Location | 30 Route 513 Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey Clinton address |
---|---|
Status | Open |
Security class | Mixed |
Capacity | 709 |
Opened | 1913 |
Managed by | New Jersey Department of Corrections |
Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women (formerly the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women) [1] is a prison facility for women of the state of New Jersey Department of Corrections, located in Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, [2] [3] near Clinton. [4] Its official abbreviation is EMCFW. The facility was named for Edna Mahan (b. 1900, pronounced Mann), one of the first female correctional superintendents in the U.S.
The current administrator is William Hauck; he has served in that position for four years. As of February 2009, the prison held 950 inmates in maximum, medium, and minimum security sections. As of June 2021, the prison housed 378 inmates. [5] According to the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Edna Mahan "provides custody and treatment programs for female offenders ages 16 and older. The facility features the Puppies Behind Bars program, in which inmates train guide dogs for the blind, among other unique ventures. EMCFW has a drug and alcohol treatment unit as well as Bureau of State Use Industries shops specializing in clothing and tele-response/data entry."
Before the facility opened, female offenders in New Jersey were held in their own wing at Trenton State Prison. In 1911, the New Jersey Legislature approved the usage of funds to purchase a 400-acre farm outside of the town of Clinton for use as a reformatory solely for women. The new facility would open two years later, in 1913, as the New Jersey State Reformatory for Women, also known as Clinton Farms. The property originally contained three farmhouses, barns and other outbuildings, with security enhancements such as window girllings and locks being made to the farmhouses in order to accommodate inmates.
In 1928, Edna Mahan became superintendent of Clinton Farms, becoming one of the first women in the country to lead a prison. Mahan, a staunch reformer, oversaw numerous changes to the structure of how the prison ran. The facility had minimal security barriers. There was no security fencing that enclosed the property, and Mahan ordered the removal of bars from buildings. In addition, a number of privileges were offered to well-behaved inmates, such as the ability to free-roam the property as well as day parole. Entertainment options were also provided. During this time, Edna Mahan also oversaw the integration of black and white prisoners into the same accomodations.
During Mahan's tenure as superintendent the facility continued to expand. In 1962, the Center Building was refitted into a maximum-security unit after a group of four women broke into the building and vandalized numerous fixtures. Two years later, a bond referendum was approved by voters which provided funds for the construction of six new buildings, including an entirely new maximum-security building. Edna Mahan served as superintendent until her death in 1968, and was buried on the property. [6] The Clinton Correctional Facility for Women was renamed in honor of her in 1987 by the New Jersey General Assembly.
1979 Escape of Assata Shakur
The prison came under national attention when, on November 2, 1979, Assata Shakur, a member of the Black Liberation Army, escaped from the facility aided by three of her fellow members. She had been serving a life sentence for the murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop along the New Jersey Turnpike. During the escape, a prison van was stolen and two officers were taken hostage, but were released unharmed in the parking lot of the adjacent Hunterdon State School for the Retarded, where getaway cars were parked. [7] [8] Charged with assisting in her escape were Mutulu Shakur (no relation) and Silvia Baraldini. In part for his role in the event, Mutulu was named as the 380th addition to the FBI's list of Most Wanted Fugitives on July 23, 1982; he was captured in 1986.
In 2013, Assata Shakur was placed on the FBI's list of Most Wanted Terrorists. She is believed to be living in Cuba under political asylum.
In April 2020, the United States Department of Justice released a report which cited the "open secret" of sexual misconduct in the prison. [9] [10]
In 1994, Kevin Brodie was fired and prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with an inmate/parolee. [11]
In 1995, William Jimenez stayed in a hotel with an inmate during a leave of absence. He was later fired and prosecuted. [11]
In the summer of 1998, David Clappison entered a guilty plea to sexual assault after admitting to having had sexual relations with an inmate. [11]
Robert Scannicchio was fired for vacationing with a former inmate in 1998. It was also reported that they became “unduly familiar” with each other while she was incarcerated. [11]
In the spring of 1998, Jeffrey Barr was fired and prosecuted for having sexual contact with an inmate.
