Prison Push Is On
Could a second state prison come to Ohio County?By JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH
WHEELING - The ever-increasing number of inmates in West Virginia's correctional system could lead to construction of a new state prison in Ohio County.
The state's correctional system is getting a once over this week in Charleston, where officials have gathered to consider ways to address escalating costs and a prison population that is expected to grow by 20 percent over the next four years.
Discussion at the summit Tuesday turned to the need for an additional 1,200-bed facility, and Senate Government Organization Chairman Ed Bowman said the state should consider putting it in the Northern Panhandle on land the Ohio County Commission has said it would donate.
Upon hearing of Bowman's comments, Ohio County Commissioner Randy Wharton said the commission would be willing to work with the state on such a project.
"We would be pleased to cooperate with the state in any way that we could, not only for creation of permanent jobs, but also for the numerous construction jobs that would be available for a project of that size," Wharton said.
Wharton noted a potential location for a prison in Ohio County would be county-owned property near the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport, located in northern Ohio County not far east of W.Va. 2. He said officials considered construction of a federal prison facility at that site about a decade ago.
The county likely would be willing to donate the land, Wharton said. But for that to happen, he stressed that the state would need to choose a site like the one near the airport that would be acceptable to residents and that would not have any other value to the county.
"Before we made a decision, we would certainly assess the impact (of a new prison) on surrounding areas and surrounding property owners," Wharton continued. "But if it could be a secure facility on land that otherwise would have no productive use to the county, it would be a good project for us to work on with the state."
But before any plans for a new facility are set in motion, Bowman said he expected to hear how the state can fund a new prison.
"Of all the years to look at additional funding, this is the first in many years where we're really going to have to tighten our belts," the Hancock County Democrat said.
The state would likely have to sell bonds to build a new prison, he noted.
Bowman isn't sure what a 1,200-bed prison would cost, but the federal government is spending at least $189 million to build a 1,280-bed medium-security prison in McDowell County.
"There is no silver bullet," said Division of Criminal Justice Services Director Norb Federspiel. "The expectation is something more will need to be done when this is over."
Prison costs have nearly doubled in West Virginia since 2000. The Department of Corrections has said the growth is due to a 37 percent increase in inmates and rising health care costs. Health care is expected to amount to 14.5 percent of this year's budget.
"Money is the key to it all," said Sen. Shirley Love, who has studied correctional issues in the state Senate for the past 12 years. "It's not just building, it's finding the personnel to work in the prisons and the pay to keep them there."
Any solution, however, must include the state's regional jail system because the counties can't keep pace with the daily charges to house persons awaiting trial, the Fayette County Democrat said.
The regional jail system was created after various court rulings declared conditions in the state's 55-county jail system unconstitutional. Counties now say the daily fees are ruining their budgets.
Ultimately, Love said, state correctional officials will have to present solutions to lawmakers because "the Legislature can't pull it out of a hat."
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anutterview
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11-13-08 1:57 PM
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Prisoners should be required to earn enough money doing productive tasks to pay for their own upkeep while in jail. If they don't work, they don't eat, etc. Unless you receive government payments to do nothing, you are expected to work to eat! Why should criminals have it better than you? Maybe productive work shops or chain gangs to do "those jobs americans don't want to do", would be better rehab than lock-um-up, expose them to criminal mentoring, and turn them out to try again. Maybe if we make criminal productive taxpayers would not be burdened with never ending costs of "prisoner storage".
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steelercrazy
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11-13-08 9:21 AM
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Tenente61, the point of my post was that there are other very remote areas in WV where a prison could be built that are not close to a regional airport and fairly close to two colleges if an escape would occur.
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EllisWyatt
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11-13-08 6:30 AM
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If they have money for a prison that will be supported by our tax dollars, they have money for REAL economic development that can support itself. Just a thought.
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Tenente61
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11-12-08 10:36 PM
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WVtoDC...That is simply because WV cannot afford to send their children to college as easily as other states. It's all relative. The better off go to college. The ones with excellent grades go to college. The others are kinda left behind. C high school students can succeed in college too. They just don't get the scholarships.
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Tenente61
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11-12-08 10:32 PM
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If you have the money, why not build a manufacturing plant or factory.
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WVtoDC
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11-12-08 10:31 PM
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How about more money spent on early education and in the school system. I think I read somewhere WV as a state has the lowest percentage of college graduates and unfortunately alot of the talented kids that do graduate leave the state for good.
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Tenente61
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11-12-08 10:30 PM
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atoddh...Isn't like a lot of manufacturing jobs are coming into the United States, much less WV. When companies are awarded to go overseas and have 3rd world labor at a fraction of the cost, it is hard to compete. You cannot blame the local leaders for that. Your ideas always sound great but, the cold hard reality is, manufacturing is way down in this country. We would all love to have those high paying jobs, but for now, we would like to put food on our tables. We are not independently wealthy, like you.
