Inmates work on cove restoration

Crystal Cove has found an interesting ally to help restore its historic district ? prison inmates.

Convicts from the Prado Conservation Camp in Chino are a major labor force in the restoration effort, working hard to build retaining walls, clear paths and do heavy lifting. Unlike chain gangs depicted in films like “Cool Hand Luke,” the inmate labor force are trained, nonviolent offenders used to restore state parks during the off-season and fight wild land fires during the summer.

“The amount of work they do would cost the public a lot of money and take a lot of time, and they come in and whip it out in a day or two,” State Parks Orange Coast District Superintendent Ken Kramer said.

Inmates have performed work at Crystal Cove for more than 25 years, but the men are playing a more noticeable role as they help restore the coastal park’s historic district.

The park is finishing up a $14-million restoration project of the 10 overnight cottages and three dormitory-style cottages, meticulously decorated to reflect the villa’s Depression-era roots.

Kramer said inmate crews were not working on the cottages, but on access to the areas. The inmates do a lot of brush clearing, landscape work and native plant restoration, he said.

“We typically use them in areas where there is minimal public interface,” he said, adding that inmates are not used during the summer months. Whenever inmates are working in the area, signs are posted to warn hikers and visitors.

“We never had a problem with them in all the years they’ve been here,” Kramer said. All inmates wear identifying uniforms and are guarded by peace officers with the State Park’s Department.

California has used prison labor to fight wild land fires since 1942. During World War II, the California Department of Forestry was desperate for firefighters and employed the state’s prison population to battle the blazes.

Participating prisoners must be nonviolent offenders, and most are in for drug and property crimes. Sex offenders, murderers, child abusers, kidnappers and violent criminals are not allowed.

“And obviously arsonists, we don’t like to have arsonists at our camps,” said Capt. John Peck, who oversees the California Department of Correction’s camp system.

Peck said 42 camps operate throughout the state, with none based in Orange County. Most are trained in firefighting techniques and given physical fitness preparations.

The goal of the camp system is to rehabilitate prisoners with job skills, and the California Department of Forestry hires some inmates after their release. Peck said he’s seen some ex-cons rise to the rank of captain for the forestry department.

“The biggest thing that this program does is teach work ethic,” he said. “Inmates used to have some skills. Nowadays, we’re getting a lot of inmates who have no skills at all. They’ve never done a ? thing in their lives.”

Inmates also receive the highest sentence credits in the correctional system when serving at camps: They get two days off their sentence for every one day served. Plus, the minimum security camps have a much less stronger gang presence than the state prison system.

“It’s a lot better to be at the camp than to serve time in the joint,” Peck said.

QUESTION

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