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November 10, 2007
CT: Gov. opposed to $260 million plan for two new prisons
Saturday, November 10, 2007 6:08 AM EST
Gov. opposed to $260 million plan for two new prisons
BY PAUL HUGHES REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
HARTFORD -- Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Friday she opposes a $260 million plan jointly proposed by the chairs of the judiciary committees in the House and Senate, to build two new prisons that would house an additional 2,200 inmates.
The Democratic plan proposes the construction of a $110 million, 1,000-bed, medium-security prison and a 1,200-bed facility costing $150 million to house inmates who are mentally ill or medically infirm.
Rell said she prefers freeing up prison beds by releasing nonviolent offenders into supervised community programs and sees no need at this time to build new prisons in Connecticut or to consider sending inmates out of state as was done several years ago.
"Before you go down that road," she said, "you have to look at all the other alternatives first."
The governor also disputed the need for a new specialized facility for the mentally ill, saying the Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown serves that function.
"I think it is premature to be talking about another facility for that purpose," Rell said.
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2007/11/10/news/296905.txt
Posted by lois at November 10, 2007 10:47 PM