Bent County Correctional Facility11560 Road FF75Las Animas, CO 81054, Inmate Name, IDBent County Correctional Facility11560 Road FF75Las Animas, CO 81054. "This company is on the decline in an industry that is burning out. I think my exact words were, he could be the first Governor in Colorado history to bankrupt two of the poorest counties in the state of Colorado, Netherton said. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Copyright 2023 Corrections1. "They are barely being served proper portions of food. The state has a vacant prison in Fremont County called Centennial South, built for solitary confinement prisoners but closed for nearly a decade. Last year, these prisons had a 126% and 107% turnover rate in corrections officers, respectively. Cheyenne Mountain was really stuck in a bind we put them in, she said. But, we will leave those communities without a large segment of their working population and their tax base, and if we do that it will be irresponsible if we walk away from those communities. Reducing its beds will save $788,630 in 2020-21 and $841,220 the following year, both general fund costs. Your return address. On the day, Jan. 29, that Colorado Politics visited the facility, the third floor was vacant. 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.. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It goes on to say that a supervisor created "a hostile work environment" and the nurse began making a series of formal complaints within the company about it. Enter https://www.corrections1.com/ and click OK. Address: 11560 County Road FF75, Las Animas, CO 81054. He was part of the Denver Post team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 and he is a two-time finalist. Theyve held hiring events that have drawn DOC, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. The Bent County Correctional Facility, operated by Corrections Corporation of America. I am mailing them today (December 26, 2014). Private prison companies answer to CEOs and shareholders, not to the communities in which they operate. 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. He also noted there are only two women-only facilities in the state and reducing the bed capacity would be risky. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. Work conditions could play into it. I think we should reinvest in services we can actually ensure our recidivism rate goes down, that offenders are able to transition back into the community and be productive and have a shot at being productive instead of going right back into the system.". To address this, the Department of Corrections wants more state money to pay CoreCivic. They told Colorado Politics that it would force both counties into bankruptcy. Two private, for-profit prisons in Colorado hold roughly 18% of our states prison population. Foster said Cheyenne Mountain still employs 171 staff. 615-263-3140, Fax (for employment verification only): That action freed up beds all over the state prison system, and Skyline already has 36 vacant beds. You shouldnt be profiteering off of people caught up in the criminal justice system that we know is unjust and disproportionately impacts people of color and poor people.. Bunk rooms, many that housed eight inmates each, had been cleaned and mattresses turned. And as that has happened, "we are seeing major investment and hedge funds pull out of the private prison industries," Gurule said. Allen said that if legislators are to discuss eliminating private prisons, they need an accurate view of how theyre performing. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Visiting days are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10am-3:50pm. 615-263-3000, Fax: When it was introduced, the bill set a 2025 deadline for private prisons to cease operations, but Herod then amended out a set date. Gurule proposed a cannabis company. 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. There was a problem saving your notification. Here's why. Bent County Correctional Facility is a privately run institution located in Las Animas Colorado. Photo by Marianne Goodland/Colorado Politics A common area on the third floor of Cheyenne Mountain Reentry Center, vacant except for the TV. The caller identified herself as the fiance of an inmate inside theBentprison facility. "The privates simply are not paid to have those facilities in their program components. 220 employees, with $13.2 million annual payroll (BCCF is the County's largest employer), Over a $1.1 million loss of Property Tax to County, Fire, Ambulance, Schools, Water Districts, Cemetery, & Library. We have the capacity. Lexipol. The committee passed four amendments to House Bill 1019 and the bill itself, unanimously. Sen. Bob Rankin, a Carbondale Republican who serves on the Joint Budget Committee, asked JBC staff for some follow-up information about the training of correctional officers getting hired at private prisons. Inmates work here under close supervision. Now, they are hoping people will speak out, to keep it from happening. Private facilities are similar to regular Colorado Department of Corrections facilities, except that they are run by a private corporation. The Bent County Correctional Facility, located in Las Animas, CO, is a secure facility that houses inmates. Dear Mr. Lipton, I am sending the documents you requested that the City of Las Animas has for the Bent County Correctional Facility. He also serves as director for the board ofSoutheast Health Groupand is board chairman for CDS Policy Control. CoreCivic has invested in commercial advertising, participated in public events, and attempted to recruit community members through job boards, military bases, local colleges, social media and local hiring events, Davio said. 11560 Road FF75. Photo by Marianne Goodland/Colorado Politics An exercise area on the third floor of Cheyenne Mountain Reentry Center in Colorado Springs. That comes at a time when lawmakers are discussing closing the other two private prisons operated by CoreCivic. 