by House Speaker Greg Stumbo
2 months ago | 1336 views | 1
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The first priority of a government is to ensure those it serves are safe. While that certainly applies to the vast majority of us who follow the law, it must also apply to those who break it.
It was with that thought in mind that I wrote Gov. Beshear last week to urge him not to renew the contract with the company overseeing Otter Creek Correctional Center. Several other legislative colleagues of mine sent the governor a letter of their own, urging similar action.
I chose to write separately because, one, this prison is here at home and, two, because I am advocating the state go further than simply not renewing the contract. I want the state to assume control, and employ our local workforce as state employees.
Let me be clear: I am not advocating that the prison be closed or moved. I simply believe Kentucky, and especially Floyd County, would be much better served if this facility were in the state’s hands. This would increase oversight and provide better-paying jobs to our community.
This is not a condemnation of other private facilities, but as the state moves to keep its prison population in check — it was the nation’s fastest-growing in 2007 — we must redouble our efforts to make sure that each tax dollar is spent appropriately. We should not pay a company that cannot maintain the same level of excellence we demand from our public prisons and local jails.
Beyond the crimes that have been alleged to have taken place, I have also been concerned by stories about low morale and unsanitary conditions. It appears the whole atmosphere at the facility has been poisoned. Unbelievably, the private company is actually seeking a raise as it negotiates for a contract extension.
For now, it is up to the governor’s administration to decide whether that extension is approved. If it is, rest assured that I will do all I can during next year’s legislative session to eventually put Otter Creek Correctional Center on the right path.
Anything less is not acceptable.
I actually agree with you in one aspect of your opinion. Private companies should not be in the business of incarceration. Our citizens are our responsibility and we should always take care of each other even if that requires incarceration. “If we the people determine that a citizen should be incarcerated then we the people should be responsible for that incarceration and not a privately owned human warehouse company.
Privately owned correctional facilities will never invest the money to hire, train, and retain great correctional workers. I have worked in both State and Federal prisons and am very passionately against private companies running correctional facilities in any capacity.
Good correctional workers must be cut from a ridged moral cloth and these type of people you do not get for $8.00 an hour. Even at State and Federal levels of correction employment the types of activities which have occurred at Otter Creek still occur, just not as often. These types of activities will always occur at Otter Creek and there is nothing you, me or any person on the planet can do about it. It’s simply a dark aspect of working with people. The only recourse available to combat this problem is training, training and more training. Training cost money and privately owned human warehouses will never invest this kind of money.
Great correctional workers have to be constantly aware of the possibility of being manipulated by criminals they work with on a daily basis. Great correctional workers must above all else must “avoid not only impropriety, they also must avoid the appearance of imparity.”
Turning Otter Creek into a State facility is at best a slick political spin on this subject. You know as well as I do it’s very unlikely to happen. Our state correctional budget is always under attack to the point of lawmakers considering releasing inmates early. I feel that if anything can be done with the Otter Creek facility in the future a better path would be to turn it into a regional jail. A regional jail focused on drug rehabilitation would be a much needed addition to our correctional infrastructure one which might actually benefit our community.
Stan Lee
Floydcountyvoterfraud.net