Globe's prison town prospects: with what will crime pay?

This letter is a sorry reflection of all those "economic planners'" and "community leaders" who see only short term cash rewards from private prisons, and have little concern for the long term corrosion it brings to a community - look at what's happened to the City of God, Eloy...who planned all that, anyway? It wasn't the people - it was none other than Corrections Corporation of America and the politicians and businessmen they seduced. The Eloy mayor is even on their payroll.



Those prisons reflect on their host communities, you know, and it's pretty sad what becomes of prison towns once the mentality that abuse of prisoners is an acceptable externality of the market in today's society sets in. Even decent people become complacent with the illusion that they aren't responsible for changing such conditions - they are coopted even in the face of evidence of evil there in order to continue their income, pay rent, cover their health care, assure new books for their kids schools, etc.


This guy talks about how the community will profit from the rewards Emerald and the State collectively promise - but how will this pay? Most residents can't really wish for the children of Globe to be transformed by a prison-dependent labor sector into abusive, callous people capable of torturing and raping others bound in chains - yet this proposal offers little hope for other ways for townspeople to support themselves that doesn't require that they buy into this racist, misogynistic, repressive system of "justice".


What a new prison will NOT bring is a healthier town, that's for sure. You begin to die the day you break ground. Don't trust anyone who tries to tell you otherwise - they're sucking the real profits off for themselves, and will leave your town to wither once the American prison boom goes bust.



So, good luck to the Resistance in Globe. Don't let the creeps at Corplan/Emerald rape your lovely community of its humanity, at least not while it sleeps. Wake your neighbors up, and fight their propaganda and politics back with everything you have...

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EDC president responds to ballot initiatives on prison prospect

Wednesday, Jun 15th, 2011
Arizona Silver Belt
Letters to the Editor

There will more than likely be a public hearing in our area sometime before June 30, 2011 in response to whether the residents of the City of Globe are interested in having an additional prison built within the City limits. At this time none of us know exactly when or if this will be, we only know that the State plans to award contracts on or around July 1, 2011, which will add 5,000 beds into the Arizona State Department of Corrections (DOC) system.

The Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation has been working with Emerald Companies, a private corporation, along with their engineers, developers and the AZ DOC in an effort to bring 1,000 beds to our area. You might ask why the SGCEDC would continue to work on this project after hearing that 2,700 people are opposed to this project. Please let me offer our position on this project. We represent approximately 27,000 residents in southern Gila County and we strongly believe that we have heard personally from the majority who recognize the benefits of this project. While the SGCEDC has made an effort to keep the public informed on this project, we did not feel that it would be proper to debate this project in the media before knowing if it was even available to us.

At this time Emerald Companies have been asked to provide their Best & Final offer, which means that their proposal is being considered. We have assimilated a lot of information and have made this information available to the public at many past meetings, at my monthly Meet & Greet meetings, and a couple of advertisements in the local newspapers. Also Mr. Mickie Nye attended several radio programs with Mr. Jim Moss to thoroughly discuss this project. We have not withheld any facts about this project. The following information has been researched and compiled very carefully to bring you an accurate review of this project. We have heard from many residents and business that this project will offer many more assets to our communities than disadvantages.

A project this size will bring over 300 direct jobs and approximately another 100 indirect jobs. As of the end of 2010 Gila County was suffering with an unemployment rate of 11.1 percent which means that there were approximately 6,000 people either unemployed or actively looking for employment. We believe that this project will help our economy and better the life style of many of these residents. We recognized that this project will also relieve a large strain from our social programs design to help unemployed people. If you are currently unemployed and seeking work locally, please watch for the Public Hearing Notice and join the meeting to show your support for this project.

If a contract is awarded for our area, this project will be totally developed by Emerald Companies. This includes all of the financing arrangements. None of our local governments will be responsible for the financing. Emerald will build this property to the State DOC specifications and the operations will be stipulated by the DOC. Since this project is under an AZ State contract it is strictly regulated by the DOC. The construction of this project will bring a new sewer line through the City’s North East Corridor proposed development. This along with improvements to the water infrastructure will benefit the City of Globe by two million dollars.

