 Letters to the Editor
I recently read
an article that states that after reviewing the Governor's plan to reorganize
the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, The Little Hoover Commission has concluded
that the plan would enable significant improvements regarding the performance of
correctional programs and enhance public safety. I personally read this proposed plan myself and as a taxpayer, I completely disagree with them and here is why: There is to little consideration regarding the most
fundamental and necessary programs needed to reform and rehabilitate prisoners,
male and female alike. There is little or
no focus on lowering recidivism rates and it is amazing to me that the Little
Hoover Commission would even consider implementing this band-aid style attempt
of reform that would not even consider adopting or creating a plan similar to
that of the State of
The recidivism
rate in the State of
3.pdf). 050223.pdf). Mental health and
rehabilitation are two main ingredients and necessary components in reforming
inmates yet, in the new reform plan, they are departments that are separate and
apart. Mental and medical
health issues are geared more towards lowering overall costs than to heal the
sick. Mental and medical health care
costs are high. There are other states using programs that are more affordable.
We should be mimicking those states and not cutting back funding for the programs
we are already using that are lacking. Statistics have
proven that the majority of the inmates in
Rehabilitation is all about healing. The proposed
reform will be cutting necessary programs at the expense of the under educated,
drug addicted and mentally ill inmate and let's not forget about the general
public, their safety, and what will be the ultimate cost to the tax payer that
is funding this proposal to begin with? At the same time
much attention is going towards creating a Risk Management Program designed to
protect the state from lawsuits stemming from the inmate abuse that occurs
daily. I agree that there should be
cameras inside the prison walls that cannot be turned off and that the only way
to solve the abuse is to end it. Fire those correctional officers that are doing
the abuses and hold them legally accountable for their wrong doing. Put them behind bars. The refusal to
allow for a Civilian Corrections Commission has created a great distrust of
this proposed plan and the scrutiny will continue. There will still be no
measurable amount of accountability. The proposed program does not embrace the
idea that the Civilian taxpaying communities concerns and considerations are
credible when they should in fact invite such a proposed opportunity. To much authority
and responsibility lies in the hands of the proposed Secretary position. The
proposed plan has it's positive points yet at the same time it lacks It is no doubt
that the prison system needs to be reformed but grabbing to quickly at a
program that is lacking such as this one will not guarantee the positive
changes that are needed. Allowing this
plan to be implemented in
If they are going
to observe and create a statistical outline then they should also be
functionally pro active in creating preventative programs designed to
positively aid the inmates in rehabilitation. It's all about the numbers though
isn't it? Especially when the numbers are on a dollar bill. Read on, I am a taxpayer
and I demand that there be a Civilian Corrections Commission! Otherwise there
will STILL be NO measurable amount of accountability. The proposed reform will
still be an enclosed web of hush, hush and pats on the back and cutting of necessary
programs at the expense of the under educated, drug addicted and MENTALLY ILL
inmate and let's not forget about the general public, their safety, and at what
will be the ultimate cost to the unknowing and naive tax payer that is funding
this mess to begin with! I have a quick
question. If
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