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Mineral Wells Still on Lockdown Two Days After Disturbance

Fri, 08/17/2007 - 20:33 — Kathleen

The lockdown of the minimum-sercurity Mineral Wells pre-pareole prison continues days after a disturbance involving hundreds of prisoners. Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) has not said yet when the lockdown will be lifted, although they are saying that state officials are "interviewing" hundreds of prisoners. I think the word she actually means is "interrogating" --- I'm sure that prisoners won't have the option of declining to be "interviewed" as part of this investigation.

CCA is reporting that 36 prisoners have been transferred to other prisons because they are believed to have been involved in some of the violence. These prisoners are probably facing longer sentences even though they were assigned to Mineral Wells because they were approaching release.

CCA's spokesperson pointed out that Mineral Wells is a minimum-security facility:

"These inmates are placed there because they have clean disciplinary records, and they are generally cooperative." -- Rose Thompson, CCA spokesperson

Right, because CCA, who operates the lock-up, counts on getting prisoners that are fairly easy to manage. That helps keep the cost of operation of this particular prison down while actually leaving the more difficult-to-manage prisoners for the state-run prisons. An interesting way of keeping costs down and profits up.

No reports yet on the costs associated with the violence Monday night: the expense of bringing 30 local police to surround the prison, staff time for all these investigations, transportation costs for abruptly transferring prisoners, and which of these costs CCA will pick up and which will be picked up by the state.


Comments

Tue, 09/04/2007 - 12:01 — amyrodrz

Parole-CCA-Mineral Wells, Texas "I need help!"

My husband is at this facility. Just prior to this transfer he was approved to go to school in Huntsville. The next thing he new he was transferred to this hell hole. The lockdown and riot was a nightmare! My husband said it was the worst experience of his life, he said, "I felt like I was going to dye". They have nothing productive to do at this facility. There are prisoners who have been at this facility for three years because of parole is denied. He has completed every program prior to placement here & now he just sits idle. He was denied his parole. He goes before parole again next month. He got eight years for evading arrest & unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. It is true that this is not his first offence but, he is a non-violent offender. They voted a serve all & then retracted and said would review him again in October for January release. He is a model prisoner; he just wants to come home to his family. Do you have any advice? How can I help him? I've written support letters, his family, & my family has also. I don't have a lot of money; I've lost our home, and filing bankruptcy. We have two kids in college and one in high school, as well as a grandchild. I need my husband home, I need his help! By the way, who are the owners of these private prisons? Is it true that board members and guards of stock in CCA? Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest? Who governs the board to make sure that they are following the guide lines for parole? Should I get an attorney?