NBC Bay Area was granted rare access inside Central California Women's facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla. It is the largest of two women prisons in the state.

CCWF is located in rural Madera County. On the outside, one only sees barbed wires and guard towers. On the inside, it's a sprawling 640-acre detention center.

Lt. Monique Williams, who has worked at CCWF for nearly 20 years, served as NBC Bay Area's guide.

"We are working to send our women, prepare them to go back out into the community," Williams said.

She said CCWF houses all levels of incarcerated women – levels one through four and condemned – from low-level felonies to murder convictions serving life. The women are not separated by color, race or gender.

Some 300 programs are offered inside CCWF, designed to rehabilitate and e

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