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| Private Prison Sued |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 09/19/2005 |
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A federal lawsuit has been filed against a Lake County, Mich., private prison. The Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service filed the lawsuit against the Michigan State Department of Corrections Director Patricia Caruso, Youth Correctional Facility warden Frank Elo and a prison-management company from Florida named the Geo Group, Inc. The Geo Group, Inc. owns and runs the Lake County facility. According to the lawsuit, which was filed last week, Lake County youth offenders are not spending an adequate amount of time in school and offenders with mental illnesses or development disabilities aren't receiving enough help. The Geo Group cited that inmates were spending only three hours a week in classes, in spite of a program that details 30 hours of weekly instruction for offenders that have at least an eighth-grade education. The lawsuit states other issues that The Geo Group has with Lake County, expressing concern that lower-level offenders are forced to live with inmates who have been convicted of more violent crimes, such as rape and murder. The group believes that this set-up within the facility will increase prisoner assaults. The lawsuit also brings up the reported lack of counselors at the prison, stating that there is only one full-time social worker for all 480 inmates. The Geo Group also took exception to the high number of offenders that were put into isolation, citing that there were up to 25 inmates in isolation at one time. The group also says that while isolated inmates are receiving no instruction individually, even though they are required to continue their education while in isolation. The Geo Group says that it wants the court to order the youth prison to improve conditions within the facility. |
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