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| Gov. Calls for Prison Expansion |
| By The Pioneer Press |
| Published: 01/16/2006 |
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Citing the need to lock up more dangerous sex offenders and other criminals, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty last week proposed borrowing $123.2 million to upgrade and expand state prisons and hospitals. "We live in a great state, but we need to face the reality that we continue to face dangerous threats, especially in the areas of sex offenders and the scourge of meth," Pawlenty said in news release. "We need to be tough, and this proposal reflects our approach to dealing with those who refuse to follow the law. The proposal also reflects the bill coming due after state policymakers have spent nearly two decades increasing prison sentences and locking up sex offenders in mental hospitals after they are released from prison. Minnesota had the fastest-growing prison population of any state in 2004. The number of inmates had increased about 45 percent since 1999, and the state Corrections Department has predicted its prison population would grow another 33 percent to more than 11,000 by 2010. Pawlenty asked the Legislature for $70.4 million for prison expansions. The largest project would be a $28 million expansion and renovation at the Faribault prison, which would increase its capacity to more than 2,000 inmates. That would be in addition to an $85 million expansion there that was funded last year. Stillwater prison would get $19.6 million to build a high-security, 150-bed segregation unit. It would house extremely violent and dangerous prisoners and make room for sex offenders serving longer sentences under a new law enacted last year. The governor requested $4.9 million to erect a fence and security system for the Shakopee prison, the state's only lockup for women. He also asked for $5.4 million for a 92-bed expansion at the women's prison to increase its capacity to 641 inmates. The prison and hospital projects will be part of a bonding bill, financed with money borrowed through the sale of state-backed bonds sold to investors, that Pawlenty is scheduled to unveil soon. Its price tag is expected to be between $700 million and $1 billion. |
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