The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

Prison officials say they can move the displaced inmates into the remaining 72 facilities by putting two beds in some cells, putting beds in day rooms and other measures. But the closings add to a growing problem for a prison system that is already slightly above capacity, with 40,644 inmates behind bars. The system is expected to grow by another 9,000 inmates during the next 10 years.

The space crunch has led some lawmakers to call for legislation that would reduce some sentences. But Perdue, in a meeting Thursday with reporters and editors at The (Raleigh) News & Observer, said she is not ready to offer her support.

“I would like a discussion sometime about what other states are doing,” Perdue said. “I know after a decade there needs to be a very open public discussion about whether we invest more in community placement and education opportunities.”

State lawmakers charged with writing the prison budget say they peppered Perdue's staff about the capacity concerns.

“We couldn't get a clear answer,” said state Sen. Tom Apodaca, a Hendersonville Republican.

That's because prison officials say they do not yet know how they will deal with the predicted surge in inmates.

The projection comes from the N.C. Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission, which is charged with determining how many inmates the system will see for the next 10 years so that lawmakers can prevent the prison overcrowding that led to federal intervention two decades ago.

James French, a deputy correction secretary who oversees the prisons, said his staff is checking prisons to see how much additional capacity they may have. They are limited by federal requirements that say how much space each inmate needs to avoid overcrowding — which can create an unsafe environment for inmates and staff. Prison officials are already concerned at the level of double-bunking within the system.

“We're working on it, and we don't have a lot of time to waste,” French said. “This is a top priority for our management team right now.”

The proposed prison closings are causing heartburn for state officials in other ways.

Legislative budget writers say they are concerned that some of the prisons up for closing would mean inmates' families would have to drive longer distances for visits.

Haywood Correctional Center, a minimum security prison near Waynesville, is the system's westernmost and is roughly 90 miles from the western border.

Mary Pollard, the new executive director for N.C. Prisoner Legal Services, said she was concerned about the proposed closing of McCain Correctional Hospital in Raeford. It has become a geriatric care facility for the correction department.

French and Keith Acree, a department spokesman, said none of the inmates will end up in facilities that are not the right fit. Minimum security inmates, for example, will be moved to minimum security facilities.

Acree also said there are other prisons with specialized geriatric care.

Acree said prison workers will do their best to move an inmate to the next closest facility so families can continue to visit. But he anticipates inmates will be shuttled around the state.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/609711.html