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. The prison population in Colorado has been going down for a long time. What happens next at the Colorado Springs site is as up-in-the-air as the public policy. The states handling of inmates is changing equally as fast to keep up. Want the real scoop? Allowing profit into the criminal justice system undermines its integrity, effectiveness, and the public trust. The Bent and Crowley correctional facilities are on average one-third cheaper to operate than comparable medium security state-run facilities, with the Bent County prison costing about $61.78 million annually to operate and the Crowley County private prison costing about $62.28 million, according to information from Karl Becker of CGL Companies . COVER STORY | THE BUDGET BLACK HOLE: Will any sacred cows survive the unprecedented budget cuts? The counties do not want these prisons closed. The state department had to scramble to house the inmates and the local economy lost the jobs and tax income. And even if we reinvest in those communities we will still see a cost savings in the millions of dollars. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Lexipol. His 32-year career includes the last 16 in Colorado. Some say private prisons increase recidivism and don't offer inmates the same services as state-run facilities do. The inmate's DOC number. It's because they're not prepared to succeed. Exceptions may be made for visitors from out-of-state. And it's not sustainable. COVID restrictions to keep our staff and those in our care safe often add to the staffing challenge.. She criticized the various programs offered by the facility to inmates, saying that programs are themselves limited in number as well as the available space within them. CoreCivic offers benefits including health insurance, a 401(k) matching savings and retirement plan, paid time off and education opportunities. Theres a lot of different factors.. Gov. Interim Executive Director Sean Foster shows an empty bunk room on the third floor of the Cheyenne Mountain Reentry Center in south Colorado Springs. "We don't believe like we're in the wrong. Instead of the General Assembly handing out millions to a private company with a problematic track record for how employees and inmates are treated, it is time for us to end the use of private, for-profit prisons. For media inquiries, please contact the Public Affairs team at PublicAffairs@CoreCivic.com. Please do not leave more than one voicemail or email per visit request. "We can shut down those facilities. All mail must include: The inmate's name. The General Assembly is looking to add about $3 million to reopen one tower there to solve the immediate 126-bed housing crisis caused by the CMRC closure. We have two ofCoreCivic'sdetention facilities in a state that has increasingly passed some of the most unfriendliest policies for their industry.". 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 and Crowley Counties depend greatly on these facilities for tax income and employment, despite the tremendous turnover rate for employees. The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. The Crowley County Correctional Facility and Bent County Correctional Facility were set up decades ago when Colorado had a bed shortage for inmates. The Joint Budget Committee reviewing this request also acknowledges that wages may not be the only issue. "We can do something that makes more sense for that community, but also doesn't do it on the backs of inmates who really obviously need an opportunity to transition back into society.". It costs us more for the state to run any enterprise, Ransom said. The facility is owned and operated by Corrections Corporation of America under contract with the Colorado Department of Corrections and houses Colorado inmates. But while the pay increase would probably somewhat help the turnover situation, there are other reasons why CoreCivic is having a hard time retaining its employees, said Justin Brakke, senior legislative budget and policy analyst on JBC staff. Faith Miller was a reporter with Colorado Newsline covering the Colorado Legislature, immigration and other stories. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. This original bill was to close private prisons by the year 2025, Netherton said. 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. They provide minimal educational and work programs to inmates, and offer far less mental health and substance abuse treatment. Joint Budget Committee staff recommended raising the per diem rate by $4.53 immediately instead of doing it in increments. Shortly after, the county sold it to a private company to run. Now, they are hoping people will speak out, to keep it from happening. