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| Indiana Legislators Tour New Castle Correctional Facility |
| By Douglas S. Garrison Chief Communications Officer |
| Published: 11/23/2009 |
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New Castle, Indiana (November 19, 2009) – Yesterday, four members of the Indiana General Assembly toured the New Castle Correctional Facility and learned about its programs, populations, and more. State Representatives Nancy Michael, Gail Riecken, Tom Saunders, and Vern Tincher were welcomed by Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) Commissioner Edwin G. Buss, facility Superintendent Jeff Wrigley, facility Community Advisory Board members, and other IDOC staff. Superintendent Wrigley introduced the legislators to the company that runs the facility, The Geo Group, Inc., and gave them a grand tour of the facility. Superintendent Wrigley and guest speakers explained the two main missions of the facility: mental health treatment and sex offender treatment. Both challenging populations have come to the facility this year, and Correctional Medical Services and Liberty Health Services work to provide the treatment for these offenders. The presentations also touched on misconceptions about the mental health and sex offender populations. Additionally, the legislators visited the Purposeful Living Units Serve (PLUS) program, which is the faith and character-based dorm, and heard testimony from PLUS offenders on how meaningful the program is for them to prepare for re-entry. The group also saw educational classes in action, toured the recreational building, and ate a lunch prepared by Culinary Arts students. Commissioner Buss (second from left) discusses the steps the IDOC is taking to make offenders healthier, including encouraging exercise and a new, reduced sodium diet. Representative Nancy Michael (second from right) and Pendleton Correctional Facility Superintendent Alan Finnan (far right) look on. Commissioner Buss told the legislators and other visitors, “New Castle Correctional Facility is a facility that shows how meaningful partnerships are to the IDOC. The Geo Group, Inc., Correctional Medical Services, Liberty Heath Services, and others all provide services at this facility which houses two of the most challenging correctional populations: mental health offenders and sex offenders.” Commissioner Buss went on to thank the legislators for their willingness to visit the prison and learn more about the services offered. “The more we can educate people about our facilities, the better off we all will be as we formulate policy.” New Castle Mayor Jim Small leads the group as they walk between housing units at New Castle Correctional Facility. Additionally, New Castle Mayor Jim Small and Representative Tom Saunders, whose district includes New Castle, both spoke highly of the facility and the IDOC. Specifically, they complemented the amount of community service New Castle’s minimum security offenders do in the area. ### Media Contact: Douglas S. Garrison Chief Communications Officer Phone: (317) 232-5780 dsgarrison@idoc.in.gov |
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I find it particularly distressing for state legislators to be touring a facility in Indiana that has been outsourced to a private firm. I believe these legislators are being given the impression that privately run correctional institutions are the answer to the budget woes the state is currently experiencing. Three card monte...New Castle is one of the newer prisons within the system. It will look better than others simply because of age, and despite the riot that took place there last year. What is not talked about is the standard of living these enterprises offer their employees in terms of wages, benefits, and overall quality of life. People who work at these facilities are paid much less than the correctional officers working as a state employee. They are therefore unable to spend as much money as a state employee could, therby contributing less to the overall state revenue, leading to more state layoffs. While I am a proponent of the concept of less government, this does not include the concept of government ABDICATING its only legitimate role...that of ENFORCING THE LAW!!! By turning over operations of law enforcement to private concerns, state and federal governments do exactly that. They abdicate their only legitimate purpose for existence. Government does not exist to provide for my healthcare or my education or my food...government exists to protect right to exist as a pro-social member of a society. This includes CORRECTIONS... As far as further privatization within corrections, I urge all persons to contact their legislators and let them know this is not the way to go.