By Lance Lowry
Austin, Texas - For years private prisons have claimed they could run prison facilities cheaper than public institutions without cutting quality measures, however most companies refuse to comply with the same standards public institutions face with open records request and legal jurisdictions requirements being the same as public institutions. Private prison companies have helped fund organizations such as American Correctional Association (ACA), who issues accreditations to both public and private prisons. With increasing dependence from private prisons ACA executives are pressured to keep accreditation standards under terms the private prison corporations set, allowing no real measure for actual standards.
On Wednesday the 353rd State District Court judge in Travis County may have leveled the playing field more by ruling that the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is a "governmental body" and is subject to the Texas Open Records Act. This court ruling will require private prison companies to release records that are normally required to be made public by public institutions. Information such as staffing levels and officer turnover rates may now be required to be released by private prisons that receive state governmental money in Texas.
In a lawsuit filed by Prison Legal News in May 2013 against CCA, the publication sought records on the CCA Dawson State Jail, and argued that "incarceration is inherently a power of government. By using public money to perform a public function, CCA is a government body." State District Judge Charles Ramsey agreed in a 1 page order granting Prison Legal News a summary judgment.
CCA in August 2013 attempted to shield itself from public scrutiny by filing a request to seal a lawsuit brought on by 17 Idaho news organization. US District Judge Edward Lodge issued an order that scaled back the protection CCA sought. Now the company is facing an FBI Criminal Investigation as a result of its Idaho Operation and understaffing cover-ups at an Idaho prison know as the "Gladiator School."
An audit of CCA's Idaho operations by the forensic firm KPMG at the request of the Idaho Department of Corrections reveals in 2012 CCA fell short on 26,000 hours.
The state of Texas last year closed down two CCA facilities and may be expected to cut more with CCA's current performance history. With CCA's falsification of records in Idaho, the new Texas open records ruling may reveal the same type of cover-ups on staffing in Texas.
See Prison Legal News Lawsuit: Click Here
From the Desk of BoBoTheBeaten:
ReplyDeletePrivate prisons learned how to manipulate their staffing records from retired TDCJ leadership.
It seems like a very common sense ruling. It's so common sense, in fact, that I expect some federal court to overturn the ruling. Too much like right.
ReplyDeleteOnce again the staffing issue comes up. We have a shortage of COs. To make matters worse, COs are being forced to do jobs that should be done by other departments. At two different units I have had to semi permanently give up a CO from my shift to escort maintenance inmates. Maintenance has their own staffing shortage to deal with. They also tend to spend a lot more time sitting around the maintenance department than they do in the building fixing things. Of course they aren't held accountable. Accountability only applies to people in gray, on shift.
I've had to deal with mail rooms who didn't properly sort the mail, and who didn't write correct housing assignments on half the mail. Ten or twelve years ago, the mail room staff passed out mail. That job got dumped on the COs. The mail room staff has no incentive to do their job properly now. Accountability only applies to people in gray, on shift.
Commissary arbitrarily closes early. Count room fails to print up to date rosters, restriction lists, lay ins, etc in a timely manner. I will stop now, because I could go on like this for days. I'm sure everyone has noticed that at most units the COs on shift have to pick up the slack for H Card folks, and it's only the COs and shift supervisors who ever end up in the Warden's Office.
Private prisons suck!!!!!! They save money by cutting their officer's pay and benefits. They are so scared of lawsuits, they don't want CO's to have any contact with inmates. The inmates run the prison. They don't report most incidents to the state if possible. They threaten officers if there is a use of force or something has to be EAC'd. They are nothing but contraband hotbeds.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteOur escort services are not just limited to the Austin area, but also Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Sugarland, Conroe, Westlake, Round Rock, Galveston and Fort Hood. Our female escorts are available for travel throughout the Austin region.Austin Escorts
ReplyDeletetampa bay escorts,Escort Guide, Sensual Person Amusement,seattle escorts, escorts in seattle,portland escorts,portland cam careers,seattle escort jobs,portland stripper careers"
Our escorts in Austin solutions aren't only restricted to the Austin region, but additionally Pflugerville, Forest Park, Georgetown, Leander, Sugarland, Conroe, Westlake, Circular Stone, Galveston and Fort Hood. Our woman escorts can be found for vacation through the entire Austin region.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteEscorts in Houston Please select of our Houston escorts for the full profile and biography. Our escorts are 100% authentic, and that which you see is that which you get. We do upgrade our escorts often therefore do always check right back often.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have the choice, if required, to arrange your visit via email or phone. All Concerns should be confirmed before being combined with a number of of our Austin Escorts.