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| Corrections commissioner: No jobs lost in prison closings |
| By saratogian.com |
| Published: 09/10/2009 |
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SARATOGA SPRINGS — The state’s corrections commissioner on Wednesday defended the latest round of prison closings, saying no jobs have been lost in the move. On July 1, the state closed minimum-security Camp McGregor at Mt. McGregor Correctional Facility, one of three such sites to close. Effective Oct. 1, the Department of Corrections is also closing medium- and minimum-security annexes at seven prisons, including Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock, Washington County, where 35 jobs will be eliminated. Inmates there were already moved in late August. “Understandably, people have some concerns about the changes,” Commissioner Brian Fischer said. Closures are being done to save money in the face of a declining statewide prison population and a severe state fiscal crisis. The state’s prison population has decreased 16 percent in the past decade. “We have numerous vacant beds, we project an additional drop in the population and we don’t need to keep these prisons open anymore,” spokesman Erik Kriss said. The department estimated that Camp McGregor’s closing alone would save $5 million over the next two years. Combined, the seven annex closures will save about $25 million, the state says. Washington’s annex has 204 beds, but until recently only had 27 inmates. The site was budgeted for 46 prison guard jobs, of which only 35 were filled. Officers will be offered jobs at the 882-bed main prison, which employs 378 people, or other correctional facilities. The department said prison closings are at least partially the result of costly new state mandates regarding treatment of sex offenders and inmates with mental health problems. While eliminating corrections officer jobs, the department has hired 77 counselors and psychologists alone since 2007. “New mandates or not, closing unneeded prisons is the right thing to do,” Kriss said. “Still, these mandates are costly and we need to stay within our budget. We have already created bout 300 new positions to carry out the mandates. Most have been filled already. Ultimately all will be, and we will need to hire more as we go forward.” Last year, the state Legislature passed the Sex Offender Management and Treatment Act to require vastly increased treatment for sex offenders. Any person convicted of a sex-related crime must be evaluated at the time of incarceration, given from three to 12 months of treatment while in prison and evaluated again before their release. Read More. |
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