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| Last push to block Arizona prison deal |
| By azcentral.com - Craig Harris |
| Published: 08/29/2012 |
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In a last-ditch effort, private-prison opponents called on Gov. Jan Brewer on Tuesday to scuttle a contract that is expected to be awarded Friday for 1,000 medium-security beds for men. A coalition of elected officials, educators and faith leaders sent an open letter to Brewer, saying the beds are costly and unnecessary. They also contend the five out-of-state companies bidding to run a new prison facility have histories of questionable management practices and safety problems. "We know this is an uphill battle, but it's still well worth fighting," said Caroline Isaacs, program director for the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group and watchdog organization. "I know we are the underdog." Brewer, who was at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, could not be reached for comment. But Matthew Benson, her spokesman, said sufficient correctional facilities are a critical component of public safety. "Gov. Brewer supported these additional prison facilities because she recognizes the state faces a shortage of medium- and high-security beds in the near-term, a situation that would place the safety of both inmates and correctional staff in jeopardy," Benson wrote in an e-mail to The Arizona Republic. At the end of this week, the Arizona Department of Corrections is slated to award the bid. The contract calls for up to 2,000 medium-security beds if the prison population increases. The first 500 beds would come online in 2014, while 500 more would be added the following year. There's no timetable for the potential 1,000 remaining beds. Sites being considered are in Coolidge, Eloy, Florence, San Luis and Winslow. The contract comes even though the state's overall prison population is expected to remain flat the next two years and increase only slightly thereafter. State records also show it's more costly for taxpayers to have private businesses run prisons. State Corrections Director Charles Ryan has acknowledged that the state has an overall surplus of roughly 2,000 beds. But he also has said that Arizona has a shortage of permanent medium-security beds and that the problem is expected to get worse in 2016. The Department of Corrections on Tuesday declined to comment on the letter. Read More. |
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