Pubdate: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) Copyright: 2003 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419 Author: Tom Clarke, Clearwater Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/tallahassee Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) KEEP FOCUSING ON THE SHENANIGANS Re: No money for colleges, but plenty for prisons. As I understand the latest smoke (with mirrors) from Tallahassee, we have 4,000 new prison beds in the latest money pipeline (the budget Gov. Jeb Bush signed in June), and too little new money for higher education. Plus, those programs found to be effective in reducing more prisoners, primarily education and alternative remedial programs for nonviolent offenders, mental health and the like, have had their funding cut or stayed at present, ineffectual levels. Then our "politically savvy" corrections secretary waves his magic "say yes or face pre-election mailings saying you are soft on crime" farce before those stalwart worthies in the Legislature and gets handed a no-bid $66-million blank check to build 4,000 more prison beds. Is this true at a time when crime is at a 30-year low and colleges are considering closing their doors to new students for a lack of funds? Is this true in a state where privatization of governmental functions (including those before-mentioned prisons) is at an all-time high? Could there be a connection? Corrections Secretary Jim Crosby says that bidding slows everything down. This may need to be examined more closely. Slowing things down helps us avoid costly mistakes, does it not? Not to mention revealing conniving and mendacity at the upper reaches of government. This rush to fill the pockets of the prison builders and keepers at the expense of prevention and education fairly reeks of both. Keep the light shining on the shenanigans, you members of the fourth estate. We, the people, rely upon you to keep us safe from (or, at least, aware of) of governmental boondoggles that damage the body politic. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin