Note: This post is part of our continuing coverage of the effort to re-open the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, a private prison owned by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). For earlier coverage, check out the links at the bottom of the post.
As Bluestem reported in Orange is the new green, task force ed: informal Prison Population Taskforce to be audiotaped:
[the] Prison Population Taskforce will meet on Friday, September 25 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 10 of the State Office Building, according to the Minnesota Senate calendar. The notice reads:
The meeting is for the Prison Population Taskforce, an informal discussion by a group of stakeholders including the Senate Judiciary Committee, members of the House of Representatives, and officials from state and local agencies, among others. Rep. Tony Cornish will serve as the co-chair of the meeting
The Uptake will also be on hand to videotape the hearing, although it's uncertain whether the video news service will be able to livestream from the room.
The videographer won't be alone in monitoring the hearing. Via Facebook, ISAIAH MN has announced a prayer vigil, No to Prison Expansion - YES to Investments That Work!:
We live in a time of mass incarceration and prison expansion.
Despite falling crime rates, Minnesota has the second highest growth in incarceration rate – up 42% since 2000. Now our state prison system is more than 500 inmates over capacity. The Department of Corrections is requesting $142 million to expand Rush City state prison. For-profit prison giant Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is angling to re-open their long-shuttered prison in Swift County, a 3 hour drive west of the Twin Cities. PR and lobbying firms like Goff Public are also profiting from this scramble.
As Minnesota's prison population has increased, so has the racial disparity. African Americans make up 35% of prisoners despite being just 6% of the state’s population. Native Americans are locked up at 10 times their share of the state’s residents.
As people of faith, we believe the expansion of for-profit incarceration in a racially unjust criminal justice system is a profound violation of human dignity. No one should profit off a father, a brother, a son who seeks forgiveness of their debts to society.
Please join ISAIAH in a Prayer Vigil outside the meeting room where the Prison Population Task Force will convene to discuss solutions to this issue.
The meeting is open to the public and you are free to stay and keep witness throughout the discussion. The meeting starts at 9:00am in Room 10 (lower level) of the State Office Building.
A "faith-based coalition of more than 100 member congregations that lets communities in Minnesota more effectively live out their faith in biblical justice and the common good," the group has also started a Groundswell petition, Tell Goff Public: Stop Promoting For-Profit Prisons. Follow the link to view the petition.
Goff Public is a metro-based public affairs and lobbying firm which was one of two firms to pitch their services to Swift County in its bid to get the private prison, owned by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) re-opened. CCA has faced relentless scrutiny nationally for profiting from captive populations.
For our earlier coverage of the plan to re-open the prison, check out the links below:
Swift Co hires Goff Public to work on reopening CCA private prison to solve state's inmate binge
Union's Director of Public Affairs & Public Policy says AFSCME opposes re-opening private prison
W. Central residents speak out for broadband, while guy who's not King of MN favors CCA.
Campaigned against it in 2014: in legislative update, Miller joins choir for rural broadband
MN17A lawmakers meet privately with Swift Co, CCA & lobbyists about private prison lease
Orange is the new green, regulatory capture edition: Hill Capitol bid on county CCA lobbying
Orange is the new green, task force ed: informal Prison Population Taskforce to be audiotaped
Faith-based social justice group asks Goff Public to drop Swift Co lobbying to reopen CCA prison
Photo: The shuttered private prison in Appleton.
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient.
Comments