Pubdate: Mon, 27 Jan 2003
Source: Greenville News (SC)
Copyright: 2003 The Greenville News
Contact:  http://greenvillenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/877
Author: Tim Smith

PRISON DEFICIT SKYROCKETS

COLUMBIA - A funding shortfall that could reach $23 million has prompted
state prisons agency officials to propose emergency measures ranging from
the release of thousands of inmates to the closure of additional prisons,
records show. The deficit caused by budget cuts and a swelling prison
population will be presented to the five-member State Budget and Control
Board today. The board can authorize the agency to operate at a deficit,
look for ways to reduce the shortfall or approve any of the options
presented by prison officials. Many of those would require legislative
action.

"Nobody wants to allow prisoners to get out," said state Rep. Robert
Harrell, chairman of the House budget-writing committee and a member of the
board. "Nobody wants to allow the public to be endangered. I'm sure when
it's all said and done, we'll do what's necessary to keep prisoners behind
bars."

But Sen. Ralph Anderson, a Greenville Democrat who sits on the Senate
Corrections and Penology Committee, said releasing non-violent prisoners
would not be a bad idea. He said keeping inmates in a harsh, overcrowded
environment is dangerous and will invite federal court intervention.

"We're breaking the law just like they (inmates) have," he said.

The ailing prison agency operated a $6 million deficit last year and has
decreased its staff by more than 1,000 employees in the past two years in an
attempt to save money. But budget cuts of $72 million from the past two
years and a prison population that now averages almost 1,000 inmates over
the system's capacity of 22,552 has left the system with only "extreme
cost-cutting options," prison officials said.

Among the options, according to a report for today's meeting, are
furloughing prisoners, releasing more inmates on parole or on home
detention, using the state's Emergency Release Powers Act to let out
non-violent offenders, changing laws to stop accepting prisoners with
sentences of less than one year, and closing more prisons.

Officials also are considering new revenue means, including using money in
the agency's Prison Industries', concessions' and farm' accounts; converting
bond money approved for construction to operating funds; further increasing
charges to local governments for litter pick-up crews; and using funds from
the sale of the Givens Youth Correction Center in Simpsonville. The sale is
expected to generate $500,000.

Givens and State Park Correction Institution near Columbia, both
minimum-security prisons, were closed two years ago to save money. Officials
also want to reduce staff by placing cameras around prison boundaries and
further reduce medical expenses, records show.

Each prisoner's release would save the state $3,000 a year, officials say.
Each of the release options is restricted to non-violent inmates. About
1,200 inmates are eligible to be furloughed, officials say. Another 7,500
will become eligible, they said. Gov. Mark Sanford would have to approve the
action.

Using the Emergency Powers Release Act would release as many inmates as
needed for the system to be at or below its capacity. Officials estimate
that trying to reach 95 percent of the system's capacity would amount to a
release of 1,100-1,200 prisoners. Lawmakers would have to approve the
measure, which has been used before in South Carolina and in other states.

South Carolina remains the only state, according to prison officials, to
accept inmates with sentences between 90 days and one year. Restricting
state inmates to those with sentences of a year or more would require
legislative approval. A change could reduce the prison population by 900.

Officials estimate that closing a prison would save $12 to $15 million, if
the number of inmates in the prison are released and the prison's staff
terminated.

"I'll be very surprised if they don't give them some relief," said Sen. Mike
Fair, a Greenville Republican who chairs the Senate Corrections and Penology
Committee. "And relief is only a couple of things: Hiring more guards or
releasing prisoners. And I don't think prematurely releasing prisoners is an
option."

While state budget office staff has recommended looking for ways to reduce
the shortfall, prison officials say they are running out of time and
options.

The inmate to corrections officer ratio - at 9.3 to 1- is above the national
average for 2001 - 5.4 to 1 - as well as the averages in Florida, Georgia
and North Carolina.

"The minimum staffing levels the Department has established for institutions
are not adequate for the long-term management of incarcerated persons, nor
does it allow the Department to meet its responsibilities to protect the
public, employees and inmates," former Corrections Director Gary Maynard
wrote in a report distributed to board members.
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