| Wayside Honor Rancho 1956 |
Picture taken 1956. Construction
of "Max" has started just East of
Minimum. For more picture click
here.
of "Max" has started just East of
Minimum. For more picture click
here.
The following article, written by
Captain Ambrose Stewart,
Commanding Officer, Wayside Rancho,
appeared in the February 1956 edition
of the Los Angeles County Employees
Magazine.
Captain Ambrose Stewart,
Commanding Officer, Wayside Rancho,
appeared in the February 1956 edition
of the Los Angeles County Employees
Magazine.
Today, this modern correctional institution is situated in
the center of a 2900 acre rancho, located 42 miles
northwest of Los Angeles Civic Center. It now houses
over 1,300 inmates with a paid personnel of 176
employees. Three degrees of security are maintained;
Minimum Security of 750 honor-type inmates who work
in agriculture, maintenance and other activities requiring
a minimum of supervision; a Segregated Minimum
Security of 350 - inmates in this segregated compound
are heroin addicts or peddlers. They are kept isolated
from the other inmates in minimize the possibility of
recruiting new narcotic prospects upon release. A
dormitory and two cell-blocks hold 200 men in Maximum
Security. These inmates are not considered proper
custodial risks for Minimum Security-type incarceration.
A new wing will be built as an addition to this present
unit. This enlargement will raise the total Maximum
Security capacity of Wayside Rancho to 600 men.
Here again Sheriff Biscailuz is pioneering in the design of
a Maximum Security Jail. Planned by a special Jail
Planning Committee under the immediate direction of
Undersheriff Peter Pitchess and Chief M.F. Nuremberg,
the new unit will consist of 12 dormitories, each housing
50 men.
It is the Sheriff's opinion that while steel bars and
clanging steel doors retard rehabilitation, security must
not be sacrificed. This new unit will be one of country's
most escape-proof prisons.
the center of a 2900 acre rancho, located 42 miles
northwest of Los Angeles Civic Center. It now houses
over 1,300 inmates with a paid personnel of 176
employees. Three degrees of security are maintained;
Minimum Security of 750 honor-type inmates who work
in agriculture, maintenance and other activities requiring
a minimum of supervision; a Segregated Minimum
Security of 350 - inmates in this segregated compound
are heroin addicts or peddlers. They are kept isolated
from the other inmates in minimize the possibility of
recruiting new narcotic prospects upon release. A
dormitory and two cell-blocks hold 200 men in Maximum
Security. These inmates are not considered proper
custodial risks for Minimum Security-type incarceration.
A new wing will be built as an addition to this present
unit. This enlargement will raise the total Maximum
Security capacity of Wayside Rancho to 600 men.
Here again Sheriff Biscailuz is pioneering in the design of
a Maximum Security Jail. Planned by a special Jail
Planning Committee under the immediate direction of
Undersheriff Peter Pitchess and Chief M.F. Nuremberg,
the new unit will consist of 12 dormitories, each housing
50 men.
It is the Sheriff's opinion that while steel bars and
clanging steel doors retard rehabilitation, security must
not be sacrificed. This new unit will be one of country's
most escape-proof prisons.
Approximately 650 acres produce alfalfa, permanent pasture, vegetables, fruit and grain. A 40-acre truck garden
produces, in season, all the vegetables needed by Wayside Honor Rancho and Mira Loma. The fruit orchard produces
peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums and figs. Two hundred and fifty acres of alfalf is grown and used for both green
feed and for hay. Two hundred acres of permanent pasture is used for feeding the 225 beef cattle and over 200 dairy
cows. Grain is planted in areas which cannot be irrigated.
Wayside's very modern hog ranch, with approximately 700 head of hogs, is reputed to be the cleanest such installation
in California.
An inmate-operated dairy supplies all the milk for Wayside Honor Rancho, Mira Loma, the County Jail, Biscailuz
Center, Warm Springs Camp, Acton Camp, Probation Camp #4, and Terminal Island facility. Its dairy herd,
according to the University of California, has less mastitis, a disease of the udder, than any dairy herd in the State - a
record of which the Sheriff is justly proud.
A prize beef herd supplies beef for the County Jail, Mira Loma and Wayside Honor Rancho. Slaughtering is by
contract in San Fernando.
Approximately 200 head of sheep help to keep the weeds down along the roads and fences and provide wool for sale
and meat for the table.
Nine water wells pump water for domestic and irrigation purposes into three 800,000 gallon reservoirs. Irrigation by
overhead sprinklers saves water and is very efficient.
Eight craftsmen from the Mechanical Department provide supervision to attend to the maintenance of the buildings
and most of the equipment. Agricultural equipment is maintained and operated by inmates under supervision of
Sheriff's employees.
One of the principal services provided the Sheriff's Department by the maintenance crews is the refinishing of
furniture for the entire Department, which results in considerable saving for the taxpayer.
Six dormitories provide private rooms for 71 employees who live on the property. Eight residences are rented to
employee families.
The bakery supplies Wayside Honor Rancho, the County Jail, Mira Loma, Terminal Island, Biscailuz Center, Warm
Springs Camp, Acton Camp, and Probation Camp #4 with bread and sweet rolls. Over sixty thousand loaves of bread
are baked each month using paid supervision and inmate crews.
For inmates, an athletic program provides equipment for softball, basketball, handball, football, volley ball, weight
lifting, boxing, horseshoes, ping pong and other activities.
