The Great Escape : Why Pitchess Honor Rancho jail problems may resurface

The 14 prisoners who escaped from a maximum-security jail at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho in Castaic early Sunday had their initial route well-planned. They fled through a hole in the ceiling of a 96-person holding cell--a hole that may have been made during an earlier inmate brawl. It had been patched with a sheet of metal, but obviously not very effectively. When the 14men fled, the attention of outside guards may have been diverted by a fight in a nearby dormitory.

We suggest that the fractious atmosphere at Pitchess Honor Rancho may have contributed to this escape. The facility’s dismal record in this regard speaks for itself. January through May, 1994: There were 52 melees, involving as few as two inmates and as many as 1,000. June: two brawls, one involving 350 inmates, the second 800. July: a 400-inmate brawl. August: a 300-inmate fight. October: a brawl involving 140 inmates. November: a brawl with 200 inmates. February, 1995: two melees, involving 31 inmates and 90 inmates. March: separate brawls involving 95 inmates and 105 inmates.

These near-riots, by and large, have roots in the simmering rivalry between African American and Latino gangs. It doesn’t take the mind of a Lex Luthor to figure out that a good time to determine an escape route, clear it and use it is during the all-too-frequent violent disturbances.

It should be emphasized that a quick response by sheriff’s deputies to the escape led to the prompt arrest of 12 of those who fled. Authorities immediately notified the public. A huge search team was rapidly assembled. Neighborhood Watch groups checked on the safety of their members. Overall, those efforts are to be commended. What concerns us is the situation inside Pitchess. If the extreme hostility among inmates provided cover for this escape, it might also shield other schemes still in the works.