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| Wyo. Eyes New Prison Treatment Deal |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 08/06/2003 |
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The first company chosen to build the facility was unable to get financing and so the state turned to Corrections Education Center, headquartered in Roseland, N.J., said Rep. Doug Osborn, R-Douglas, chairman of the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee and a member of the evaluation team that selected the companies. The Colorado Department of Corrections announced on June 23 that CEC has been approved to expand its pre-parole and parole revocation center to 750 beds. The company, described as the 'largest provider of rehabilitative services to the criminal justice system' treats offenders at nine facilities in Colorado, the announcement said. Osborn said that three companies replied to the state's original request for a proposal. CiviGenics was chosen first but could not get financing to build the structure, he said. The company had several preferred sites in the state but its favorite was near the airport at Riverton, Osborn said. CiviGenics, of Marlboro, Mass., wanted the state to arrange financing, but the state didn't think that was appropriate. The company then tried to arrange financing on its own but was unable to get it together, Osborn said. 'So we managed to lose about eight months in this whole process,' Osborn said. 'It's really aggravating.' In January 2001, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections announced it would not renew CiviGenics' contract to run a 552-bed minimum security private prison in Grafton, Ohio, because of 'mounting problems,' according to the department's Internet Web site. Meanwhile, CEC, the team's second choice, is the parent company of Corrections Alternative Communities of Casper and Rock Springs. CEC suggested the treatment project to the state in the beginning and gave legislators the idea of putting it in the 2002 comprehensive substance abuse control bill, Osborn said. The state is hoping to be able to pay the inmate housing costs for the private treatment center from money saved by moving inmates from more expensive private facilities out of state. The new treatment facility will house male prison inmates who are within six to nine months of release. The CEC company wants to build the inmate treatment facility in either Casper or Cheyenne, said Les Pozsgi, contract monitor for the state Department of Corrections. The program is a therapeutic treatment program. Pozsgi said he is still trying to put together the expected costs per inmate, which includes medical and mental health support services in addition to substance abuse program services. |
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