A Hobby and Handicraft program, under the direction of the Care and Treatment section, Sheriff's Department, is
supplied with both power and hand tools for making articles of wood, leather, metal and plastics. A Rehabilitation
Work Shop Manager designs and supervises the construction of various occupational therapy items which are donated
to hospitals and charity groups to aid in the rehabilitation of their patients. Toys are repaired and painted for the
County Loan Division of the Probation Department.
Hobbycraft items made by the inmates in their spare time are sold to visitors and the profits credited to the inmate's
account. This provides him with funds for necessary toilet articles, tobacco and stationery and for money when he is
released. Inmates receive no pay for their assigned work.
Movies once each week are provided and a projection-type television supply the inmates with all televised sporting
events and other items of interest.
An excellent Chapel and a full-time Chaplain provide for the spiritual needs of the inmates. All denominations are
represented. Services are held every day or evening in the week by outside church groups.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held once each week with outside leadership and all meetings are well attended.
The Library, which is a branch of the Los Angeles County Library, has the largest circulation per capita served by
any library in the County. Approximately one-third of the books drawn are non-fiction and range from astronomy to
"How to do it" books on home repairs. A full-time Librarian and a Bookmobile Librarian are employed by the
Library Department.
The royalty from 31 oil wells drilled by the Texas Company helps keep the tax rate down by providing approximately
3/4 of a million dollars per year to the County General Fund. This money is used to buy and maintain our system of
parks and playgrounds.
County employees are welcome to visit Wayside Honor Rancho by appointment and see how Sheriff Biscailuz is
rebuilding men who may be your neighbor.
produces, in season, all the vegetables needed by Wayside Honor Rancho and Mira Loma. The fruit orchard produces
peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums and figs. Two hundred and fifty acres of alfalf is grown and used for both green
feed and for hay. Two hundred acres of permanent pasture is used for feeding the 225 beef cattle and over 200 dairy
cows. Grain is planted in areas which cannot be irrigated.
Wayside's very modern hog ranch, with approximately 700 head of hogs, is reputed to be the cleanest such installation
in California.
An inmate-operated dairy supplies all the milk for Wayside Honor Rancho, Mira Loma, the County Jail, Biscailuz
Center, Warm Springs Camp, Acton Camp, Probation Camp #4, and Terminal Island facility. Its dairy herd,
according to the University of California, has less mastitis, a disease of the udder, than any dairy herd in the State - a
record of which the Sheriff is justly proud.
A prize beef herd supplies beef for the County Jail, Mira Loma and Wayside Honor Rancho. Slaughtering is by
contract in San Fernando.
Approximately 200 head of sheep help to keep the weeds down along the roads and fences and provide wool for sale
and meat for the table.
Nine water wells pump water for domestic and irrigation purposes into three 800,000 gallon reservoirs. Irrigation by
overhead sprinklers saves water and is very efficient.
Eight craftsmen from the Mechanical Department provide supervision to attend to the maintenance of the buildings
and most of the equipment. Agricultural equipment is maintained and operated by inmates under supervision of
Sheriff's employees.
One of the principal services provided the Sheriff's Department by the maintenance crews is the refinishing of
furniture for the entire Department, which results in considerable saving for the taxpayer.
Six dormitories provide private rooms for 71 employees who live on the property. Eight residences are rented to
employee families.
The bakery supplies Wayside Honor Rancho, the County Jail, Mira Loma, Terminal Island, Biscailuz Center, Warm
Springs Camp, Acton Camp, and Probation Camp #4 with bread and sweet rolls. Over sixty thousand loaves of bread
are baked each month using paid supervision and inmate crews.
For inmates, an athletic program provides equipment for softball, basketball, handball, football, volley ball, weight
lifting, boxing, horseshoes, ping pong and other activities.
A Hobby and Handicraft program, under the direction of the Care and Treatment section, Sheriff's Department, is
supplied with both power and hand tools for making articles of wood, leather, metal and plastics. A Rehabilitation
Work Shop Manager designs and supervises the construction of various occupational therapy items which are donated
to hospitals and charity groups to aid in the rehabilitation of their patients. Toys are repaired and painted for the
County Loan Division of the Probation Department.
Hobbycraft items made by the inmates in their spare time are sold to visitors and the profits credited to the inmate's
account. This provides him with funds for necessary toilet articles, tobacco and stationery and for money when he is
released. Inmates receive no pay for their assigned work.
Movies once each week are provided and a projection-type television supply the inmates with all televised sporting
events and other items of interest.
An excellent Chapel and a full-time Chaplain provide for the spiritual needs of the inmates. All denominations are
represented. Services are held every day or evening in the week by outside church groups.
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held once each week with outside leadership and all meetings are well attended.
The Library, which is a branch of the Los Angeles County Library, has the largest circulation per capita served by
any library in the County. Approximately one-third of the books drawn are non-fiction and range from astronomy to
"How to do it" books on home repairs. A full-time Librarian and a Bookmobile Librarian are employed by the
Library Department.
The royalty from 31 oil wells drilled by the Texas Company helps keep the tax rate down by providing approximately
3/4 of a million dollars per year to the County General Fund. This money is used to buy and maintain our system of
parks and playgrounds.
County employees are welcome to visit Wayside Honor Rancho by appointment and see how Sheriff Biscailuz is
rebuilding men who may be your neighbor.