Bill to privatize prisons dies in Senate

[kpete]

Bill to privatize prisons dies in Senate

After the Senate vote, the state will not undertake what would’ve been the greatest expansion of prison privatization in U.S. history.

BY STEVE BOUSQUET
TALLAHASSEE -- A massive expansion of private prisons in Florida collapsed in the Senate Tuesday as nine Republicans joined a dozen Democrats in handing a setback to Senate leaders and a victory to state workers.

As a result, the state will not undertake what would have been the single greatest expansion of prison privatization in U.S. history, affecting 27 prisons and work camps in 18 counties and displacing more than 3,500 correctional officers.

Senate leaders immediately said they would have to cut education and healthcare programs by $16.5 million, the amount privatization would have saved in the first year.

The 21-19 Senate vote reinforced the chamber’s long-standing reputation for independence, as it has shown over the years on many issues, from abortion rights to immigration to the Terri Schiavo case.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/14/2642075/bill-to-privatize-prisons-dies.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

[KaryninMiami]

1. Good news but as I understand it, Rick Scott can still do it by executive order

And knowing him, it is entirely possible that he will do just that. Sometimes I have to wonder why it is that I still live in this state (aside from the weather and the scenery)...

[Fuddnik]

2. Probably staying for the same reason as me.

The mortgage is so far under water that I don't have to wait for global warming to flood it.

The weather, scenery and the fowl species are fantastic. Leave it to the Florida Legislature to fuck it up. And, they'll vote the same "family values" assholes right back in.

[cstanleytech]

3. How about instead of cutting those progams first they cut their own pay and benefits?

For some reason though I doubt they will do that.

[DeSwiss]

4. K&R

[font size=4]WHOOPS![/font]


- Misery Merchants of America.......

[sarcasmo]

5. Good news.

[rocktivity]

6. I doubt that the release of this story helped

Private Prison Corporation Offers Cash In Exchange For State Prisons

Corrections Corporation of America, the nation's largest operator of for-profit prisons, has sent letters recently to 48 states offering to buy up their prisons as a remedy for "challenging corrections budgets." In exchange, the company is asking for a 20-year management contract, plus an assurance that the prison would remain at least 90 percent full...

And how would the states go about fulfilling that "assurance" -- going on mass arrest raids, especially during times when the prisons need a higher number of laborers? Anyhoo, cue the Vonage theme!


rocktivity

[AlbertCat]

7. Praise the fathers!

Of course now they'll hafta let some pot smokers out to make room for Scott and Bondi, and Atwater and....

[Uncle Joe]

8. If anything the for profit prison industry; should be against the law.

There should be no profit motive for locking up the American People, that should be the sole domain of the nation and states.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Adsos Letter]

9. I agree. This is the State's responsibility.

[harmonicon]

10. Yeah, it's a very shocking thing.

I doubt many other countries (if any) have private prisons. It's so blatantly against the public interest to do so. Why more people aren't absolutely appalled by this is beyond me.

[Auntie Bush]

11. Judges can get kick backs for imprisoning more people.

Private for profit prisons are a HORRIBLE idea...and will lead to corruption. Plus, who oversees them to protect prisoners from abuse?

[SteveG]

12. Noticed that they are privatizing medical and dental care for inmates

DE did this years ago, and it has been nothing but a very expensive nightmare for the state prison system. The private contractors made money by skimping on care and the State wound up in federal court for providing inadequate health care to inmates, and lost.