", but was also "called a '

white elephant A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, sch ...

' and a 'Cadillac' because it took so long to build and cost so much". Governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...

"directed inmate firefighters and staff from the

", including those from CCI, to help fight the

October 2007 California wildfires The October 2007 California wildfires, also known as the Fall 2007 California firestorm, were a series of about thirty wildfires (17 of which became major wildfires) that began igniting across Southern California on October 20. At least 1,500 h ...

In popular culture

The women's prison has been frequently mentioned in popular film and radio, particularly during the noir era. * '' The Maltese Falcon'' (1941) * ''

'' (1944) * ''

Nocturne A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. History The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...

'' (1946) * '' The Postman Always Rings Twice'' (1946) * ''

Out of the Past ''Out of the Past'' (billed in the United Kingdom as ''Build My Gallows High'') is a 1947 film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Daniel Mainwaring (using the pseu ...

'' (1947) * '' The Hunted'' (1948) * '' Criss Cross'' (1949) * ''

The Story of Molly X ''The Story of Molly X'' is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Crane Wilbur and starring June Havoc, John Russell and Dorothy Hart. The screenplay concerns a woman who tries to reform after being sent to prison, but faces obstacles ...

'' (1949) * '' 1001 Rabbit Tales'' (1982) * ''The Black Echo'', 1991 * ''

Duckman ''Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man'' is an American adult animated sitcom that aired on the USA Network from March 5, 1994, through September 6, 1997. It was created and developed by Everett Peck, and is based on characters he created in his 19 ...

'' episode title "Noir Gang"'' (1996) * ''

Inherent Vice ''Inherent Vice'' is a novel by American author Thomas Pynchon, originally published in August 2009. A darkly comic detective novel set in 1970s California, the plot follows sleuth Larry "Doc" Sportello whose ex-girlfriend asks him to investigat ...

'' by Thomas Pynchon (page 106 (Italian translation)) (2009) * '' Dragnet'' radio drama series * Wanda Jackson, "There's a Riot Goin' On" rock-a-billy recording

Notable inmates

Inez Brown Burns Inez Brown Burns (1886-1976) was an underground abortion provider and socialite in San Francisco. She created an extensive West Coast abortion network in the United States, which catered to a range of clients in the early 20th century. It is estim ...

(1886-1976), socialite convicted of performing illegal abortions; served 2 years and 7 months. *

Joseph Danks Joseph Martin Danks (born June 17, 1962), known as The Koreatown Slasher, is an American spree killer and serial killer who killed six homeless men in January 1987 in Los Angeles' Koreatown neighborhood. Convicted of the six killings and sent to ...

(born 1962), serial killer convicted of killing six women; was later transferred to

San Quentin State Prison San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...

for killing a cellmate. *

Barbara Graham Barbara Elaine "Bonnie" Wood Graham (née Ford; June 26, 1923 – June 3, 1955) was an American criminal convicted of murder. She was executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin Prison on the same day as two convicted accomplices, Jack Santo and E ...

(1923-1955), murderer; later transferred to San Quentin State Prison and was executed. *

Philip Joseph Hughes Jr. Philip Joseph Hughes Jr. (born ) known as The East Bay Strangler, is an American convicted serial killer. He killed at least three young women in Contra Costa County throughout the 1970s with the help of his ex-wife, Suzanne Perrin. He is cu ...

(born 1948), serial killer * John William Kelley (born 1963), serial killer and rapist. *

Blake Leibel On May 26, 2016, Iana Kasian was found dead in the apartment that she had shared with her fiancé in West Hollywood. Blake Leibel, her fiancé, was convicted of first-degree murder, torture and aggravated mayhem on June 20, 2018. On June 26, 2018 ...

(born 1981), former

graphic novelist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and g ...

convicted of murdering his Ukrainian fiancé Iana Kasian in 2016 *

Madge Meredith Madge Meredith (born Marjorie May Massow; July 15, 1921 – September 16, 2017) was an American film actress who appeared in numerous films and television series between 1944 and 1964. However, she may have been best known for her wrongful convi ...

(1921-2017), actress wrongfully convicted of kidnapping; was released in 1951. *

Gerald Parker Gerald Parker (born 1955) is an American serial killer who raped and murdered five women in Orange County, California. A sixth victim, who was pregnant at the time of the attack, survived, but her child was delivered stillborn. The crimes took p ...

(born 1955), serial killer; sentenced prior to his killings for rape, robbery, and assault while admitted; was released in 1987. *

Robert Motley The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

Murder and grand theft auto, 1988 escaped the Maximum Security yard Level 4A during the change of shift. He wore a correctional Officers uniform complete with Badge and walked out of the prison surrounded by guards. * Kellen Winslow II, sex offender; On November 4, 2019, Winslow pleaded guilty to the rape of an unconscious teen and sexual battery on a 54-year-old hitchhiker as part of a plea deal. In exchange for his guilty plea at San Diego County Superior Court, the court agreed to sentence him to between 12 and 18 years in prison.

Notable staff

David Scott Milton David Scott Milton (September 15, 1934 – January 13, 2020) was an American author, playwright, screenwriter, and actor. His plays are known for their theatricality, wild humor, and poetic realism, while his novels and films are darker and more ...

(1934-2020), author who ran a writer's workshop at the institution from 1991-2004

References

External links

California Correctional Institution Official website

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Official website
{{Authority control 1954 establishments in California Prisons in California Buildings and structures in Kern County, California