Saturday, November 22, 1997
Colorado City misses out on another prison
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
Scripps Howard Austin Bureau
AUSTIN -- Colorado City was not chosen Friday for a new high-security
prison to help relieve impending overcrowding in Texas prisons.
Instead, Amarillo and East Texas' Woodville were chosen as
the next two sites for high-security prisons, which hold the state's
most dangerous criminals, officials announced at a Texas Department
of Criminal Justice meeting in Arlington.
But Colorado City is still under consideration for future prisons,
prison officials said.
State leaders are expected to decide in April, when the prison
system is expected to reach full capacity, whether to OK funding
for a third high-security unit, said Glen Castlebury, a TDCJ spokesman.
"The beds approved Friday will help us with a critical
capacity crunch," Castlebury said.
More beds are needed, state officials say, as inmates serve
longer sentences, receive parole less frequently than in the past
and, once on parole, violate terms of their release more often
and get sent back to prison.
Texas has almost tripled its prison system during the past
five years. Since 1990, the capacity of Texas' prison system has
grown from 48,000 beds to 144,600.
Earlier this week, key state leaders -- including Gov. George
W. Bush, Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and House Speaker Pete Laney --
approved funds for the two high-security prisons, as well as 20
low-security dormitories at facilities around the state.
Each of the dormitories, which could be ready to accept inmates
in about 11 months, will have 107 beds; each of the two new lockups,
which will take 22 months to build, will have 990 beds.
None will be located in the Abilene area, TDCJ records show.
Earlier this year, the Criminal Justice board approved building
two other high-security units -- in Lamesa and Wichita Falls.
Areas most likely to be considered for the next site are Beaumont,
Colorado City, Gatesville and Karnes County, TDCJ records show.
"These communities have been on the list for over a year,"
said Larry Todd, a TDCJ spokesman. "These regions already
have been studied and are under consideration for future prisons."
Each of these communities matches criteria needed for high-security
units, which will be located at existing prisons to save money
on necessities such as kitchens, laundries and basic support staff.
The money for the new units named Friday will come from $2
billion in prison construction bonds approved by voters in 1991
and 1993.
Prison expansion began in 1992 after the state settled a federal
lawsuit concerning prison conditions, including overcrowding.
Although the expansion added room for more than 90,000 inmates,
overcrowding remains a problem.
Texas has the nation's highest incarceration rate.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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