Veronica Compton-Wallace

Veronica Compton-Wallace was convicted of attempted murder in the Hillside Strangler case in California, and is serving a life sentence in the Washington Correctional Center for Women. Before her arrest, she was gaining recognition as a fledgling film actress and producer in Hollywood. Ms. Compton-Wallace’s 21 years as a prisoner afforded her a rare view of the evolution of correctional theory and practice. In this study, she relates heart-rending images of lives needlessly destroyed, and lives incredibly redeemed, through some of the best and worst examples of penal design and theory. Her focus is on those programs that are most successful in producing rehabilitation (which she defines as emotional healing and cognitive well being). She presents case studies to illustrate what can be accomplished, and provides informational resources to encourage the expansion and replication of such programs.