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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

foreclosure
By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

spending-cuts

Snyder seeks massive concessions from prison workers

By Eartha Jane Melzer | 05.16.11 | 10:14 am

Gov. Rick Snyder’s demand for $95 million in concessions from state corrections workers and his plan to privatize food and other prison services are expected to hit the community of Jackson especially hard.

The Jackson Citizen Patriot reports that 900 unionized corrections workers live in Jackson county.

Giving up $95 million translates to $12,338 per corrections officer.

“Frankly, we’re outraged,” said Mel Grieshaber, executive director of the Michigan Corrections Organization, the union of corrections officers.

“It’s outrageous to us, almost sinful, that they would go after the people who have the most dangerous job in the state.”

Other plans to cut Corrections Department spending also would affect the Jackson area.

Snyder wants to privatize food-service and store jobs in all prisons, and he will reduce the number of lieutenants in all facilities. Lawmakers propose privatizing a prison “boot camp” located near Chelsea and run administratively from Jackson.

It’s not clear that privatization of prison services will save the state money.

MDOC spokesman John Cordell told the Citizen Patriot that he is unaware of any study that says privatizing the Chelsea boot camp will save money.

Privatization of food service has created problems in other states, and Michigan prison officials have warned that privatizing food service would reduce the nutritional content of inmates diets and lead to increased spending on medical care.

Comments

  • http://profiles.google.com/wattervilleh Henry Waterville

    It is true that prison workers have very dangerous jobs, so we should replace those human workers with robots.

    • CB

      Humor in a serious situation reveals immaturity

      • http://profiles.google.com/wattervilleh Henry Waterville

        I was just “Thinking Outside the Box”. Why not consider additional forms of automation. We already use automatic locks on the doors; why not use 3000 pound battery powered robots to “control” the inmates? Michigan companies could lead the world in the manufacturing of high-tech robotic prison “guards”. This may actually be a very good replacement for our troubled automotive industry. I am serious! Think about it.

  • Anonymous

    Snyder wants to privatize everything, he and his cronies can probably buy this stuff up at minimum cost.

    Michigan Inc.

  • Anonymous

    Privatizing does not save money, and it lowers quality.  We must not allow Snyder’s privatization plans for prisons and schools to continue.  http://www.firericksnyder.org

    • http://profiles.google.com/wattervilleh Henry Waterville

      How would lower quality service at a prison effect me? One item that people are considering privatizing is food services. It seems to me that private companies with minimum wage workers could do that job very easily. Cook all the meals off-site. Deliver them on individual cardboard trays with biodegradable eating utensils. After meals are done, there is nothing to clean; all the waste is run through a giant shredder and sent to the municipal compost pile.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tom-Allen/606069564 Tom Allen

         We’re talking about Rick Snyder. The only ‘green’ he cares about is money. He’ll find a way to feed inmates the cheapest way possible. You can bet that nutritional value will decrease and create a rise in illness that will, in turn, increase the cost of inmate medical care. Selling off people’s jobs is not the way to fiscal solvency. 

      • CB

        It will affect you when the health care costs at prisons increases and you pay more taxes for that care.  The cost savings from feeding inferior food to human beings will not pay for this increase, nor will it pay for the manufacture and shredding of eating tools as described in you entry. Do you have a large garden that needs compost?

        • http://profiles.google.com/wattervilleh Henry Waterville

          Regardless of whether we privatize the food services, we need to make the inmates’ food more healthy. NO salt, NO sugar, NO fats, NO meat, only healthy steamed vegetables and grains. We could prepare meals that were 100% healthy, but soooooo lacking in taste that the inmates would hate being in prison. Hey, isn’t that the way it should be?

          • CB

            Henry,

            I stand corrected on your suggestion that we replace prison guards with
            robots. Frankly, from what I have seen, some, not all, but some, prison
            guards are only one step removed from a robot like state as it is. Your
            idea lacks merit because of the human factor. No robot can handle all of the
            diverse situations that occur in prison.

            Do you have a loved one in prison? I do. I agree with your suggestion that
            we make the food healthy for a number of reasons, not the least of which is
            the prisoners overall health. We agree that healthy food would reduce health
            care costs.

            How about real rehabilitation? My daughter will only be in for this one term
            and I will not debate her case in this forum, but suffice to say that the
            food, good, bad, or indifferent will not influence her or any other inmate
            regarding their desire to never return. I now know why a majority of
            offenders are repeaters, and that my correspondent, is the subject of an
            objective, subjective, and emotional debate outside the scope of this forum.

