New prisons sit idle as states cope with busted budgets

Sac Bee ^ | 1/8/03 | Charles Sheehan - AP

[NormsRevenge]

PITTSBURGH (AP) - States have spent millions of dollars building new prisons to ease pressure on existing facilities, but many haven't been able to open as state budget crunches have left little money to operate them.

In Pennsylvania, where the inmate population recently topped 40,000 for the first time, new prisons were recently built in Forest and Fayette counties. But the Department of Corrections has put off their opening until at least 2004 to satisfy a state mandate to cut spending.

[NormsRevenge]

One would hope certain legislators and state officials in each of these states and some lobbyists could be housed in some of these idle prisons.

[yoe]

"...often look to new prisons as a way to revitalize their economies.

A sad commentary for any community. We pay our state taxes then see the money mis-managed or put into risky ventures - let those in management pay, we have no control over their incompetence except at the voting booth. No More New Taxes!

[elmer fudd]

This is just pathetic. The most important job state and local governments perform is safeguarding us from criminals. It's more important than roads or welfare or libraries, because without it we'll have anarchy and the streets will be ruled by gangs. The only reason we should ever make cuts in our prison budget is if the prison population is declining and the only reason that should happen is if crime is decreasing.

What the hell is it about politicians that makes them so friggin' stupid about these things? Except for a few flaming liberals and the criminals themselves no one wants more criminals on the street and virtually no one is going to object to paying the tax bill to incarcerate them. So why does keeping the public safe rank somewhere up there with highway beautification and methadone treatment when it comes to budget cuts?

[joesnuffy]

Dont worry they will get some use yet...
Lots of possibilities

[litehaus]

NOT 2 worry...bout PA.......Rendell is on the JOB!! LOL....