Lancaster Escapees Caught Quickly : Prison: Two inmates are captured in Barstow less than 40 hours after fleeing. Community officials praise response.

Although they had only short terms yet to serve, two inmates escaped from the state prison at Lancaster, but were caught less than 40 hours later after being tracked to a house here Thursday.

“It makes no sense why [they] would attempt an escape,” said Dean Crenshaw, administrative assistant to the warden at the prison, which was sharply criticized for lax security after a rash of earlier escapes.

James Evans of Van Nuys and Phillip Souza of Phelan in San Bernardino County were captured by law enforcement officials with no shots being fired, he said.

“We did have to physically chase them down and physically restrain them, but there were no injuries,” Crenshaw said.

The two men, both imprisoned for receiving stolen property, had been granted parole dates and were being held in a minimum-security dormitory. Evans, serving a two-year sentence, was due to be released Dec. 2. Souza, serving a 16-month sentence, was to be released in May.

Crenshaw said both now probably face an additional term for felony escape.

Crenshaw spoke from the warden’s office, where prison officials could be heard in the background celebrating the capture with loud exclamations of relief.

“You can hear the excitement,” Crenshaw said. “It was a big success.”

It also marked a major turnaround for the administration of the prison, which had been sharply criticized in the past by community officials for security lapses and for the way escapes were handled.

The prison--which opened in February, 1993, despite opposition from many local residents and officials--had four escapes in its first year. Most alarming to residents was the escape of a convicted murderer.

In addition, community and local law enforcement officials complained that the prison waited too long before notifying them of the escapes.

All four inmates were caught, but the incidents led to the resignation of the first warden and the firing of four guards.

The escape by Evans and Souza was the first since the new warden, Ernest Roe, took over almost exactly a year ago.

Even ardent critics of the prison’s past policies said they were pleased with changes he had instituted.

“I had a phone call at 6:15 a.m. to let me know about the escape,” said Lancaster Councilman Frank Roberts, who had opposed building the prison. “They kept us apprised every step of the way to show that they were doing everything possible to find the men.

“It’s a complete change, very different. I think they are doing everything possible to make sure the prison is a good neighbor in this community.”

The prisoners escaped about midnight Tuesday, Crenshaw said. They were present for a count at 11 p.m., but were missing at the bed check at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

They had little trouble leaving the dormitory--the door is not locked because of fire regulations, Roe said.

Once outside, the men had to make their way across an open area for about 50 yards, Crenshaw said, before scaling an eight-foot-high chain-link fence, then another six-foot fence to reach the road in front of the prison.

The maximum- and medium-security areas are surrounded by an additional electric fence, installed in December.

Roe said that it is possible some staff members will be disciplined in the wake of the escapes.

“We will do an investigation,” he said, “and if negligence is found, we will take appropriate action.”