            Take care.

  • http://profiles.google.com/bob.sloan48 Robert Sloan

    Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Maine and now Michigan are all on the privatize prison and other state responsibilities of late.  What none of the articles take into consideration or report factually on, is that fact that for over two decades now crime rates in all categories have been declining.  While our crime rates drop, incarceration increases and this phenomena is fueled by the thirst for more and more corporate profits from tax dollars spent on criminal justice.

    This pursuit of privatization of prisons goes back to the American Legislative Exchange Council’s efforts of privatization begun in the 80′s.  Snyder, Walker,  Daniels, Kasich and LePage are all ALEC wannabe’s or ALUM.  Kasich, LePage and Snyder picked from long time employees of Corrections Corporation of America or Geo Group when appointing heads of their state’s department of corrections recently.  If that doesn’t provide us with a head’s up as to what is on their agenda’s nothing will…

    Bob Sloan
    Prison Industry Consultant
    http://www.piecp-violations.com

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tom-Allen/606069564 Tom Allen

      And I think it’s safe to say that Snyder’s cuts to education and the desire to privatize schools is an indirect guarantee that the undereducated will continue to fail and thus keep the privatized prison system full and running like a well-oiled machine. For those are still not afraid of him, what’s it going to take for you to open your eyes and see Snyder for the real demon that he is?

  • Anonymous

    How many more hedge fund sponsored scams are we going to allow Snyder to roll out before we put a stop to this?  There is absolutely no proof that privatization saves money.  What has been shown is the exact opposite – rampant cronyism, fraud and abuse.

  • Anonymous

    Who could of ever guessed it would come to this….can you imagine the morale among the guards. I have a bad feeling…we are so screwed!
    Time for some reconing and hindsight, make some noise…spread the word. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Bowman/100000646564835 Gary Bowman

    My money says that 75% of prison workers voted REPUBLICAN! You get what you pay for! 

  • Anonymous

    This reminds me of when Chrysler privatized their plant security workers for around $7.00 per hr. The influx in thefts was almost comical, I mean, for that rate, some of them became some of the worst perpetrators to subsidize their low incomes. Rediculous corperate brain4rts that look good on paper but suck in reality. Recall Snyder starting March 21 !!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1580611162 Betsy Rose

    Recall Snyder?  Its time to impeach him.  I want to see him in prison eating that food and being guarded by those guards who he caused financial hardship too.  It could happen if people go for it.  Count me in big time!  Oh the joy of this scenario!  He deserves it for causing so much pain and his own misconduct. 

  • Anonymous

    Please come to Lansing on Saturday, May 21st, for a large rally against Education cuts, Emergency Manager overreach, and the launch of the official Recall Snyder petitions. Your signature matters! Really hope to see you there.

  • Anonymous

    Jackson voted for Snyder (and Walberg), two corporatist authoritarians. Now Snyder pays them back by kneecapping the core of their economy. And the worst thing of all is the impact privatization has on our criminal justice system. Huge waste of taxpayer money, and they are doubling down on it so their cronies can rake in big profits.

  • Anonymous

    Not only is privatizing food service a very bad idea…. but  current employess working in food service have saved the State money by reducing costs continously over the years.  Currently, State Employees in food service are feeding prisoners at $2.07 per prisoner per day with additional duties of custody and security, which are above their assigned duties.  No private company is going to be able to under bid this cost and provide security!!! 

    Additionally, messing with prisoner food would jepordize the safety of our Correction Officers!  Are we now saying in Michigan that money is more important than a human life???  I don’t think God would agree Mr. Snyder!!!!

  • http://mywikibiz.com/Directory:Jon_Awbrey Jon Awbrey

    Any fool can see where this is going —

    Two U.S. Judges Plead Guilty To Selling Children To Private Prisons!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4q7p3ME95E

    Judge Faces 10 Years in Alleged “Kids for Cash” Scheme
    http://abcnews.go.com/US/mark-ciavarella-pa-juvenile-court-judge-convicted-alleged/story?id=12965182

    Private Prisons for Profit Out of Control
    http://www.apfn.org/apfn/private-prisons.htm

    Ending
    the mockery of fairness and justice that we see all around us today
    will take a lot more than ejecting one malfeasant official after another
    from the positions of power they abuse — that will not stop the ongoing
    destruction of innocent lives. It will take reversing the inch-by-inch
    erosion of our democracy by those who are pushing to privatize and
    profit off the proper duties of our public sphere.

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