12/21/2009 10:39:00 PM Talk of the Town:
People need to learn about prison
By PATTY LASKER Special to the Courier
After the news broke of the proposed correctional center for Prescott Valley, and reading my community member's comments, I wanted to share my experience.
When I first learned of the proposal, my reaction to the news was very different from the way I feel today. I was upset, to say the least. I wondered what was next, a Red Light District?
Naturally, my human, emotional reaction got in the way of thinking clearly. I really needed to vent, which was difficult because this is town business.
Then, as a councilwoman, I learned about this place. I went to lots of meetings. I learned that they build minimum-, medium- and maximum-security prisons all to the same high security levels. Construction will create 300 jobs, and when it opens, it will create 450 permanent, full-time jobs.
Yeah, yeah. I still was trying to be cooperative. What about the appearance of this ugly thing? I couldn't even hear what they were saying. I had my own questions (and opinions). What about those inmates' families? Tell me about them! Are they going to move to my peaceful town, bring crime and who knows what else? But, I decided not to ask these questions at this meeting because I knew my mood still was too resistant to really hear the answer.
In the meantime, the nightly news reported about the economy, over and over again, every night. It's not going to get any better for a long time. Fine, I think. What about here, in Arizona?
I attended two recent state conferences at which economists talked about Arizona's future. They all cannot be wrong. They talked about a jobless recovery. They talked about returning to a level of "normal" by the year 2014; that's five more years of economic struggle. I wondered that if all this is true, can we afford to wait five years?
Finally, I visited the Correction Corporation of America (CCA)-owned prison in Eloy. By then I did not support it, but I was no longer against it either. I really wanted to learn if this could help us in our economic struggle.
I was surprised. If we hadn't pulled into the parking lot, I could have driven right by it without knowing what it was. This wasn't the ugly complex I was used to seeing in old movies. I never felt uncomfortable or fearful while walking around inside and I was surprised by the number of women who work there. The staff includes a large number of educators, administrative, and health care professionals.
We met Eloy's elected officials. They told us that CCA is a responsible neighbor and good steward of the community. This sounded like a sales pitch to me; I wanted to know about the ugly stuff. I asked about the inmates' families and where they live. What kinds of problems do they cause in their peaceful little town?
I was not prepared for the answer. Inmates' visitors must pass background checks to get on the approved visitor list. Then, because inmates have different court-ordered programs to complete and not all prisons offer them, they get transferred to meet the programming requirement. Therefore, it doesn't make sense for inmate families to move from town to town while the inmates get transferred so often.
But, what about the drugs? Everybody knows that prisons are full of drugs, right? Wrong. Private prisons work under state contracts. If they mess up, they lose their contract. This is simple; it's business.
I was pleasantly surprised with all this new information. The correctional industry has changed over the years; it's not like in the movies. But, I still didn't make up my mind to support this potential project until the citizens led me in that direction.
Senior citizens at my church pray for their unemployed family members, who have lost their homes and jobs. Women in my community are concerned about local businesses that are closing. A young man in my bowling league would like to "dust off his Master's degree" and get a "real job" in the corrections industry. Teenagers can't get jobs in fast food restaurants, because their parents are in those jobs. Families struggle to make ends meet on one low-wage job when they are used to two better paying jobs. Employers have delayed laying off more employees as long as possible. I hear these stories day after day, after day.
This center may not offer you the job that you want. Maybe you're retired and don't want a job at all. But, you may want your favorite little store or your favorite restaurant to stay in business. Maybe you just want to play golf and you want that golf course you enjoy so much to stay in business. All of these businesses rely on more dollars than you can provide alone. It takes a healthy community to provide these dollars to the businesses we all love. It takes jobs, all different types of jobs, to create a healthy community.
This correctional center will be only one industry among many in Prescott Valley. It will not define us. But unemployment will, if we don't act now.
I believe that supporting this correctional center is the right decision. I studied the issues from as many angles as I could for a long time. I kept looking for the reasons to say "no." Now, I can find only reasons to say "yes." I invite you to get involved in the learning process, too.
Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010
Article comment by:
Susan Parker
Do you all not realize that your town ISN'T crime free, at least you will know where some of the criminals are and if you think you are too good for a prison in your area MOVE.
Posted: Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Article comment by:
No name provided
OMG Patty, what did you drink (or smoke) before writing this piece of work? You're just kidding - right?
Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009
Article comment by:
Arron
Would Moronette be the female equal of a Moron? Can there be a Marionette Moronette? Lord; one cannot fix stupid. Please editors if you can "disappear" her letter do so. It is embarassing that this woman actually got into any office other than dog catcher or parking lot attendant.
Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
hey councilwoman, how about being able to pay our teachers, our policemen/women. Our economy stinks, how is giving a few hundred people a job going to fix the problem when the state can't even pay to educate our kids.
Why not while your running around to these prisons you actually find a way to keep our teachers working, our police working regular hours instead of trying to find ways to convince the people of P.V that we need a prison. Maybe you should put in as much effort into the education department then we would maybe not be in need of a prison.
Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009
Article comment by:
Recall them all... its too transparent
Well since the new Council member is in the tank for Concentration Camps of America we may as well get the recall started. Maybe Allstate and Wells Fargo will go easy on the town when we pass the buck to the old administration and the Fains who got us into to all these questionable schemes.
Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009
Article comment by:
Prison? = Real Estate in the Toilet
If that prison goes in there will be a race to dump houses. I know I will move even if it costs me $150,000. Get ready for the new Land Rush...away from this town and the royal Fains.
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Good Luck
you can protest all you want but it won't do any good. Take Williamson Valley Road as an example....it was a done deal long before anyone knew about it.
