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Alabama Gov. Addresses Violence At Holman, Calls For Prison Reform
March 15, 2016
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley addressed the recent uprisings and stabbings at Holman Prison in Atmore and called for statewide prison reform to curb the violence.
The governor said the situation at Holman is under control, but it is only a matter of time before another uprising occurs, and he is pressing Alabama lawmakers for funding to make that happen.
“Failure is not an option,” Bentley said. “The Legislature has an opportunity to join us in making public safety in the prison a real priority.”
“I want us to go in this state from being the worst in the country to the best in the country,” Bentley said during a Tuesday morning press conference at Holman. Alabama has the most overcrowded prison system in the country at almost 200 percent occupancy.
For an earlier story detailing the violence at the Holman Prison, click here.
Bentley is pushing the Alabama Legislature to approve the Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative Act to construct four modern, efficient prisons across the state — three for men and one for women — to replace other facilities.
Many of the state’s current prison facilities were built decades ago. The age and design of the facilities are causing inefficiencies in the operation of the prison system, including increasing costs of maintaining and repairing the facilities, increasing costs of transporting inmates from prison to medical care facilities, increasing correctional and support staff costs because of the geographic disparity of the system and the antiquated design of the prison facilities, and increasing medical costs due to inefficiencies in delivering medical services to inmates.
The purpose of the Alabama Prison Transformation Initiative Act is to reduce overcrowding and improve safety conditions for inmates and corrections officers, allow for additional inmate re-entry programs and to improve operational practices and procedures for the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC). The legislation allows for the issuance of up to $800 million bonds for up to 30 years by the Alabama Corrections Institutions Finance Authority with the debt service on these bonds to be paid from savings within the annual budget of ADOC. The three men’s facilities will be designed to house at least 3,500 inmates.
Construction of the three regional men’s facilities and one female facility should begin in the fall of 2017 and is expected to be completed within three years, if the Legislature approves.
Pictured top: Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley during a Tuesday morning press conference at Holman Prison. Pictured below: Bentley in a closed-door meeting inside Holman. Photos for NorthEscambia.com click to enlarge.
Comments
9 Responses to “Alabama Gov. Addresses Violence At Holman, Calls For Prison Reform”
I agree with Chrissy’s point of view…. it won’t stop the problems. The state of Alabama is close to being broke; should we wonder where the money is going to come from?
@Bubble Gum and Northof9mi, you two are so on point.
Maybe the poor things will get a hardwood floor basketball court and a new gym to go along with 3 meals a day,plenty of sack time,and more cable choices.
@just curious
Oh it’s a done deal. Bentley is gonna get the backing and money to build the new prisons. Holman will be closed. The question is where one of three will be. The womens facility will more than likely be centrally located near Montgomery, or just north. I see a southern regional mens prison being no further north or east than Castleberry due to population. We’ll see.
Bubble Gum is chewing the right approach. All of us remember when we misbehaved at school and took the paddling. If Daddy found out about your “crime” double jeopardy didn’t mean a hill of beans.
This situation at Holman and so many other prisons or incarceration facilities should offer an avenue for the individual to make something out of themselves other than a criminal.
Yet, the bleeding heart society always fail to understand the very reason(s) these people…male and female…are in prison! THEY BROKE THE LAW!
It’s not that it was the first brush with the law, but multiple times that caused them to be where they are in Alabama, Florida and every state in the nation.
If it’s punishment, make it so hard that even an idiot would never wish to cross the threshold of a prison ever again.
Humans are trainable.
Just more useless political talk from the governor that will cost the taxpayers of Alabama gobs of money to house convicted felons in a “Hilton” facility. When the softy populace recognizes they must deal fiercely and quickly with rebellious convicted felons (not citizens) they will see a decrease in crime and criminals. Simplicity: If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime! Prison life was never meant to be pleasant living! The best way to run a prison: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” When you don’t conform a 6 foot hole in the ground is rather inexpensive!
I haven’t read where the regional prisons will be located.
Its possible that we lose our prisons as well as our jobs.
This is the prison that I worked at years ago. I am thankful for the governor taking the time to tour and see the situation first hand. I see Alabama’s Rep. Mr. Baker, w/blonde hair, in the photos as well, he was a good football coach at Ernest Ward High School before going into politics. His Dad was an assistant principal there back in the 70’s.
Gov. Bentley can build 200 facilities in Alabama and it wouldn’t curtail the obvious issues.
“30 cellphones, makeshift knives and other contraband” were found in housing….they didn’t walk in there alone. Either guards aren’t properly searching inmates during intake or after visits, they aren’t monitoring the outside perimeter for “throw overs”, OR the guards are introducing the contraband.
New buildings won’t stop old problems.