Big Decisions Ahead for 4,000 FL Correctional Employees
(Posted August 24, 2011 08:05 am)
By Les Coleman
TALLAHASSEE, FL - The move to privatize 29 south Florida prisons means that about 4,000 corrections officers have big decisions to make. The workers either agree to work for a new prison-for-profit company, or they relocate - at their own expense - to other facilities in Florida, where there are only about 2,000. There's also a pending lawsuit contending that the legislation is unconstitutional.
Matt Puckett, executive director of the Florida
Police Benevolent Association, claims that private,
for-profit-prisons will raise, not lower, the crime
rate.
"They're in the business to incarcerate people for
money, so if crime's up and people are going to prison,
they're making profits. They're thrilled!"
The for-profit GEO Group reportedly gave hundreds of
thousands of dollars to the Republican Party in the 2010
election cycle, and the company's lobbyist reportedly
helped raise millions for Gov. Rick Scott's inaugural
fund.
Another company expected to bid for some of the work is
Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which
contributed $5,000 to Scott's campaign. CCA spokesman
Steve Owen objects to the notion of political
"back-door" influence.
"I think a claim like that is absurd. We have a right to
participate in the political process and to contribute,
and CCA does so appropriately, and all of that is
publicly available. We're very transparent."
Another problem with the privatization plan cropped up
last week when the news broke that it could cost the
state up to $25 million for unused vacation time, sick
leave and holiday comp time as the corrections officers
migrate to private employment. There is little
independent data to verify whether public or privately
run prisons are the best way to go.
The various aspects of the lawsuit will be heard during
court dates in September and October.