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tuesday night was supposed to be the first of two community feedback sessions as part of that feasibility study. Rocky FordresidentDuane Guruleopposes continued operations of the private prisons inSoutheast Colorado. With departing employees outnumbering those still working there, these facilities which house thousands of medium security inmates are in dire circumstances. The legislation has two purposes: opening up more of Centennial South, up to 650 beds, and to require the Department of Corrections to conduct a feasibility study on closing the other two private prisons. "We have the opportunity to close down some of these private prisons, and prisons in general, because we don't need them in the state and we can reprioritize those funds for something else," Herod said. In an email, CoreCivic spokesperson Matthew Davio pointed out that staffing challenges were not unique to the Crowley County and Bent County prisons. Theres a computer center, and on the day of the visit a half-dozen inmates were at the keyboards, working on resumes or improving computer skills. Thats the main talk of the town right now, he said. Photo by Marianne Goodland/Colorado Politics Motivational posters, the kind youd see in any workplace, dot the first floor of Cheyenne Mountain Reentry Center in Colorado Springs. 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. and because of that, this little town, and its neighbors, are in danger of falling apart again. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Las Animas. Mailroom staff will reject anything containing contraband, cash, personal checks, or money orders. Brakkes analysis for the Joint Budget Committee also found that if the two prisons were to close, the state would not have enough medium-security beds at other facilities where it could move the inmates. The prisoner died on . It is one of four minimum-security facilities in Colorado and the only one inCaon City. Around the same time, the nurse "began expressing concerns (to another supervisor) about the quality of patient care the inmates were receiving," the filing states. Address: Allen suggested lawmakers consider something with adults they already do in the juvenile system: When the system reaches capacity, administrators determine the least-risky kids to release. One major change places the study on the impacts of closing private prisons on rural counties into the hands of the Department of Local Affairs instead of the Department of Corrections. Built in 1993, Bent County became Colorado's first privately run prison in 1996 when the Corrections Corporation of America bought it. Get details about visiting this facility, sending mail, telephone and more. The bill's first draft of called forColoradoto close its private prisons by 2025. Staffing correctional facilities is a challenge that public and private facilities alike face in Colorado and across the country, Davio wrote. We are proud of that," MacDonnell said. "I don't know why it's being targeted. This means that the number of separated correctional officers exceeds the average number of officers at those facilities; more people are starting and quitting than are employed there, the memo states. The Department of Corrections reported a turnover rate of 22.9% in November 2021, according to a December presentation to the Joint Budget Committee. Colorados rural communities heavily depend on the tax revenue from the remaining two private prisons, the 2021 study found. Employees at state-owned prisons enjoy state benefits, including a retirement system that has proven expensive, she said. The Crowley County Correctional Facility and Bent County Correctional Facility were set up decades ago when Colorado had a bed shortage for inmates. Right now, our prison budget is over a billion dollars, and it continues to grow. Offenders can get substance abuse treatment at this facility. House Bill 1019 comes from the Prison Population Management Interim Study Committee. The Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday voted to close the men's-only Skyline prison in Caon City, a 252-bed facility, effective January 2021. For people who live near the two private prisons in Colorado, it's become a lifeline to jobs and services the community relies on. We do have a Private Prison Monitoring Unit that works directly with those facilities.. Primarily, a medium custody level facility CCCF offers programs focused on basic education, vocational, mental health, substance abuse, and reentry programs. The new deaths linked to the disease include: A 62-year-old inmate who was being housed at the Bent County Correctional Facility. 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. They also voted to gut higher ed general fund support by 58%, or $493.2 million, the largest budget cut to date. The Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday voted to close the men's-only Skyline prison in Caon City, a 252-bed facility, effective January 2021. In-state visitors may not schedule a visit more than 14 days in advance. "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. Your Commissioners support keeping the private prison open and are holding this meeting to ensure Denver hears from you.