49 Years Ago
The January 13, 1976 Golden Transcript reported that Governor Lamm was proposing a new correction facility to be built at Camp George West, to relieve crowding at the state penitentiary. The article raised local concerns. Golden-area residents–particularly those living in Pleasant View–didn’t want an expanded correctional facility. A second article followed two weeks later, providing more detail.
The January 26, 1976 article recalled that Camp George West had been the home of the Colorado National Guard since before World War II. During the war, military police used the facility. In 1969, the Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy was established at the east end of the property.
In 1970, a minimum security “honor camp” was added to the mix. There were problems there over the years, as inmates escaped into the community fairly often.
The January 26 article included assurances that, if any changes were made to the Camp George West facility, they would be improvements to make the environments safer and more humane for the residents. The current number of inmates was 40, but the camp had housed as many as 70 in the past. If the camp was upgraded, it would house no more than 70.
The new director of the correctional facility explained that–unlike his predecessor–he was able to select and approve the inmates sent to Camp George West. He felt confident that the number of escapes would decline decisively.