Stewart Sella was accused of sexually assaulting Jacqueline Haggenmiller and Tammy Davis ten times between 1997 and 1999. In 1998, Haggenmiller reported rapes and sexual assaults against her by Sella. After a formal investigation, Sella was fired and charged in 2000. [11]
Tammy Davis initially reported her allegations against Sella to Regina Dozier, almost two years prior to Haggenmiller’s reports. Dozier was later investigated and fired for covering up Davis’ allegations. Dozier was also charged with official misconduct and improper sexual contact after she allegedly had sexual contact with four inmates at the prison. [11] [12]
Ralph Grier was sentenced to five years in prison for taking photos of an inmate while she was “flashing” the camera. It was verbally agreed upon before the taking of the photos between Grier and the inmate that she would receive $150 and a transfer to a new cell. Instead of this, she received $30 and no transfer. Before the incident, Grier would often give the inmate cigarettes, candy, gum, and, on one occasion, a pair of earrings. [13]
In 2008, James Gallichio was charged with second-degree misconduct and sexual assault after an unidentified inmate came forwarded and told investigators that they had a “mutual sexual relationship” while she was incarcerated, according to a probable cause affidavit. Gallichio smuggled a phone into the facility for the inmate and, between November 2007 and March 2008, the two spoke on the phone 894 times. Since most of the phone calls were made over a recorded line, it was easy for investigators to discover their professed love for each other. Also, it was stated that Gallichio smuggled in the “wand”, code for pregnancy test, to the inmate, and that “tells you something”, according to court papers. Gallichio is currently serving a 12-year sentence for armed robbery. [14] [15]
On October 31, 2016, Joel Herscap entered a guilty plea for the following charges: two counts of second-degree official misconduct, two counts of second-degree sexual assault, and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. It was reported that he was trading tobacco products in exchange for sex. [16]
Jason Mays was arrested in September 2016 and was later found guilty of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, as well as official misconduct. One of the inmates with whom Mays performed intercourse testified during his trial. She said she only did it because her parole date was coming up and didn’t want another infraction. She also stated “It was an officer versus an inmate… they could take my release date away from me in a blink of an eye.” [17]
Ahnwar Dixon was arrested on November 19, 2016, and was later indicted on one count of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of second-degree official misconduct, five counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count of second-degree pattern of official misconduct. [18]
Brian Ambroise was arrested in October 2016 and is set to face charges of sexual assault and official misconduct. It was reported that Ambroise engaged in a “pattern” of official misconduct. [19]
Thomas Seguine was arrested on February 19, 2017, and sentenced on May 1, 2017. He pleaded guilty to official misconduct after authorities accused him of having sex with an inmate. He was sentenced to three years in prison. [20]
Joel Mercado was indicted on August 17, 2017, on two counts of official misconduct and two counts of sexual assault. It was reported that Mercado had sexual relationships with two separate inmates. [21]
On February 2, 2018, Ronald Coleman Jr. was arrested and charged with seven counts of official misconduct, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual assault, one count of pattern of official misconduct, and three counts of criminal sexual conduct. [22]
Erick Melgar had sexual assault allegations against him by six different inmates. Melgar was fired from his job as a correctional officer in 2010. On March 22, 2017, Melgar reportedly paid the six inmates $75,000. Melgar was never officially charged with a crime. The head of the Edna Mahan during the time of the internal investigation stated that Melgar should have been criminally charged. [23] [24] [25] [26] [17]
A 2020 report by the Justice Department mentioned that sexual abuse had been rampant at the facility for decades. In mid-2020, press reports indicated that some inmates were forced to trade sex for toilet paper. [27]
In 2021, 31 correctional staff members were suspended. [28]
As a result of the numerous incidents and allegations, the governor of New Jersey announced that the prison would be closed. [29]
The facility played host to The Rolling Thunder Revue Tour on December 7, 1975, headed by Bob Dylan.
