Calif. To Convert Women's Prison To Hold Male Inmates

CHOWCHILLA (AP) — California will convert a Central Valley women's prison to a facility for low- and medium-security male inmates as part of a sweeping statewide plan to send lower-level criminals to local jails instead of state lockups.

Corrections officials said Friday that many women meet the requirements to serve their time locally, reducing the number of female state inmates nearly 40 percent in the next 18 months.

That means the Valley State Prison for Women will no longer be needed to hold the nearly 3,200 inmates currently there. It is one of two women's prisons in Chowchilla.

By July 2013, the prison will be converted to hold male inmates.

The conversion also will reduce overcrowded conditions in other prisons, helping the state comply with a federal court order.

(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press)