Recent editorials from Alabama newspapers:
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Feb. 2
The Gadsden Times on the results of a new report on Alabama prisons:
Gov. Kay Ivey’s Study Group on Criminal Justice Policy, tasked with coming up with ways to keep Alabama from winding up in federal court over its close-to-implosion prison system, released its report in January.
Short version (you may have to use your attention spans anyway): Give the Department of Corrections more money (it’s asked for a $42 million increase to $563 million) to help it hire sufficient staff to control its facilities; help get inmates off drugs (and get contraband drugs out of prisons); give inmates who got “three strikes and you’re out” life without parole sentences for non-violent crimes a break either with re-sentencing or parole eligibility; step up educational and other efforts to help inmates find productive places in society and not wind up back behind bars; and explore alternative judicial methods like drug courts (Etowah County being a leader there).
The report dropped on schedule - the study group was supposed to offer its suggestions before the legislative session, which began on Feb. 4 - and on the heels of an additional reminder of the gravity of this situation.
ADOC announced that it’s shutting down the main building and dormitory at the W.C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore and transferring more than 600 inmates to other state facilities. Commissioner Jeff Dunn said the move has been in the works for a while and described it as “the culmination of years of neglect.”
It was fast tracked, according to Dunn, because the tunnel that contains the prison’s electrical, sewer and water systems has become a safety and health hazard. The facility is 51 years old, but Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, the Judiciary Chairman and a key player in efforts to solve this crisis, told the Montgomery Advertiser, “You look at the wires hanging from the ceiling … you look at the condition of the facility, it was only a matter of time before it got condemned.”
No one is protesting or mourning for another reason: Holman in some ways is the face of Alabama’s prison crisis because of the bloodshed and violence - the beatings, stabbings, sexual assaults and killings - that have happened there.
The Advertiser reported that inmates told Department of Justice investigators - who have said the conditions in Alabama’s prisons are unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment (and given the hard-nosed law and order tone of the current administration that should jar even the most hardened “lock ’em up and throw away the key” hard cases into paying attention) - that they pack knives for protection and as “good common sense.” The latter probably is true at a place that just 19 months ago was only at 18% strength as far the number of corrections officers it needs.
Ivey last year said Alabama intends to address the problem by building three new modern prisons. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, who was in Gadsden in January, said ADOC is working to build sufficient staffing levels, although it’s hampered by the reality that correctional officer - a $100 word for prison guard - isn’t exactly a career people gravitate to, even if the salary scales are sweetened and other incentives offered.
We’re sure Ivey will mention the topic in her State of the State speech on Feb. 4. We hope she offers a specific plan of action for this session. We’ll be interested to see what the Legislature does with both it and the study group’s proposals.
No one’s asking that inmates be coddled or not face consequences for their actions. The status quo just cannot remain in place, and a fix will be imposed if state leaders can’t come up with one on their own.
Ward told the Advertiser, “Every year we kick it down the road, it’s going to get more expensive, in terms of lives and tax dollars.”
He’s right.
Online: https://www.gadsdentimes.com
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Feb. 2
The Cullman Times on the beginning of the 2020 state Legislative session:
The 2020 Alabama Legislative session began on Tuesday, Feb. 4, and we need to be paying attention to what our legislators are doing. Lawmakers all agree that the three big issues of the session are going to be prisons, medical marijuana and the proposal by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians for control of additional casinos and a state lottery. In 2019, more than 1,000 bills were introduced during the session, and it’s likely there will be just as many introduced this year. Which means that, other than the big three issues, there will be at least 997 issues under discussion at the State Capitol.
Often the bills that get introduced are written by a particular industry or group seeking to turn the law in their favor. This does not necessarily mean the bill is bad, but we as taxpayers and voters should be aware of who gains and who loses if a bill becomes law. We should be asking our legislators what problem they are trying to solve. If there isn’t a real problem, what’s the purpose of the “solution?”
This is not to say that our local legislators aren’t doing their best to represent their constituents fairly and honestly. There are many issues that require their attention, and they can’t be experts on all of them. They have to get input from the people who know the issues best. But they also want, and need, to hear from their hometown folks.
During the session, you can see what bills have been introduced and track their progress at the state’s website at alisondb.legislature.state.al.us. If you have the opportunity to visit the State Capitol during the session, make plans to stop by your representative’s or senator’s office and ask for an update on legislation, particularly local legislation that’s not going attract the attention of the state’s media. We’ll be watching closely, too.
Stay in touch and stay informed.
Online: https://www.cullmantimes.com
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Feb. 2
Decatur Daily on state mental health care funding:
The sign outside still says “North Alabama Regional Hospital,” but it’s surrounded by weeds and tall grass. The mental health hospital closed in 2015, and ownership was transferred to the National Guard, which also took over the site of the adjacent Lurleen B. Wallace Developmental Center.
That forlorn sign is a symbol of broken promises in more ways than one.
The most obvious is the fate of the site itself. The North Alabama Regional Hospital property has not become what local leaders envisioned when the Guard took it over.
But the more consequential broken promise is the State of Alabama’s promise to take care of its citizens. State lawmakers realize they have fallen short when it comes to looking after some of the state’s most vulnerable people: those dealing with mental health issues. And funding for mental health will be one of the major issues legislators take up as the Legislature begins its 2020 regular session.
Mental health impacts many aspects of state government, from the schools to the prisons.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey has said schools are seeing more students with serious mental health conditions.
“We have certainly gotten better at recognizing the need, but from my vantage, I would say the need is increasing,” he said. “There are simply more mental health issues than there were 10 years ago.”
All of this has created a need for more mental health counselors in schools, more training for teachers and others to recognize students who need help, and funding for case managers to offer students in need of long-term assistance.
At the other end of the spectrum, since the closure of facilities like North Alabama Regional, local jails have been taking up the slack, housing prisoners who would be better served by mental health facilities - including those who might not have run afoul of the law if they had more ready access to mental health care.
Two years ago, Morgan County teamed up with the Stepping Up Initiative, a national program to help improve mental health treatment of jail inmates.
At that time, Bill Giguere, development director with the Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama, told Morgan County commissioners that the Stepping Up Initiative would allow the center to hire a case manager to coordinate between the Morgan County Jail, Decatur Morgan Hospital and other county hospitals to help identify and communicate about those who have a mental illness.
The idea is to help those inmates with mental health issues so they both get the help they need and don’t end up back in jail.
The Stepping Up Initiative of North Central Alabama will hold a fundraiser Feb. 21 at the Ingalls Harbor Pavilion to raise money for its programs. Stepping Up says that those inmates who complete its programs have only a 6% chance of ending up back in Morgan County Jail.
This is an effort that deserves support, but it may be all for nothing if the state doesn’t properly fund mental health services outside the jail walls.
State House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, has said he expects to have support in the legislative session for increased mental health funding and expanded access to care, especially for people in crisis.
Alabama has been failing those who need mental health care. We can only hope Ledbetter’s assurance doesn’t turn into yet another broken promise.
Online: https://www.decaturdaily.com
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