The 2004 documentary Freedom Road by Lorna A. Johnson, depicting the lives of three inmates, was filmed at Edna Mahan. Another documentary, Going Home, was also shot at Edna Mahan and was based on Steven Kalafer's observation of the Life Skills Academy program.
Inmate Name | Register Number | Status | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Kathleen Dorsett | 000553258E | Eligible for parole in 2057. | Convicted in the 2010 murder of her ex-husband, Stephen Moore. [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] |
Amy Locane | 000637627C | Eligible for parole December 20, 2024. | Convicted of 2010 vehicular homicide and assault by auto. [35] |
Michelle Lodzinski | 000306520C | Released December 28, 2021. | Convicted of the 1991 murder of her five-year-old son, which was later vacated. [36] |
Melanie McGuire | 000319833C | Currently serving life without parole. | Convicted of the 2004 murder of her husband. [37] [38] |
Assata Shakur | 000335640A | Escaped in 1979. [39] [40] | Convicted of the 1973 murder of a New Jersey State Trooper. [41] |
Leslie Nelson | 000403427B | Currently serving life; eligible for parole February 24, 2048 [42] | Convicted of the murder of two police officers. [43] |
Diane Downs | 000443335B | Transferred to Central California Women's Facility, where she is serving a life sentence plus 50 years. [44] | Convicted of the 1983 murder of her daughter and attempted murder of her other children. [45] [46] |
Assata Olugbala Shakur, also known as Joanne Chesimard, is an American political activist and convicted murderer who was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). In 1977, she was convicted in the first-degree murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. She escaped from prison in 1979 and is currently wanted by the FBI, with a $1 million FBI reward for information leading to her capture, and an additional $1 million reward offered by the Attorney General of New Jersey.
Union Township is a township in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The southwest half of the township lies on what is known as the Hunterdon Plateau, the northwest corner consists of the Musconetcong Ridge and the northeast section is part of the lower-lying Newark Basin around Spruce Run Reservoir. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,507, its highest ever decennial count and an increase of 599 (+10.1%) from the 2010 census count of 5,908, which in turn reflected a decline of 252 (−4.1%) from the 6,160 counted in the 2000 census.
Prison sexuality consists of sexual relationships between prisoners or between a prisoner and a prison employee or other persons to whom prisoners have access. Since prisons are usually separated by sex, most sexual activity is with a same-sex partner. Exceptions to this include sex with spouses/partners during conjugal visits and sex with a prison employee of the opposite sex.
The murder of Megan Nicole Kanka occurred in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Seven-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by her neighbor, Jesse Timmendequas, after he lured her into his house; Timmendequas had previously been convicted of child molestation. The murder attracted national attention and subsequently led to the introduction of "Megan's Law", which requires law enforcement to disclose details relating to the location of registered sex offenders.
The Black Liberation Army (BLA) was an underground Marxist-Leninist, black-nationalist militant organization that operated in the United States from 1970 to 1981. Composed of former Black Panthers (BPP) and Republic of New Afrika (RNA) members who served above ground before going underground, the organization's program was one of war against the United States government, and its stated goal was to "take up arms for the liberation and self-determination of black people in the United States." The BLA carried out a series of bombings, killings of police officers and drug dealers, robberies, and prison breaks.
Prison rape commonly refers to the rape of inmates in prison by other inmates or prison staff. In 2001, Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 4.3 million inmates had been raped while incarcerated in the United States. A United States Department of Justice report, Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, states that "In 2011–12, an estimated 4.0% of state and federal prison inmates and 3.2% of jail inmates reported experiencing one or more incidents of sexual victimization by another inmate or facility staff in the past 12 months or since admission to the facility, if less than 12 months." However, advocates dispute the accuracy of the numbers, saying they seem to under-report the real numbers of sexual assaults in prison, especially among juveniles.
Sundiata Acoli is an American political activist who was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1974 for murdering a New Jersey state trooper. Acoli was granted parole in 2022 at the age of 85.
