Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

What a mess

Posted Wednesday, February 12, 2014, at 8:11 AM

The fallout from the state's effort to privatize the state prison is turning into a hot potato for the governor's administration.

First, there were the lawsuits by some of the prisoners, contending the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) guards were, at best, lax in preventing assaults and other illegal activities by prisoners.

Then, there was the revelation that CCA billed the state for thousands of hours of guard time when there weren't guards actually on duty. CCA recently paid the state back a million dollars for the overbilling, but that may not cover everything (they originally offered to clear the books with the state for $177,000).

And now there is the discovery that the much-ballyhooed investigation into CCA's operations running the state prison never actually existed. The governor, the attorney general, the state corrections board, even judges spent the last year referring to an investigation by the Idaho State Police that apparently actually never got off the ground. This wasn't discovered until the Associated Press filed a request for information concerning some of the records of that "investigation."

The Idaho attorney general's office has called for a criminal investigation into the CCA staffing matter, saying it's the clearest path to resolving the confusion, but Gov. Otter declined, instead blaming the media for whipping up confusion about the issue.

But AG Wasden is right, and if it won't be launched by the administration then an independent counsel/investigator needs to be appointed by the legislature to unravel all this mess.

Besides taking a detailed look at CCA's investigation, that counsel also should have the added authority to analyze whether or not privatization of the prison (by someone other than CCA) is a good idea, or whether or not the state should return to running the prison.

Frankly, we can't see how you can run a prison and make a profit (without cutting corners) cheaper than the state could run a prison without adding in the costs of a profit. The state obviously thought that could be done in the past, and CCA may not be the best example of how to do it, but the taxpayers deserve some transparent accountability and solid data from the state regarding all the issues involved here.

-- Kelly Everitt

Comments

View 21 comments

Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

That's a difficult question, whether to let free enterprise handle the jails or the government. At the very list there should be a good RFP process for this, and some oversight by the Idaho government.

Idaho seems to have a racial bias on who goes to prison as well. In 2007 for every 100,000 in population Idaho had 675 white people in jail, 2869 black people and 1654 Hispanic people.

There could be more that go into these statistics for example socio-economic factors but that is something to consider. Are we putting too many and the wrong people in jail raising the costs to Idaho?

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 10:48 AM
Sam, I would love to know where you get your statistics. The statistics from the IDOC do not support what you claim.

As of May 2013 the total number of people incarcerated by the IDOC was 8177. Here's the breakdown.

Asian - 37 - 0.5%

Black - 196 - 2.4%

Hispanic - 1250 - 15.3%

Indian - 331 - 4.0%

Other - 75 - 0.9%

Unknown - 206 - 2.5%

White - 6082 - 74.4%

-- Posted by V-Twin on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 12:40 PM
You are trying to compare apples and baseballs V-Twin and Moral majority didn't pick up on that.

My statistics from 2007 were the number in a group of 100,000 Idaho residents. -- Percentage of the Idaho population.

You on the other hand divided the numbers from 2013 by the total number of inmates to come up with your percentages. -- Percentage of the Idaho Prison population.

Because of that my statistics showed that a higher percentage of the Idaho population of black and Hispanic people are in prison than for white people.

Your statistics show that there is a higher percentage of white people in the prison population than black or Hispanic people which would of course be a no brainer because most people in Idaho are white.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 4:40 PM
Holder was talking about felons who had done their time and were not under federal or state supervision.

He was asking the states to allow that. Some states currently allow felons to vote after they had served their time, some allow them to vote if their crime had been a non-violent crime, and some don't.

On the percentage in prison it is not a racial thing as my comment said and may be related to other things, for example, socio economic factors.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 7:03 PM
I don't think it will hurt society to let an ex felon who has done his time and isn't on probation vote. If he is a American citizen they should give that right back to him.

-- Posted by WinterStorm on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 7:59 PM
CoolBreeze83647; we think it's possible you misheard what Holder said. Isn't possible he said felons should be blocked from voting "forever"; the conservative Independent defined "forever" timespan?

We're still unsure of that definition. Was it 3 months or possibly less than 3 months?

-- Posted by sara-connor on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 8:31 PM
So if someone said they were not going to be somewhere forever in November of 2013 and then they are back in February 2014 then that would mean that forever is three months to a conservative person that you describe? Interesting.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Wed, Feb 12, 2014, at 8:47 PM
THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A PRIVATE PRISON.......we put them the people there we the people should shoulder the responsibility.