What are the monetary benefits? The salary range is $29,000 to $200,000 annually. These are not minimum wage jobs. The current prison located in the same area provides approximately $3.5 million dollars in annual wages along with another half million dollars in local revenues. Economists will tell you that the dollar turns five to seven times before escaping local communities, which calculates out to $20 - $28 million dollars annually. This is a nice clean industry with continuous sustainability. We need these jobs!

I have heard so many stories about the bad things that come with private prisons and I will tell you that I cannot accurately respond about this because, like any private business, they all operate differently. However, I can tell you that we, as a team, have investigated Emerald Companies very thoroughly. They are a very good private prison operator. If they are awarded this contract for a 1,000 bed facility they will have to provide the same service and safety standards that are required within the state operated facilities.

In closing I would like to ask that if you are a registered voter within the City of Globe and are asked to sign any petition to put this issue on the ballot in March of 2012, please strongly consider saying no. This would be a tactic to interfere with the DOC process and the true feelings of the citizens of Globe would not be known until long after the contracts have been awarded. Some other community will receive this huge economic benefit. That would be a shame during these economic times.

Jerry McCreary

SGCEDC Board President

There may be hope for Globe yet.

This is the best news I've had today. Note how this group isn't just looking at economics - they're seriously questioning the ethics and effect on the character of the community if they host a private prison in Globe. You folks are going to do alright by those kids in your town whether or not you win this fight, because at least they will come to value that your reasons for resistance have to do with much more than finding any old means of subsistence. By your example they will learn that it isn't moral - nor is it a blessing from God - to profit off of the perpetual victimization that divesting from treatment and investing in incarceration assures. Rock on, brothers and sisters of Globe. Rock on. You too, Holly Sow - well done.


Citizens become active against prison proposal

Posted: Wednesday, Aug 4th, 2010

BY: Holly Sow/Staff Writer

GLOBE — A group of local citizens have formed to voice their opposition to the proposed 1,000-bed for-profit private prison in Globe city limits near the Gila County Fair Grounds. The group rejects the private prison as an economic development project for the area declaring that “promoting Globe as a ‘Prison Town’ is not in the best interest of the community.”

The group argues against the idea of private prisons based on a number of findings regarding the effects for-profit prisons have on local economies as well as a universal questioning of the ethical motivations of incarcerating people for profit.

From an economic standpoint, for-profit prisons are not comparable to state-run prisons in that private prisons are businesses, which are accountable to shareholders. Although Emerald Corrections, the private prison operating company that has put in the bid to ADOC for a 1,000-bed prison in Globe, has promised competitive, well above minimum wage compensation for its employees, statistics show that most private prisons pay lower wages or at minimum wage in order to cut operating costs and increase profit. One study showed that in order to reduce costs and increase profits, those who are in direct contact with the prisoners (the bulk of the jobs that would be open to the local working force should the prison be built) are the ones who earned the lowest wages.

Moreover, the group finds the profit motive of private prisons at odds with the rehabilitation function desired from such correctional institutions. Many argue that for profit motives may lead to reduced efforts to correct behaviors, treat substance abuse, and offer skills necessary to reintegrate incarcerated persons into the community. For-profit private prisons make money off of prisoners. It is not in their best interest, therefore, to try to reduce the number of prisoners, but rather they welcome the steady flow of incarcerated people in the equation prisoners equal profit. This raises the question of whether private prisons have an incentive to assist people in their efforts not to return to prison.

Another question raised is whether or not private prisons are in fact as profitable as they like to appear. A 2001 Report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy revealed that for-profit private prisons, especially larger ones with 500+ beds, are often the recipients of economic development subsidies provided by local, state, and federal governments. Combine the government funded subsidies with the relatively low wages and the limited ripple effect of the private prison business, what often appears like an excellent economic development opportunity to a community may not always live up to the promised expectations.

