Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

What happens to the inmates of prisons when a tsunami hits?

...if a tsunami were to reach the prison at Pelican Bay? What would they do with the prisoners?

TSUNAMI SURGE SMASHES CRESCENT CITY HARBOR

Published: November 16, 2006

The surge left a sailboat up on a dock in the Crescent City harbor.

Bryant Anderson, the Daily Triplicate

By Karen Wilkinson

Triplicate staff writer

A series of small tidal surges slammed into the Crescent City Harbor Wednesday afternoon, destroying two docks, taking chunks out of another and damaging at least 10 boats.

''It was like a river going through here a little while ago,'' said fisherman Jeff Ruth of the Orca. ''I've never seen the tide surge like that ever.''

A magnitude 8.1 undersea earthquake that struck Japan's coastline at 3:14 a.m. Pacific time created tidal surges that starting hitting the Crescent City Harbor just before noon.

Fisherman Victor Reneau said the first surge measured about 8 inches, an estimation he recorded because ''we were all standing around curious.''

Harbormaster Richard Young said he thought the harbor was in the clear after the initial surge, which he'd been warned of earlier in the day.

But some time after etc.etc.etc.


Asked on 11/23/06, 11:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Re: What happens to the inmates of prisons when a tsunami hits?

This question is about prison policy rather than about law, so it really should be directed to the Department of Corrections instead of to a group of lawyers. There probably are plans in place for various types of emergencies, few people outside the Department of Corrections would have much reason to know their details.

Having said that, I note that evacuating even a small prison takes time and that tsunami warnings don't arrive far in advance of the potential tsunami. Probably the best that could be done would be to move inmates to upper floors and/or to buidings higher above sea level, if the prison has any.

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Answered on 11/24/06, 6:00 pm


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