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| Police, Prison unions to fight prison privatization |
| By News-Press |
| Published: 09/22/2003 |
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Florida's police officers and prison officers are fighting off advances by the for-profit prison industry, seeking a constitutional amendment that would keep government in control of state penitentiaries and county jails. The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents some 30,000 law enforcement, corrections and probation officers, launched a petition drive for the amendment after privatization lobbyists convinced Gov. Jeb Bush's office last month to propose a privately built prison in Northwest Florida. The Legislature rejected the privatization deal, part of Bush's $65 million bailout for the state's crowded prison system. The PBA's constitutional amendment, for the November 2004 ballot, would ban private companies from running state prisons, and also county jails, probation services and juvenile offender centers. The police union also is turning to clergy for help, saying it's the government's job to rehabilitate inmates. "We're abdicating that responsibility by giving it to a for-profit corporation that profits off the mistakes of human beings," said union lobbyist Ken Kopczynski. While some religious organizations already oppose prison privatization, Mike McCarron, executive director of the Florida Catholic Conference, said his advocacy group has yet to decide if it will assist in the police union's petition drive. "The points made are alarming, if nothing else, and deserve some attention," McCarron said. "It would be a reason for concern for us." Prison operator Wackenhut's lobbyist called the PBA's constitutional amendment "short-sighted," contending the real reason the union opposes private prisons is because their employees aren't unionized. "It's purely self-interest on their part," Damon Smith said. Private prisons also aim to operate more efficiently, employing fewer workers. The union's efforts come as two private prison companies, Wackenhut and Corrections Corp. of America, renegotiate their existing Florida prison contracts worth $76 million in 2001, and reach out for a bigger share of the lucrative corrections market. Florida alone made up 14 percent of Wackenhut's revenue in 2002. Nashville-based CCA runs a prison in Panama City, one in Gadsden County that houses women, and another in Lake County for juveniles. Wackenhut, based in Boca Raton, operates prisons in Moore Haven and South Bay. The company, which has 21 percent of the nation's corrections market, is expanding into holding centers for illegal immigrants and mental health institutions. So when Bush suddenly announced during last month's special legislative session that Florida needed an emergency $65 million to build new prison beds, lobbyists for the two companies already had greased the skids. Legislation proposed by Sen. Victor Crist, R-Temple Terrace, and Rep. Bruce Kyle, R-Fort Myers, would have set aside $75,000 for Florida's private prison oversight group, the Correctional Privatization Commission, to obtain bids for an unspecified 1,800-bed facility. Among those lobbying for it were CCA and Wackenhut. Those companies, along with competitor Cornell Companies Inc., donated more than $274,000 to candidates and political parties in 2002. Bush did not respond to questions, but his press office said the governor's privatization proposal did not break an earlier campaign pledge to the PBA to not seek further private prisons. "He thinks this is a public issue, and by and large, most of the prison beds ought to be operated by the government," Bush spokeswoman Alia Faraj said. |
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