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wvhoopie
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11-12-08 9:41 PM
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While a new prison, especially a new one around my home area, may sound great for job creation and as living wage jobs, these prisons are built and maintained on our tax dollars. No doubt many of the prisoners are right where they should be, but there are also many in prison that don't really need to be there. Some of our laws have too harsh of penalties tied to them that sends many people to prison that just don't need to be there. Other methods of rehabilitation are much less expensive and can have a better result at a much lower cost to the taxpayers. The expense of incarceration is so large, we better think twice.
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atoddh
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11-12-08 7:52 PM
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The priorities in OC seem to be prisons and mental health vs manufacturing-formerly phantom Victorian malls.Yet it is well paid manufacturing that is the answer for the economy. The airport image will be ruined as a future commercial site with a jail vs manufacturing. The dramatic increases in prison population despite no increase in the general population is the result of poverty in the State.
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CTMountaineer
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11-12-08 6:34 PM
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Actually the Moundsville prison could have been repaired for a fraction of the cost spent on building one on Gaston's cousin's farm. It might be too far gone now, though. Credit Gaston and Recht with the previous fiasco. If they are going to build a new one, Ohio County is a logical location. Prisons provide steady employment with good benefits, and they are not liable to be outsourced to India.
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Mom2Four
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11-12-08 6:18 PM
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HOW ABOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY HELPING KIDS STAY IN SCHOOL, MORE SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO COUNSEL FAMILIES, ======== How is spending more money going to make kids stay in school? What good is family counseling if the parents refuse to go? I deal with this everyday. More money isn't the answer. Holding parents responsible is the answer. If they can't live up to their responsiblities as a parent, make more room in the jails. As far as location, I think they should be spread out. We already have the one in Marshall county, spread the wealth further south or east. How about Hunderd or Littleton?
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Patterson
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11-12-08 6:16 PM
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Fix up the Moundsville Prison who said the prison had to be new. The way I see it Moundsville Prison has 'gallows'...keep it simple man!!
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atoddh
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11-12-08 5:34 PM
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A prison at the airport would discourage the very substantial commercial aero space manufacturing attraction the airport has. It is disturbing that the only parties wanting to come to Ohio County are mental health and prisons. Roney's Point would be a better site.
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Tenente61
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11-12-08 5:01 PM
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needanewmayor...You are joking right? Unfortunately, for you, that just isn't an option. Any logical suggestions?
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needanewmayor
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11-12-08 4:18 PM
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Maybe this isn't PC, but some of the prisoners there, do we really need to keep them around in society? Thin the heard and then we have room and don't need a second prison.
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Tenente61
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11-12-08 1:54 PM
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steelercrazy...Basically, that would be a very unpopulated area to put the prison. Probably the least populated area within the county. Much less than say, Moundsville. Where else in Ohio county would you suggest?
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popeye
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11-12-08 1:48 PM
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A police state-lol. What do you want, a lawless society?
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UNCOMMONSENSE
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11-12-08 12:42 PM
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Can't have a successful police state without adding more prisons first! ;)
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steelercrazy
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11-12-08 12:37 PM
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Let me try again, with correct grammar. A prison near an airport, also convenient to West Liberty and Bethany College. Sounds like a great place for a prison. Not! I'm not a NIMBY person, but couldn't we find a less populated area if we need another WV prison? I know things aren't going well at The Highlands, Mr. Wharton, but think next time before inserting foot into mouth.
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steelercrazy
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11-12-08 12:35 PM
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A prison near an airport, also convenient to West Liberty and Bethany College. Sounds like a great place for a prison. Not! I'm no a NIMBY person, but couldn't we find a less populated area if we need another WV prison? I know things aren't going well at The Higlands, Mr. Wharton, but think next time before inserting foot into mouth.
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wheelingisland
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11-12-08 11:22 AM
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Couldn't we just have a tent city like maricopa county? Just put up a fence and call up the local tent and awning place... Should be alot cheaper than $187 million...
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anutterview
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11-12-08 10:25 AM
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1. Can the taxpayers of the state of WV afford to operate another $187 million dollar, 1,200 bed prison, or is there a reasonably dependable ongoing income source to support this facility, once built, (renting space to other areas for prisoner lockup, like Jeffferson County Justice Center apparently didn't work). Maybe WV could rent this space at a lower cost than building and operating their own facilities (just a thought). 2. Does the County's proposed location have the infrastructure in place to support this facility? If not, the project budget may increase significantly when costs to extend the roadways, adequate water, sewerage, gas, electric, and telephone service to a remote site are added in. Hope it can work out for all taxpayers, not just the building trades. No one wants to pay for another empty building without funds to operate.
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popeye
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11-12-08 10:13 AM
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The reason for increased prison populations is due to an individuals bad decision. We live in a free society and to live in a free society you must respect and obey the laws. Stop the finger pointing.
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kaiserhund
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11-12-08 9:29 AM
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The state's population is decreasing, but the prison population is increasing. The reason for this is Drugs, lack of good paying jobs, and lack of higher education.
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popeye
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11-12-08 8:59 AM
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How about we ship our prisoners to Mexico. Ladydiamond, how about people take responsibility for themselves and quit trying to solve societies ills with more money.
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