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| Supporters want Shelby prison in running for expansion |
| By greatfallstribune.com |
| Published: 09/14/2009 |
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When the Montana Corrections Department increases the number of state prison beds, it should consider the private prison in Shelby for possible expansion. That's the view of Shelby Mayor Larry Bonderud and Toole County Commissioner Allan Underdal, longtime backers of the Shelby prison who marvel at how it has helped diversify the area economy. They want to remind state decision makers that the Crossroads Correctional Center was built during a previous shortage of prison beds in the late 1990s. At the state's insistence, under Republican Gov. Marc Racicot, Shelby and the private prison company built the facilities with enough roads, water, other utilities and space that it could be expanded from 500 to 1,500 beds when needed. But, even though experts hired by the state project a need for considerably more prison beds in coming years, the Corrections Department under Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer has stated its preference for government-run prisons. The Shelby prison, which observed its 10th anniversary Sept. 1, currently has 660 prison beds for male prisoners, including 96 reserved for federal prisoners. Operated by Tennessee-based Corrections Corporation of America, it is the state's only private prison. Read More. |
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