Residents of Berlin will vote next week whether to pursue the idea of building a federal prison in the city. Berlin is following the example of rural areas across the country that have embraced federal prisons as economic engines. But as NHPR?s Trish Anderton reports, analysts say simply agreeing to host a prison is no guarantee of economic success.
THE NUMBERS LOOK GOOD ON PAPER, ESPECIALLY TO A CITY STRUGGLING WITH THE LOSS OF ITS LARGEST EMPLOYER. A FEDERAL PRISON WOULD BRING 300-350 JOBS, MANY PAYING 30 TO 40-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. MANY OF THOSE JOBS WOULD GO TO PEOPLE ALREADY WORKING FOR THE BUREAU OF PRISONS OR BOP, RATHER THAN TO CITY RESIDENTS. BUT AS FEDERAL SITE SELECTION SPECIALIST PAMELA CHANDLER SAID AT A RECENT MEETING IN BERLIN, A TOWN CAN BENEFIT FROM HAVING PRISON EMPLOYEES MOVE IN.
You want to have the workforce captured in your community so they?re spending money in local department stores and home improvement stores, and paying taxes in your community.
BERLIN HAS A LARGE SUPPLY OF HOUSING AVAILABLE AND CITY OFFICIALS ARE EAGER TO HAVE WORKERS MOVE IN. BUT THE HOUSES MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT KIND TO ATTRACT PRISON EMPLOYEES. A FEDERAL SURVEY SHOWS MOST BOP WORKERS WANT A HOUSE ON AT LEAST HALF AN ACRE OF LAND. MOST OF BERLIN?S HOUSES ARE TUCKED ONTO SMALLER LOTS. THAT COULD LEAVE THE CITY COMPETING AGAINST SURROUNDING TOWNS TO ATTRACT PRISON WORKERS. IF THE CITY DOES SUCCEED IN GETTING EMPLOYEES TO MOVE IN, IT MAY NEED TO TURN AROUND AND MAKE NEW INVESTMENTS IN ITS INFRASTRUCTURE. AMY ROSE IS A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE FOR THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE COUNCIL, A WASHINGTON-BASED NONPROFIT.
one big thing they need to think abt is impact on water and sewer system, on traffic, will roads be able to handle the increase in population, what is impact going to be on services, on school system.
ANALYSTS SAY THE CITY SHOULD ALSO WEIGH A PRISON?S IMPACT ON FORESTS AND RIVERS. FILMMAKER TRACY HULING HAS SPENT THE PAST FEW YEARS STUDYING PRISON PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
In terms of areas that look to tourism, sport fishing, wildlife, hiking, recreational sport, having an industry that big and with that much potential impact on the environment is a great concern.
THAT CONCERN BECAME A REALITY IN WAYNE COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE THE BOP IS BUILDING A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON. LOCAL OFFICIALS STOPPED THE CONSTRUCTION TWICE IN RECENT MONTHS BECAUSE RUNOFF FROM THE SITE WAS FOULING LOCAL TROUT STREAMS. THE STATE IS STILL ASSESSING POSSIBLE LONG-TERM DAMAGE TO THE WATERWAYS. MARK CARMON OF THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SAYS THE STATE PLANS TO FINE BOTH THE BOP AND THE CONTRACTOR.
It was not a minor prob that was immediately corrected. It was severe problems that were repeated, they were informed of the probls, informed of the vioation and it happened again. And I think that?s leading to the financial penalties that will be imposed.
FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY A PRISON WOULD PUMP ABOUT 25-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF WAGES-AND-BENEFITS AND UTILITIES. LOCAL BUSINESSES WOULD ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES TO THE PRISON. BUT TO GET THOSE CONTRACTS, AMY ROSE WARNS BUSINESSES HAVE TO BE READY TO COMPETE IN A COMPLICATED FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY. ROSE STUDIED THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF A FEDERAL PRISON IN FREMONT COUNTY, COLORADO.
what happened was there really were not a lot of local biznesses w/in fremont county that had capacity to win fed pris contracts. If local biz stimulation is something you?re looking for, it?s a good idea to look at local biz and see how much exper do they have in their biz and how much exper in dealing with fed bid procedures.
THERE?S LITTLE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH SHOWING HOW MUCH FEDERAL PRISONS AFFECT RURAL ECONOMIES. IT?S ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHETHER A PRISON CHANGES A COMMUNITY?S ATMOSPHERE. BUT BUSINESS LEADERS IN MANY HOST TOWNS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT PRISONS. GEORGE DECHANT IS WITH THE SARANAC LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. HE SAYS THE FEDERAL FACILITY AT LAKE PLACID HAS PROVIDED STEADY JOBS WITHOUT HURTING TOURISM OR SECOND-HOME SALES.
19 46 people don?t know theres prisons here, they?re set back in the woods. // it isn?t something that affects people?s perception of what you are.
GROVER NORQUIST OF YAZOO CITY MISSISSIPPI SAYS THE SAME FOR THE FEDERAL PRISON THERE. NORQUIST IS PRESIDENT OF THE BANK OF YAZOO CITY. HE?S SO ENTHUSED ABOUT THE FEDERAL PRISON, HE?S TRYING TO ATTRACT TWO MORE OF THEM . NORQUIST SAYS BOP EMPLOYEES HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. HE POINTS OUT MOST OF THEM TRANSFER TO A NEW FACILITY EVERY FEW YEARS AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY UP THE PAY SCALE. FOR THAT REASON, HE SAYS, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR HOUSES GO UP IN VALUE.
24 07 they demand things of commty the commty had not demanded of itself. They?re very involved in quality of schools. //They see it as an investment.
EVEN SKEPTICS LIKE TRACY HULING SAY FEDERAL PRISONS CAN MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO RURAL TOWNS. BUT HULING URGES TOWNSPEOPLE TO DO RESEARCH, ASK DETAILED QUESTIONS AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE BOP ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM. FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY IF THE PRISON PROPOSAL MOVES FORWARD, AREA RESIDENTS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO DO JUST THAT AT A SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS. FOR NHPR NEWS, I?M
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