At Least Some Kentucky Legislators Get It.

The House Judiciary Committee of Kentucky's Legislature recently passed a resolution to ban the privatization of food services at its state prisons, in light of the riots that occured as a result of Aramark's ridiculously substandard food delivery, and regardless of the fact that it will cost the state more than $5 million extra to feed the prisoners themselves. Way to do the right thing, Kentucky House Judiciary Committee.

Undertrained Staff

A recent surprise inspection of a prison owned and operated by LCS Correctional Services revealed that 73% of the staff haven't yet completed their training to be COs. I guess that makes sense, since this is the facility that wrongly released a convicted sex offender. Maybe if you trained your people properly, they wouldn't release the wrong guys.

KY's Governor is an insensitive moron

Gov. Steve Beshear of Kentucky can't understand why his state should spend money to audit Aramark Corp.'s food delivery services when Kentucky is strapped for cash. Well Aramark's substandard provision of food led to riots in multiple facilities last year that will end up costing the state nearly $10 million to recover from. Listen here, Steve Beshear: if you keep allowing this company to skimp on the food they provide inmates to the point where they RIOT, it's going to cost you a hell of a lot more to clean up the damage, and pay off lawsuit settlements, than it would to audit Aramark. Again I must say, you get what you pay for, Mr. Beshear, so if you don't want prisoners to riot, make sure you feed them properly (i.e. don't bring in a private, profit-driven company to do it).

Why I Like Prescott Valley, AZ Today

For the second time in 3 years, Prescott Valley, AZ has turned down a bid to bring a private prison to its town, this time despite the fact that their unemployment rate is rather high and the prison would bring much-needed jobs. Way to stick to your guns there, Prescott Valley

Phone Taps and Bribes

Those "conservative activists" who called out ACORN a while ago and more recently tried to break into Senator Mary Landrieu's office are apparently all tied to a conservative think tank called Pelican, based in New Orleans. On Pelican's board is a lady whose husband owns LCS correctional services, which the FBI is currently investigating for allegations of bribery in its contract negotiations. So I hate you today, LCS correctional services for your shady contracts, and everyone at Pelican, for being a bunch of subversive conservative operatives.

Make up your mind you Hypocrites

CCA has declined to pay a $1 per prisoner per day tax to the city of Youngstown, OH. Their reasoning? They say that because they're acting as “an instrumentality of the federal government,” the fee violates the intergovernmental tax immunity doctrine in the supremacy clause of the Constitution. Oh isn't that nice; you're a government agency for tax purposes, but you claim you should be exempt from FOIA and public records laws because you're not a government agency. I hate you, you damn hypocrites. Either man up and accept the fact that you're performing a governmental function, meaning you submit your records to FOIA requests, or pay the tax. Preferably the former, but hey I'll take what I can get.

Why I Really Effing Hate GEO today

GEO's CEO is putting his home up for sale. Or should I say, his 12,000 square foot, $11 million overly extravagant symbol of his infinite and sinister greed. George Zoley, you are a terrible human being.

Taking the legislature to task

CA Councilman Hector De La Torre is upset, and rightfully so, over the $600 million contract the state has with CCA. The contract started as a $23 million venture, but was amended numerous times over the past few years to its current point, without any sort of competitive bidding process or evaluation of its efficiency. The link goes to a transcript of his recent remarks on the situation, as well as English and Spanish audio files. Enjoy

Why We Need Transparency

One of my biggest beefs with the private prison industry is the lack of adequate oversight and transparency in their work. Private prison companies are not bound by Freedom of Information Act or Public Records Laws to provide information to the public upon request, as are all government agencies (except in two states; TN and FL). While they argue that they shouldn't have to provide such info because they're a private company, I wholeheartedly believe that any agency performing an essentially governmental function should have its records available for public review. Why do I believe so firmly in this? Well, for one reason: they cover up deaths that result from a lack of medical care. Lots of them. In fact, some deaths of immigration detainees in private facilities weren't even reported to ICE, who has the power to review such information.

Briefing on FOIA requirements

If anyone of my 2 readers might be in the DC area on Monday, january 25, you should swing by a briefing on private prisons and FOIA requests. Or try to find it on C-SPAN.

Congressional Briefing: Expanding Freedom of Information Act Accountability to all Federal Prisons and Detention Facilities
Monday, January 25, 2010, 2pm - 4pm
2226 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee will hold a congressional briefing concerning H.R. 2450, a bill to ensure fiscal accountability and reduce fraud and waste by expanding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to include all correctional facilities that hold federal prisoners or immigration detainees. The briefing will be held on Monday, January 25, 2010 from 2:00PM - 4:00PM in 2226 Rayburn House Office Building.

That's what you get

After CCA tried to strongarm Colorado into raising its per-diem fee for prisoners housed in the Huerfano county (CO) correctional facility, the Colorado legislature smartly ended its contract with the company for that facility. CCA instead turned to Arizona, who promptly shipped a few hundred inmates over at the rate CCA had requested. Now, Arizona, facing its worst budget deficit ever, is likely going to pull all its inmates from that prison, forcing it to close. While I certainly feel bad for the 200-or-so Coloradoans who will lose their jobs, the county should have sought some other means for creating those jobs than bringing a prison to town. But I definitely don't feel bad for CCA. That's what you get.

even people in other countries know CA is screwed up

another quick hit to a great article from the Guardian (of the UK) on how terribly wrong the governator is in trying to privatize most/all of CA's prisons