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February 08, 2007
Prisoners from CA may be sent to Mississippi
MS may house Calif. inmates
Private facility in Tutwiler already houses 800 convicts from Hawaii
By Jimmie E. Gates, jgates@clarionledger.com
February 7, 2007
A private prison in Tallahatchie County could become home to several hundred California maximum-security prisoners in July.
California officials have said that as many as 5,000 convicts will be transferred out of state to ease a crowding crisis. Mississippi is one of three states that possibly could house the prisoners.
"It's premature, but there is a possibility (of some California inmates coming to Mississippi)," said Louise Grant, a vice president with Correctional Corporation of America, which operates three private prisons in Mississippi.
In December, a federal judge in California warned that he would start releasing inmates early or prohibit convicts from being sent to state prisons from county jails unless the state acted immediately to ease crowding, according to published reports.
Grant said if California inmates are transferred to Mississippi, they would be housed at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Tutwiler.
Tutwiler Mayor Robert L. Grayson said he would have no problem with California inmates being housed in Tallahatchie.
"I worked in the system for 31 years, and, from my standpoint, one convict is just like every other convict," Grayson said.
The facility houses 1,100 inmates, with 800 of them from Hawaii, Grant said.
Grant said a groundbreaking will take place next week at the Tallahatchie facility to add 360 beds by the end of 2007.
"California was on our original list to house up to 1,000 of their inmates," Grant said.
Grant said the plan is to move the 800 Hawaii inmates to a new facility in Arizona. That process is scheduled to begin in July.
Once the Hawaii inmates are moved, Grant said some California inmates could be transferred to Mississippi.
Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps said nothing has been approved on transferring California inmates to Mississippi.
"I would have to look at public safety," Epps said.
The state contracts with Nashville-based CCA to operate the Tallahatchie facility.
Grant said there wouldn't be a problem since inmates from out of state already are housed at the private prison.
"We have a very strong working relationship with the Mississippi Department of Corrections," Grant said.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070207/NEWS/702070359/1001/NEWS
Posted by lois at February 8, 2007 08:38 PM