Prison closure is about humane treatment, not prisoners as income generators
The Denver Post's February 26, 2017, article about the Burlington, CO. prison closure focuses on the prison as a source of revenue. This blogger's perspective is that it's a humane action that frees up funds for other projects. Thank you to Governor Hickenlooper. Naturally the city of Burlington needs a boost. The article portrays the town of Burlington as relying on human incarceration as a source of income rather than as human beings who require care and rehabilitation, mental health care and substance abuse treatment. This state and the city are better than that; we can move on to more imaginative options.
Prisons should be a last resort for rehabilitation; a place to put those who are a danger to society and who cannot be helped. They are not places to generate income to run towns. However, over 20% of the US prison population are mentally ill. There are high percentages of substance abuse, low level drug offenders, and non violent offenders. Instead of putting them all in one place each individual should be evaluated for how best to meet his needs. Then, each should receive treatment to help him reach his potential.
One suggestion is for prisons to be run by nonprofits whose goal is to help offenders reintegrate into society. There would be no profit motive to keep people in prison. Instead, the goal would be to make themselves obsolete by helping and educating people so well that the nonprofits' services are no longer needed.
What you can do
Write to the Governor and thank him for closing the prison. Support the Kit Carson Mitigation Plan and make suggestions for alternative sources of income for the city of Burlington.
Related links
Denver Post, Burlington struggles after closure of its largest employer, Kit Carson prison
Mother Jones, Corrections Corporation of America by the Numbers
Huffington Post, Nonprofit Floats Unusual Alternative to Private Prison
Prison Activist Resource Center https://www.prisonactivist.org/
