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August 13, 2009
PA considers sending prisoners to MI
State Department of Corrections officials confirmed Tuesday that Pennsylvania has approached Michigan about off-loading(!!!!) some of its prison population, which has grown from 48,000 to 51,000 since December.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Pa. considers sending inmates to Mich.
Karen Bouffard / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
Lansing -- A third party has expressed interest in exporting prisoners to Michigan -- but they'll have to stand in line behind California and the federal government, which is thinking about shipping in terror suspects from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
State Department of Corrections officials confirmed Tuesday that Pennsylvania has approached Michigan about off-loading some of its prison population, which has grown from 48,000 to 51,000 since December.
The House Judiciary subcommittee on corrections reform will hear testimony today about the impact of shipping in prisoners at a hearing at 10:30 a.m. in Room 308 of the House Office Building, 124 N. Capitol Ave., in Lansing.
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections spokeswoman Susan McNaughton confirmed sending prisoners to Michigan "is something we are considering." She added that Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections Jeffrey Beard has spoken with Michigan Corrections Director Patricia Caruso on three occasions.
Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan said Michigan e-mailed queries to each of the 50 states in March asking if they would be interested in housing prisoners here.
Florida and Wisconsin expressed minimal interest, Marlan said. Michigan submitted a request for proposals from Alaska and learned last week Michigan lost the bid, Marlan said.
Vermont offered to send Michigan some prisoners but not enough to significantly increase revenue for Michigan, Marlan said.
"They were looking for 100 beds, so it's nothing that would benefit us," Marlan said.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090812/METRO/908120345/1409/METRO/Pa.-considers-sending-inmates-to-Mich.
Posted by lois at August 13, 2009 06:01 PM