Furthermore, statistics show that many large private prisons tend to be financed through government-issued securities (lease bonds) which do not require voter approval. The issue of lack of oversight is another critique point of private prisons. Because private prisons are accountable to their shareholders, not the public, quality assurance in business practices often lacks transparency. Private prisons are not covered by the Freedom of Information Act.

The local group opposed to becoming a ‘prison town’ is asking citizens of Globe to look deeper into the for-profit prison business and consider the negative effects such large prison would have on further economic development of the city of Globe. They are asking the Globe City Council to pass a new resolution that “unequivocally opposed an Prison Project in or near the City of Globe.”

For more information or to become involved in the group, contact Jim or Kelly Moss at 928-425-9282.

Prison: Globe's bright hope for their children's future.

I just feel profoundly sad now every time I read an article like this...what about the imprint that economic dependence on crime and punishment leaves on the soul of a community? How is that a blessing for future generations? 

If you build it, they will come...

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Globe council supports prison

Posted: Wednesday, Apr 21st, 2010

www.silverbelt.com

BY: Andrea Marcanti/Staff Writer

GLOBE — After two hours of debate and discussion, Globe City Council voted in support of the private prison proposal introduced by the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation at the April 12 meeting.

What was initially presented to the council as an “out of city limits” correctional facility was later discovered to be inside the city’s annexed land on Globe’s northeast corridor. “We thought that the entire track was outside of city limits,” said James Parkey of Corpplan Corrections. “But after looking at it further we found it was in the limits, which puts the City of Globe in control of this proposal.”

Parkey along with Mike Moore from Emerald Correctional Management were on hand to answer questions about the project. Together with EDC Director Melissa Woodall, the group stressed the possible 40 to 60 million dollar economic footprint the prison could have on the area, the 300 plus jobs it could create, and of course their May 9 deadline to get proposals into the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Woodall explained at last week’s meeting that the state of Arizona offered a proposal to construct private correction facilities to house 5,000 beds.

The construction of these prisons would allow the state to transport inmates back to Arizona that are currently doing time out of state. “The state is looking to move the dollar back to Arizona where the citizens can benefit,” said Moore.

And with time passing and only a few weeks to submit their proposal, Emerald Corrections are looking to get the cities support in order to be placed on the “short list” with the state. “There are several other cities and towns looking to be awarded these beds,” said Moore.

The economic impact a facility of this size will have on the city is massive. “The city would get a monthly revenue check per inmate per month but it would depend on the monthly per diem that the state pays,” said Moore. “It does pay and it’s a sizable number.”

Another possible money making impact discussed lies in the Census money that could be received. “I know the Census money could be up to $1,500 per year per inmate,” said Councilwoman Thea Wilshire. “The fact that the site is already in the city is a pro to me.”

The city also looked at the possible $350 per person per year in state shared revenue, and the possible help with sewer infrastructure to help with the northeast area plan to expand Globe.

Both positive and negatives were discussed by the council and public in attendance. A big question regarding the cities lack of water was asked by Councilman Terence Wheeler. “We have a weak link in this city and that’s water,” said Wheeler. “Water is the most important commodity we have.” At the time of the discussion the EDC could not produce the numbers regarding the water usage and how that would affect the city. However, in an email received Tuesday morning, EDC member Mickie Nye felt it was important to produce these water numbers in relation to both the prison and Job Corps projects. “The northeast area plan is not homes but people, and I think the number is more like 4 thousand people if maximum build out were to occur. That is based on zoning densities. Assuming 150 gallons per day per person for 4000 people consumption would be about 674 acre feet. So taken together and assuming max capacity for both, the two projects would not exhaust the current excess capacity and would leave about 214 acre feet to support future development east of the groundwater divide, including the Job Corps (maybe 50-acre feet) and the large block of Freeport property (which also will need water). For now, there is enough water to go around.”

While other concerns expressed by the public were in regards to the possible psychological and cultural impact of having this type of facility in our city, and will Globe become a “prison town” like Florence.

The city moved forward to vote four to two in favor of supporting the prison proposal.