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"The lateHuerfano County,Kit Carsonfacility, as well asBent County,Crowley County, are known among inmates as theLas Vegasand Wild West of DOC," Gurule said. Opinion: When the lease expires, landlords should let tenants stay if they keep paying the rent, acknowledges that wages may not be the only issue, incarceration rate in Colorado decreased by 24% between 2010 and 2019, one of the worst recidivism rates in the nation, (720) 263-2338 Call, text, Signal or WhatsApp, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. When asked about how the DOC had addressed staffing concerns at the private prisons, Skinner mentioned the per diem rate increase as well as retention bonuses for CoreCivic staff. If we care about the integrity of the justice system, the successful rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals, the taxpayers, and the employees, now is the time for Colorado to stop using private prisons. Were taking significant steps to attract and retain talented people through various means to counter the current employment challenges so many employers are facing throughout the country.. Bent County Correctional Facility, 11560 County Road Ff75, Los Animas, CO 81054. 615-242-5826. While closing Colorado's private prisons may take a few more years, people around the facilities are hoping they can change enough minds to keep them open. It would be a strong, negative, and lasting impact on our community. "Not everybody wants to come and build a business in rural Colorado, and so there are industries we will look after that aren't welcome in other people's backyards. Mr. Virgil Ensey. All rights reserved. Bent County Correctional Facility is a privately run institution located in Las Animas Colorado. Facility Information Name of Facility: Bent County Correctional Facility Physical Address: 11560 County Road FF. For those counties and for the integrity of our justice system, the Department of Corrections should run all the prison facilities. Somevocational opportunities existfor eligible inmates that help to provide a solid foundationand essential skills the inmate can use after they are released to obtain a job. State Rep.Leslie Herodand Sen.Julie Gonzales, theDenverDemocrats who sponsored the bill, told the La Junta Tribune-Democrat in 2020 that it was driven by a decline in prison population acrossColorado, a trend that Herod said is expected to continue downward, if only slightly. Jared Polis on Monday distributed more than $1 billion in federal dollars from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, but drew ire from Republicans and Joint Budget Committee members for leaving them out of the process. Comparable figure for private facilities is around $42,000. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The states handling of inmates is changing equally as fast to keep up. For people who live near the two private prisons in Colorado, it's become a lifeline to jobs and services the community relies on. It has a capacity of 1,894 beds and opened in 1998. The department is 7% of the state budget, he told the JBC. PRIVATE PRISONS ARE AT RISKBent County is at Risk. Jared Polis announced Nov. 1 that he planned to pull the plug on the states private prison deal by the end of the current fiscal year. The state has a vacant prison in Fremont County called Centennial South, built for solitary confinement prisoners but closed for nearly a decade. This exact situation recently played out in 2020, when Geo Group, another private prison company. We have to reinvest in those communities," Herod said. If I had a turnover rate like that, I would really be concerned about the quality and training of the individuals that I hire, Rankin said. 1250 Academy Park Loop Employees at state-owned prisons enjoy state benefits, including a retirement system that has proven expensive, she said. Copyright 2023 Inmates can get certification for HVAC careers and for flaggers for the Department of Transportation. Poor working conditions, housing options and other factors may be the reasons why people do not want to work there. It is Bent Countys largest taxpayer as far as property tax goes, its our largest municipal utility consumer, its our largest employer, Bent Commissioner Chuck Netherton. Bent County Correctional Facility. Those measures were taken to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection to inmates and prison staff. The teachers at Crowley helped 97 inmates earn their GED between July 1, 2019, and February 29, 2020 more than any other correctional facility in Colorado. Theres real questions about that, and given GEOs decision to get out of the game, its forced the states hand to figure out a meaningful solution quickly, Gonzales said. If you find yourself in the town of Las Animas, chances are youre either passing through or paying a visit to Bent Countys largest economic driver. Bent County Correctional Facility prisoners don't have telephones, so you can't call the inmate, but, there are cases when it might be helpful to have the phone number to Bent County Correctional Facility. The ICE Detention Center in Aurora, operated by GEO Group, has faced accusations of abuse and maltreatment of inmates, attracting protests and weekly inspections by U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Aurora. Bent County Correctional Facility is a Medium security level Private Prison located in the city of Las Animas, Colorado. Gurule said private prisons make their money by incarcerating inmates and described their business models as "essentially making incarcerated people a required commodity for financial gain.". Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, First Circuit: Surgery performed on inmate to locate alleged contraband a violation of the Fourth Amendment, Ala. police: Man gets ride home from jail, then kills 3 relatives and friend, Charges dropped against detainee after video showed beating by deputies inside Ga. jail, Inmate accused of slashing N.Y. corrections officer indicted, Open the tools menu in your browser. The pullout gives the Department of Corrections a ticking clock to find medium-security beds for as many as 642 inmates. https://rpiconsulting.checkbox.com/PrisonStudyPublicComment, Loss of Jobs Approx. Want the real scoop? / CBS Colorado. Closing the minimum security prison will save the state $1.9 million in the general fund in 2020-21 and almost $5 million the following year. Back in the 1980s and 90s, when the number of inmates was surging across the country, cheap private prisons with fewer rehabilitative programs held appeal. Mistakes were made when the state announced it was shuttering Cheyenne Mountain, which prompted the company to exercise its 60-day pullout clause, said Rep. Kim Ransom, a Republican from Douglas County who sits on the Joint Budget Committee, the bipartisan panel of legislators charged with finding the money to manage the states next steps. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committed worked late into the evening last Wednesday with representatives from Bent and Crowley counties in attendance to craft a delicately worded compromise on a bill that could provide a lifeline for the two facilities. It's a business with 285 employees, but it is also a small. It is contracted through the Department of Correction to incarcerate male offenders. The private prisons are fully managed by Core Civic, DOC spokesperson Annie Skinner said in an email, when asked about the responsibilities of DOC versus CoreCivic in relation to hiring and retention of employees at private prisons. As far as I know, thats never been done at the adult level, he said. My approach is the numbers, she said. "We shouldn't just keep prisons open just for jobs," Herod said. According to his memo, that's about one-third of the total prison population. Address: 11560 County Road FF75, Las Animas, CO 81054. They provide minimal educational and work programs to inmates, and offer far less mental health and substance abuse treatment. Email:cdoc@state.co.us, You may also schedule a visit by email at, Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility. The new deaths linked to the disease include: A 62-year-old inmate who was being housed at the Bent County Correctional Facility. 11560 Road FF.75, Las Animas, CO 81054-9598 Get Directions to this Facility Phone: 719-456-2610 Fax: 719-456-2615 Roughly 60% of workers live in Otero, Crowley and Bent Counties who work at the two private prisons. Visiting days are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10am-3:50pm. Everybody is just really scared., Its all because of the recently passed Colorado House Bill 20-1019, which according to its summary, concerns measures to manage the state prison population.. Leaders at the state Capitol are talking about evolutionary change in criminal justice at the same time theyre talking about spending $9 million in a hurry to solve a problem partly of their own making. But Allen recommended against it, as the prison might need the beds for social distancing measures. The Private Prison was opened in 1996 The facility has a capacity of 1,420 inmates, which is the maximum amount . The Housepassed the bill to much public outcry locally, but things slowed in theSenate, where it was amended to mandate a study on the community effects of closing the facilities, specifically including the economic impact inBent,CrowleyandOterocounties. We need a restorative approach to drug addiction. Both are owned by CoreCivic and. Corrections1 is revolutionizing the way in which the corrections community finds relevant news, He has a bachelor of science in computer information systems fromMetro State Universityand works as the community organizer forSoutheast ColoradoatColorado Trust, which focuses on increasing health equity in the region, he said. Gurule proposed a cannabis company. Visitors arriving on or after 3:00 pm will not be allowed to visit that day. The La Junta Tribune-Democrat inquired about the status of the lawsuit withCoreCivic. He also noted there are only two women-only facilities in the state and reducing the bed capacity would be risky. "We can shut down those facilities. The Department of Corrections reported a turnover rate of 22.9% in November 2021, according to a December presentation to the Joint Budget Committee. The State of Colorado pays CoreCivic over $67 million per year in taxpayer dollars to operate these two prisons - the Bent County Correctional Facility and Crowley County Correctional Facility. They continually ask the state to decrease their responsibilities in the contracts, which I believe leads to unsafe environments for both the correctional officer and the inmate.. There was a problem saving your notification. COVER STORY | THE BUDGET BLACK HOLE: Will any sacred cows survive the unprecedented budget cuts? Lawmakers voted Friday to support that request. The study done for the private prisons atBentand Crowley Correctional Facilities, owned and operated byCoreCivic, concluded that the prisons should remain open for now, largely due to the negative economic impact closure could have on the areas. Herod told Colorado Politics her intention was not to shutter the prisons entirely, but to transition them into state-run facilities, which would provide employees with better pay and benefits. Have the visiting hours for this facility changed? "It is far from certain that the current population reduction, which is clearly connected to the coronavirus pandemic, is permanent," Allen wrote in a staff memo. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Bent County generated $2.6 million in revenue for the county and eight. Secure your subscription to Colorados premier political news journal, in continuous publication since 1898. The study stemmed from 2020 legislation. A company that could provide the annual payroll required to stimulate the local economy for growth.". More by Michael Dougherty, Got a story tip? Crowley County Correctional Facility Customer base: Colorado Department of Corrections - Facility Type: Medium Security, Owned since 2003 For updated visitation schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic, click here . What weve learned in the past few years is that (private prisons) are losing money, Herod said. Crowley County Correctional Facility generated 44% of countywide property taxes and 42% of school district taxes. Holidays are no exceptions. In the wake of the Great Recession, in 2011 and 2012 the state closed two prisons, including the Fort Lyon Correctional facility in Bent County, which is now a residential facility for long-term homeless people with substance use disorders. Crowley County Correctional Facility generated 44% of countywide property taxes and 42% of school district taxes. Two private prisons in rural southeast Colorado both operated by the company CoreCivic are grappling with high turnover rates among their staff. One facility in Colorado Springs closed last year. A phone number will be required to return a phone call for approval or denial of the visit request. COVID restrictions to keep our staff and those in our care safe often add to the staffing challenge.. Under DOCs request, the rates would increase incrementally by $3.40 this year, and then by another $1.13 next year, bringing the per diem rate to $63.32. Bent County Commissioner Chuck Netherton said closing the two prisons would result in the loss of 500 jobs and $2.5 million in property taxes, not to mention losses in sales tax. "It happens to be our largest tax payer, our biggest employer and some of the highest salaries in the valley. Herod says she's toured both state-run and private facilities and notices a difference in what is available to inmates. State-run prison facilities do have their own staffing issues. Colorado Prison Utilization StudyIMPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING - RESCHEDULEDYour chance to be heard!Crowley County: November 30, 2020 @ 5:30 p.m.Bent County: December 1, 2020 @ 5:30 p.m. ZOOM Webinar- Virtual Interactive MeetingLive meeting video feed (no feedback):Colorado Prison Utilization Study - Public HearingNote: livestream videos are delayed by several secondsPHONE- Listen and make comments:1-346-248-7799meeting ID: 949 6591 0073 #Participant ID: press # if you do not have onepassword: 499142request to speak *9 then WHEN CALLED UPON press*6 to unmuteIf you are unable to attend in person please comment to:https://rpiconsulting.checkbox.com/PrisonStudyPublicCommentBent Countys Private Prison is integral to the sustainability of our Community. Gov. The study, performed byRPI Consultingand CGL Companies, also cited a lack of access to health and job programs within private southeast prisons inSoutheast Colorado. Powered By InNovember 2020, theBent CountyDemocrat reported that a nurse who had worked at theBent Countyfacility,Dannette Karapetian, was suingCoreCivicand alleging retaliation over her complaints about discrimination and quality of patient care. Visit Website. Im coming at this from a budget standpoint.. Herod made clear her intention is to see all private prisons gone, replaced with state-run facilities. The incarcerated men and women who most need our help will be hurt the most by these actions, as they already have been in Denver, where the City Council put 500 residents at risk of being sent from their halfway houses back to jail just to make a political point.. 615-263-3140, Fax (for employment verification only): If I had a turnover rate like that, I would really be concerned about the quality and training of the individuals that I hire. In order to keep facilities safe, candidates must be able to pass background screenings. Your return address. Allen apologized for being "timid" in his recommended cut for corrections, which the committee approved. Bent County Commissioner Chuck Netherton said closing the two. 11560 Road FF75. Now, they are hoping people will speak out, to keep it from happening. Website. The prison population in Colorado has been going down for a long time. Copyright 2023 Corrections1. They're not able to order canteen. State prison inmates are able to make calls with: Calling Cards. Although the facilities inBentandCrowley Countydon't appear to be slated for closure at this time, their futures aren't readily apparent. Foster said Cheyenne Mountain still employs 171 staff. Contact the facility operator for answers to questions concerning visitation rules. "This original bill was to close private prisons by the year 2025," Netherton said. Visitors will not be allowed back into the facility once they leave. Impacts of closing or selling theBent County Correctional Facility: 2020 Bent County, CO. All rights reserved. In Crowley County, the correctional facility generated 44% of property tax revenue and 42% of school district taxes. The Bent County Correctional Facility (BCCF) located 85 miles east of Pueblo, was built by Bent County and opened in 1993 as the first private correctional facility in the State of Colorado.