When I first saw the Star-Banner headline that Marion County was being considered as a location for a new private prison, somehow I knew County Commissioner Jim Payton was in the mix.
Instantly one must ask, just why did the nation's largest "private and for-profit" prison company go directly to Jim Payton for support? Why did this private prison company not go before the County Commission and publicly announce that they are looking at Marion County as a new prison site?
It's all very simple. Jim Payton is the build and build and build commissioner who cares less about our county's future, our water problems or the environment. Payton was selected to "grease the tracks" and smooth out the "hostility" for the private prison company.
Payton is already recommending that such a prison be built "near" the existing prisons at Lowell. The following will show you just how terribly wrong Commissioner Payton is on the subject of privatized prisons - especially one that could be built in Marion County.
* Private prisons have much lower standards than state operated prisons;
* Private prisons pay their employees lower wages than the state and thus draw a lower caliber applicant;
* Private prisons are well known for hiring staff who have been "fired" from state agencies;
* Private prisons have a very poor retirement set-up compared to state agencies;
* Private prisons draw commuter employees from poorest areas (Levy County, Dixie County, etc.; not Marion County) as affordable housing is not available;
* Private prisons have high escape rates, thus creating special dangers to the community;
* Private prisons return the sickest of their inmates to the host state, thus sucking profits from the public whilst creating extra costs to the state;
* Private prisons are definitely more dangerous for both staff and inmates because of lax and often insufficient security; assaults on staff by inmates are 50 percent higher than in state run facilities;
* Private prisons will preach strongly that they can do it for less and save money, but it's all based on "selective citation of data" in lieu of factual material; the cost is actually higher;
* Private prisons are well known for not accurately advising the public on what final prisoner population numbers will be, often saying 1,500 "or more";
* Private prisons have one goal - profit!
Private prisons have been compared by Jim Payton to our local and efficiently run state prisons. There is no comparison, Payton. Private prisons, for the right price, will bring in dangerous criminals from other states.
Ron McAndrew retired after 22 years with the Florida Department of Corrections, serving as warden of three prisons, including the Florida State Prison in Starke. He also spent a year as director of the Orange County Jail. He lives in Dunnellon.
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