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
Just Positive
To Not Negative; You're a funny guy! I guess the contractor who built your house left town since he must have been the last qualified one here. And no I don't do tracts, though I have suffered the consequences in higher insurance premiums because of those trashy developers.
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
You people are so happy to have something to whine about! chronic whiners are ignored...boo-hoo...
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
ArmyVet : A Red Blooded American!
Gosh I am so embarassed for Patty Lasker. Her letter was like a comic book without pictures. Does she think we are a group of fools. Does she know in 1989 & 1990 there were a series of escapes from CCA's Hernando County, Florida prison? Does she know in December 1990 guards had to use tear gas to quell a riot in CCA's West Tennessee facility? Does she know that in May 1992 press reports indicated that FBI and local prosecutors were investigating whether CCA had offered bribes or other illegal enticements to public officials for contracts in Tennessee? Did she know that in 1993 2 men escaped from a CCA detention facility in Houston? Did she know that some 250 prisoners rioted at Eloy in a private prison? How about June 1995 uprising at another private-run facility in Elizabeth N.J.? Oct 1995 North Carolina, August 1996 Eden detention center Texas?, CCA's Davis Correctional facility in Oklahoma. There are a lot of facts to argue against a prison in Prescott Valley. however the secret meeting and the town sitting on this Holiday "Gift" (by the way Gift in German is Poison) is underhanded, dishonest and sickening. YOU all need to be there January 14th 5:30 PM. If this is passed there will be volunteers to take names and info for a recall against the Mayor and the entire town council. This is the deciding battle of who runs Prescott Valley, you! the people or a group of land Owners and their lapdogs that might steal the pennies off a dead mans eyes.
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
D Kearney
If a corrections facility is such a benign use, I think it should be placed where the proposed Wal Mart was to have been built. Think about it, the savings in infrastructure, doctors from Yavapai Hospital could serve the inmates, employees could walk to work from the surrounding homes. Inmates could provide supplemental janitorial service to Tims Toyota Center. Many major Cities have prisons in their downtown areas. As Patty Lasker claimed in her letter, she did not even know it was a prison when she pulled into the parking lot.
Posted: Thursday, December 24, 2009
Article comment by:
SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE, BUT ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
TO WHAT????? Your mind is so open, I think your brain might have fallen out and gotten lost?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Prescott Valley is a Police State Anyway
Why not just put a fence around the town and call it done?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
NOT NEGATIVE, JUST RIGHT
JUST POSITIVE, you could not be more wrong. my dwelling was built quite well. I bought it from a contractor who originally built it for himself. It's a rather well built and thought out dwelling. Actually I've listened to people that bought homes in Granville, Viewpoint and Stoneridge, complain. Could you be one of those contractors?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
What? Tom Steele isn't negative!
Think and research? Right Read a couple of negative one article on the internet, twist the truth and call it research. That is YOUR version of research. Listen to to the people, that's why you lost a re-elect. Keep an open mind you might learn something.
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Just Positive
To Not Negative. I am not supporting the prison, quite the contrary.That aside, you sound like a bitter homeowner who forgot to do his homework before hiring a general contractor. You can't find one hanging out in front of Home Depot waiting to hop in your car. Live and learn
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Folsom...a great place to leave
Hey no name: I lived there for 15 years. If you never wanted to leave Folsom proper I guess it may tolerable... but not an ideal community. When the tri-city area fills up with these kind of low rent projects it will become as Sacramento is.
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Did you read todays Tribune?
Our up front leaders have been talking to CCA since February. How nice of them to finally let us in on the secret. Wonder how much has already been decided before they let the public speak?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Sparky
:Better than a Prison: we don't need a Red Light District. We already have one in the Town Center. Guess the Pimps?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Prison Valley full of crooks but on the outside of bars
We can get those true old world craftsmen to build it . Just like the Granville Block Wall that blew down on Glassford hill Road ! What is Fain building ? barracks and deputy wardens housing for the Concentration Camps of America? on Glassford Hill?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
ArmyVet
Goodness Old Town Patty gives us a little credit for being at least High School graduates. Your letter was a study in propaganda directed at the ignorant and ill educated. I guess we can see how you are going to vote with your advanced degrees and experience in Police Science, Criminal Justice & The Penal system. Tell the land owners you need better copy.
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Sparky Red
We must get everyone we know to go to the Town Hall meeting in January when they will vote on this issue. I fear it is a done deal for the prison and the meeting is eyewash for any fool that still believes there is justice, and honesty in our town government. The Economic Development Foundation that drags these major land owner developer projects to our town needs to be dumped, fired,gotten rid of. They appear to be the insulation between the Land Owners and The Town Politicians . We grant or pay them money each year to work against the average town resident for the Good Ole Boys. Enough! be there and be vocal.Its your home that will drop dramatically in value when Concentration Camps of America comes to town.
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
To B J and Real World. If you put your emotion or bias on hold and research rural prisons in America and private prisons and non CCA information you will see another picture. Patty Lasker may not have taken the time to look beyond the propaganda from CCA and materials presented by hungry developers and land owners. The mayor and council are supposed to work for "We the People"; not the power brokers of Prescott Valley. I am not negative; I think and research before commenting; do you?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
To happy in PV; you are cowardly to attack me personally and remain anonymous. If you would bother to weigh all the facts and research private prisons in rural America; you may change your mind. That is if it isn't too narrow to accept fact. A 5,000 bed prison is not a rural retreat center. It will house violent people who want to escape. Their friends and families will hang out in town. The prison will stop future growth because we have a prison. Wake up Happy in PV. Most thinking people don't want to look back and say; "Why did we EVER allow a 5,000-bed prison to locate here"?
Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
To Folsom - A great place to live: Obviously you have never been there. It is a gorgeous community but Sacramento is pitiful.