WHEN THERE IS A DISPARITY BETWEEN YOUR POPULATION BASE AND THE NUMBERS IN YOUR PRISON there is an implication that there is BIAS in your legal system.IT strikes me that some folks cant see discrimination when it accurs,mainly if it's not happening to them.IF had had rose to the occasion when our sheriff deputy shoved me for no reason,I would be dead or in jail for assaulting and officer,he got away with a reprimand.....hello!!!!! The statement he wrote in his own defense was riddled with racist remarks and the bosses had to admite it. It is still out there COOLBREEZE,AND THE NUMBERS SAY SO.

wE HAVE COME TO A POINT THAT FELONY IS THE NEW MISDOMEANOR.Felony was sopposed to be a deterrent it is not.They hand them out like candy all it does is make it harder for people to be part of society.

We need to read what was said not what we want to be said.They have paid there time or does that rule mean anything????

GET off the liberal agenda garbage and get on the fairness agenda the conservative agenda is not any better.

MM someday they will make you and honarary member.Who is THEY MM??????Should I GUESS OR WILL YOU HAVE GUTS ENOUGH TO SAY BECAUSE I JUST NEED CLARIFICATION.I'LL BET EVERYONE HERE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN, BUT ME I COULD BE WRONG.I never did like the word THEY because it doesn't imply personal ownership so who is they ??????

-- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 10:15 AM
Moral majority you seem to be out of touch with events, as you look for an extreme example of liberalism to paint all liberals with that picture.

Also, to be credible, you should say who you are talking about and where you got the information. I was not able to find anyone that said what you claimed.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 12:21 PM
Moral majority, I seldom watch MSNBC because it is ALMOST as biased as Fox News. However, I just did a search on their web site and that doesn't seem to be there. Again, that makes your statement not too credible, IMO.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 3:00 PM
Socialist Agenda for last 200 + years has been impartiality in our court system.

Republican Agenda according to Moral Majority appears to be procuring the best witnesses, juries and judges money can buy. We'll pretend the US Constitution doesn't touch this subject and just move on to the the other Republican Agenda of impeaching Obama.

-- Posted by sara-connor on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 4:17 PM
Unless you were hallucinating, Moral majority.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 5:10 PM
That warning junkyard was created to stop interrogations that went on for days until a prisoner would break and admit to anything just to stop the interrogation. That warning therefore prevented innocent people from going to prison or being put to death.

It amazes me what things that you don't like but I'd bet you'd like it just fine if YOU were accused of a crime.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 6:52 PM
SO MM THE FACT THAT MINORITIES ARE MISREPRESNTED IN THE JUDICAL SYSTEM DOESNT MEAN THERE BEING MISTREATED I guess to YOU it means they are getting what the deserve.There is so much proof out there about wrong sentences,withheld evidence,wrongfull executions etc and what I am hearing from you is that's OK AS LONG AS IT'S THEM.I get assaulted by a law enforcement officer and that's ok for you.....right???......I must'v done something.WHY AM I mad about it.?????? YOU ARE OUT IN LEFT FIELD TO SAY THE LEAST.SOMETHING tells me if you could reinstitute segregation you would,well you can't TOO BAD.As one of those people you despise so I layed my life on the line for this country as have others in my family from tuskegee to Burma AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL BEING MISTREATED MAKES ME ANGRY AND IF THAT'S A LIBERAL POINT OF VIEW ....SO BE IT.....I HAVE EARNED IT.wHEN WE DONT HAVE PEOPLE ACTING OUT THERE HATE OF OTHERS IN VARIOUS WAY'S WE SHALL HAVE A BETTER NATION AND NOT TILL THEN.I am sure you have a story that you would like to use to justify your attitude ......problem is I live a story everyday and you don't and I manage to do it without hating you that is stressfull on it's own,plus I still have people out there who would kill me if they could do it without going to jail and we see that every day.The attitude I AM TALKING ABOUT IS PERPETUATED BY SOME PEOPLE.... ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE???????and don't threaten me.........I don't take to that to kindly.just anwer the question...........honestly if you can.

-- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 7:15 PM
Oh, it's pretty clear CoolBreeze that you do care about skin color and you care about gender. If you aren't a white male, in your tiny mind, you are way down in the totem pole.