Wende Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison located in the town of Alden in Erie County, New York, east of Buffalo. The prison is named for this region of Alden. The prison was formerly the site of an Erie County jail and was sold to the state to fulfill the need for a maximum security state prison. The Erie County Correctional Facility was built adjacent to Wende.
The New Jersey State Prison (NJSP), formerly known as Trenton State Prison, is a state men's prison in Trenton, New Jersey operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections. It is the oldest prison in New Jersey and one of the oldest correctional facilities in the United States. It is the state's only completely maximum security institution, housing the most difficult and/or dangerous male offenders in the inmate population. NJSP operates two security units and provides a high level of custodial supervision and control. Professional treatment services, such as education and social work, are a priority at the facility. The Bureau of State Use Industries operated the bedding and clothing shops that were once located in Shop Hall at the facility. These industries have been relocated to South Woods State Prison.
The Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin is a low-security United States federal prison for female inmates in Dublin, California. The facility also has an adjacent satellite prison camp housing minimum-security female offenders.
The Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn is a United States federal administrative detention facility in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It holds male and female prisoners of all security levels. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice.
Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women (KCIW) is a prison located in unincorporated Shelby County, Kentucky, near Pewee Valley, Kentucky, operated by the Kentucky Department of Corrections. Male and female inmates prior to 1937 had been housed at the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort
The Mabel Bassett Correctional Center (MBCC) is an Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison for women located in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, near McLoud. The facility houses 1241 inmates, most of whom are held at medium security. It is the largest female prison in Oklahoma.
Lowell Correctional Institution is a women's prison in unincorporated Marion County, Florida, north of Ocala, in the unincorporated area of Lowell. A part of the Florida Department of Corrections, it serves as the primary prison for women in the state. Almost 3,000 women are incarcerated in the complex, which includes the Lowell Annex. As of 2015 2,696 women are in the main Lowell CI, making it the largest prison for women in the United States; its prison population became larger than that of the Central California Women's Facility that year.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people face difficulties in prison such as increased vulnerability to sexual assault, other kinds of violence, and trouble accessing necessary medical care. While much of the available data on LGBTQ inmates comes from the United States, Amnesty International maintains records of known incidents internationally in which LGBTQ prisoners and those perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender have suffered torture, ill-treatment and violence at the hands of fellow inmates as well as prison officials.
James Francis Checchio is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic church. Checchio served as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 2005 until 2016. On March 8, 2016, Pope Francis named Checchio as bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey.
Kathleen Dorsett is a former Neptune, New Jersey schoolteacher who was convicted of the August 2010 murder of her ex-husband, Stephen Moore, in May 2013. Her father, Thomas Dorsett, also pled guilty to the murder, and Dorsett's mother, Lesley Dorsett, a former member of the Ocean Township Board of Education, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in 2013. The case made headlines across New Jersey and throughout the United States.
Topeka Correctional Facility is a Kansas Department of Corrections state prison for women located in Topeka, Kansas. Built in the 1970s, in 1995 it became the only women's prison in the state. It administers a wide range of security levels, from maximum security through work-release.
William H. Fauver Youth Correctional Facility is a New Jersey Department of Corrections state prison for young adult offenders ages 18-30, located in the Annandale section of Clinton Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. The present-day facility has a maximum capacity of 808 juvenile inmates.
Stephen Matias Kovacs was an American saber fencer and fencing coach. He was a three-time NCAA All American for Columbia University, four-time All-Ivy League, and the first fencer to win four consecutive Intercollegiate Fencing Association championships. As a fencing coach, he then coached at the Pingry School, Princeton Junior School, Stevens Institute of Technology, Duke University, Ridge High School, and private fencing clubs including one that he founded. In October 2021 he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and false swearing, and imprisoned in the Somerset County Jail in Somerville, New Jersey. On October 29, 2021, the United States Center for SafeSport temporarily suspended Kovacs, pending an investigation by it of allegations against him. On January 15, 2022, Kovacs committed suicide in Somerset County Jail.
Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)REFERENCES