[Vision2020] [corrected] It's Time for an Honest Conversation About Marijuana . . .

Tue Aug 13 18:05:19 PDT 2013

Jumping in just to address this part of the conversation, but the "theory"
that privatization of prisons saves taxpayer money is just that:  an
unproven theory.  If you have any evidence that the theory has been proven
to be accurate in anything other than isolated (and perhaps questionable)
instances, please share.  This is a topic I try to keep abreast of, and I'm
not aware of validation of that "cost saving" privatization theory.  Indeed,
what seems to be the case is that when comparing apples to apples, private
prisons do NOT seem to save money - rather, it's just a way to transfer
taxpayer dollars to the private sector where there's less accountability and
higher per inmate costs - which translates to corporate profits - and lower
wages & decreased quality of corrections professionals.

There have been lots of articles about the issue - here are some I'm
familiar with:

http://sacurrent.com/news/do-private-prisons-save-money-1.1198789

http://tucsoncitizen.com/mark-evans/archives/732

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19prisons.html?pagewanted=all
<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19prisons.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>
&_r=0

And, of course, there's the whole CCA debacle right here in Idaho, which has
received extensive coverage over the last couple of years.  Regrettably, I
don't have the links handy . . . wait!  Here's something I started writing
up a month or so ago before the more recent revelations (Idaho dumping CCA,
CCA facing contempt charges, etc.) - please forgive the incomplete state of
it, but it does have some of the links:

For a very brief recap, first the fiscally irresponsible dumbos decided
privatization by getting into bed with the devil in the form of for-profit
CCA (Corrections Corporation of America) to service ICC (Idaho Corrections
Center) was a good idea.

Predictably, CCA quickly showed itself for the devil anyone with connected
brain cells already knew it to be:

<http://www.aclu.org/prisoners-rights/aclu-lawsuit-charges-idaho-prison-offi
cials-promote-rampant-violence>

OR

http://tinyurl.com/ACLU-ICC-CCA

Then  -- shock of all shocks -- it turns out privatization doesn't really
save money when comparing apples to apples, as has been shown time & time
again but it *does* erode quality and the middle class, yet Idaho's dunces
stick their fingers in their ears while singing "lalalala" like the petulant
three-year-olds they've consistently shown themselves to be:

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2012/mar/05/ap-private-prisons-may-be-c
osting-idaho-more-state-hasnt-checked/

OR

http://tinyurl.com/oq3gydt

AND

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2012/mar/05/prison-budget-set-includes-
3-increase-private-prison-firm-cca/

OR

http://tinyurl.com/q33z65j

Do be sure to note that those Boise GOP & tea bagger fiscal hawks (ROTFLMAO)
decided to reward CCA's repeated & serious contract NON-compliance with
nearly a $1 million increase.  Too funny.

Flash forward to April, when -- in another shocking (NOT) development --
when CCA admitted to falsifying THOUSANDS of hours of staffing records at
ICC:

http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/ICC-CCA-false-Staff-records-Idaho-Prison-202
588231.html

HTH,

Saundra

Moscow, ID

I distrust those who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice
it always coincides with their own desires.

~ Susan B. Anthony

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Scott Dredge
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2013 5:10 PM
To: Tom Hansen
Cc: viz
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] [corrected] It's Time for an Honest Conversation
About Marijuana . . .

OK.  So there is a taxpayer cost for every prisoner housed by a private
prison.  And presumably there is a taxpayer savings from every one of those
prisoners not being housed in a state run prison.  If so, it would make
sense to migrate prisoners from the state run facility over to the
privatized one.  If the privatized facilities subsequently jack up their
rates such that it would be lower cost to move them back to the state run
facility, then such action should take place.  Stretching out tax dollars
would allow any savings to be plowed into other government sanctioned
projects.

  _____  

CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
From: thansen at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] [corrected] It's Time for an Honest Conversation
About Marijuana . . .
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 16:34:05 -0700
To: scooterd408 at hotmail.com

One more time, Mr. Dredge . . .

Privatized prison companies "donate" heavily to election campaigns of those
that may provide benefit to the privatized prison companies once they (the
candidate to whom they [the privatized prison company] contributed $) are
elected into office (say . . . perhaps a state governor's office).

Upon assuming office, the elected official pushes for a privatized state
prison system, to be managed/operated by the private company that donated $
to the elected official's campaign.

Once the privte prison company is contracted by that state to house
convicted defendants sentenced to a term in prison, that company is paid on
a per-prisoner basis.

The more prisoners, the bigger the payment from the state (pronounced "tax
payers").

Ok?

Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)

http://www.MoscowCares.com

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

"There's room at the top they are telling you still 

But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
If you want to be like the folks on the hill."

- John Lennon

On Aug 13, 2013, at 3:46 PM, Scott Dredge <scooterd408 at hotmail.com> wrote:

<NOW do ya get it?>
No.  What difference does it make whether criminals do their time in state
run prisons or privatized prisons?

  _____  

CC: moscowcares at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
From: thansen at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] [corrected] It's Time for an Honest Conversation
About Marijuana . . .
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 15:30:50 -0700
To: scooterd408 at hotmail.com

Mr. Dredge lamely suggests:

"Privatized prison system are not the cause of why many defendants are
convicted of minor crimes.  That's a ridiculous notion."

Perhaps I was expecting too much from you, Mr. Dredge.  

The intent of my suggestion was to reflect on the incarceration of those
convicted of minor offenses . . . incarcerated in privatized prison systems
. . . privatized prison systems being marketed by lobbies . . . and adopted
by state governments . . . like Idaho.

NOW do ya get it?

Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)

http://www.MoscowCares.com

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

"There's room at the top they are telling you still 

But first you must learn how to smile as you kill 
If you want to be like the folks on the hill."

- John Lennon

On Aug 13, 2013, at 3:02 PM, Scott Dredge <scooterd408 at hotmail.com> wrote:

Privatized prison system are not the cause of why many defendants are
convicted of minor crimes.  That's a ridiculous notion.

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