Protest all you want. I'm not buying it.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 8:37 PM
FUNNY THING COOLBREEZE I know your contempt for REV SHARPTON.......SO FOR YOU TO PUT ME IN HIS COMPANY IS A COMPLIMENT.......AND BY THE WAY HE IS FROM MY PART OF TOWN IN BKLYN N.Y.........

Entertainment......is that right.....any minority that would have the nerve to have self respect and exceeds anything your about would be held in contempt by you.........save the well wishes I KNOW AND YOU KNOW THEY ARE LESS THAN SINCERE.

I DONT TALK ABOUT GARBAGE THAT IS NOT FACTUAL YOU OUGHT TO TRY IT SOME TIME.

ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION......I DONT STEP AND FETCH NOR DO I LIKE WATERMELON ........I HOPE YOU GOT THE MESSAGE............WANT TO GET MAD ???????

ALL MY KIDS AND ALL MY GRANS HAVE AND WILL ATTEND COLLEGE AND IT WONT BE ON GRANTS..........THAT'S CALLED WORK.......YOU DONT GO TO DARTMOUTH ON GRANTS OR VASSAR,HAMILTON,WHARTON,........YOUR IDEA OF WHAT I am about is as usual demeaning.....take your subtle snide insults and fly a kite.

-- Posted by lamont on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 10:07 PM
Speaking of "low brow comments, insults, and innuendoes" CoolBreeze that seems to be your only form of communication.

For others that want to stay on topic, it has been shown from statistics that Idaho and other states SEEM to have a racial bias on who goes to prison. I'm not sure what the solution to that is, but I suspect awareness of this as a potential problem by the members of the court may help.

Idaho also incarcerates more often than other states, and that causes a financial problem. I agree with lamont. If Idaho puts someone in prison then Idaho needs to take care of them not a private company. Idaho should also consider alternatives to incarceration.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Feb 14, 2014, at 7:54 AM
Still haven't seen your source Sam. Keep trolling.

-- Posted by V-Twin on Fri, Feb 14, 2014, at 9:07 AM
The statistics, some of them were printed in the statesman concerning the problem of incarceration in Idaho.All states are not mentioned but some specifically were and Idaho was one of them.THERE is bias in sentences and who is chosen to be pro0secuted and for what.I:E blacks get longer sentences for the same crimes committed by whites,they also get prosecuted at the higher level meaning a white gets a misdomenor prosecution and a black gets a felony prosecution for the same event.THAT IS PERSECUTION.WETHER YOU SEE IT THAT WAY OR NOT.Wether that is institutional or not is the question.What it does is create a group of people who now become unemployable on it.s face.BASED ON THAT ALONE YOU CREATE POVERTY,CRIME,SINGLE HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS ETC ALL AT A DISPROPORTIONATE LEVEL.This is a predominatly white town and everything I mentioned is happening in this town, the only difference is it is white folks it is happening too.IF you get labeled here you need to move because you are done.

COOLBREEZE AND MORAL MAJORITY ......YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER.I will not take your insults because you think I SHOULD AND I READ THEM ALL THE TIME. YOU TRY TO BE SLY AND COY AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS MOST PEOPLE OF YOUR POLITICAL PERSUASION DO. I RECOGNIZE THEM.YOU FALL RIGHT IN LINE WITH YOUR HERO RUSH THE DRUGSTER LIMBAUGH.YOU CANT HAVE AND HONEST CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF YOUR INUENDO'S AND INSULTS WHICH YOU THINK IS COOL WELL I DON'T AND WHEN YOU TRY TO MAKE ME THE BRUNT OF THEM YOUR IN ANOTHER TERRORITORY.YOUR problem is I don't fit what you have in mind,to bad I CAN TELL YOU THIS no one gave me anything and my family and I WORK VERY HARD FOR OUR SUCCESS.So take your stereo types and shove them.

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Feb 14, 2014, at 3:15 PM
For those who want to read some truth.....the boise weekly this week......very interesting.Some of the things I knew from personal research when I was teaching some I did not.There is a lot of information it is worth the read............later

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Feb 14, 2014, at 3:54 PM
I'll check it out lamont. Thanks for the tip.

-- Posted by Sam_1776 on Fri, Feb 14, 2014, at 4:02 PM

Respond to this blog

Posting a comment requires free registration:

If you already have an account, follow this link to login
Otherwise, follow this link to register