CIM officers say riot could have been avoided

CIM officers say riot could have been avoided - Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer CHINO - A riot that injured more than 200 inmates at the California Institution for Men in Chino and gutted one of the prison's reception centers might have been avoided had administrators responded properly to concerns raised by state auditors and complaints from the facility's staff, according to some corrections officers at the prison. View Full Story Most E-Mailed (From the last 12 hours) CIM officers say riot could have been avoided Kaiser Steel museum planned out of town Rancho Cucamonga plaster artist fights to save his career Early inmate release no way to reform prison system Interim warden faces challenge in riot's aftermath http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_13232521 http://www.dailybulletin.com This e-mail was delivered by machines from the following IP addresses [75.210.152.181],[204.2.136.62].

Chino, other riots used to argue support for private prison expansion, investment

Locking Up Profits in Private Prisons by Rich Duprey - August 25, 2009 - 0 comments The reports were chilling. Some 1,300 inmates in seven barracks rioted in Chino's California Institution for Men, setting fire to the facility and injuring 250 prisoners earlier this month. Kentucky's medium-security Northpoint Training Center suffered a similar fiery melee just last week. Our prisons are bursting at the seams, overcrowded to the point of instability. But a private solution may help ease this crisis -- and offer investors an opportunity to profit. Prisons on lockdown With 158,000 inmates, California's prisons are recognized as the nation's most overcrowded. Los Angeles County has the largest daily jail population, ahead of Harris County, Texas, and even New York City. Federal judges recently ruled that the state must reduce its inmate count by 43,000 over the next two years. California isn't alone. One in every 31 adults in the U.S. is either in federal, state, or local prison, or is being monitored on probation or parole. The U.S. has the world's largest prison population, with the federal prison system was operating 36% above its capacity at the end of 2007. The situation at Chino was even worse: 5,900 prisoners were housed in a facility meant for 3,000. Unfortunately, crime will always be with us, and criminals will need to be housed. That's usually meant that governments construct and run new prisons. State spending on corrections increased 300% over the past two decades, but when states like California are facing bankruptcy, it's not feasible to expect them to finance more construction. Instead, we may see them turn to private correction and detention facilities in greater numbers, like those run by Corrections Corp of America (NYSE: CXW), Cornell Companies (NYSE: CRN), Geo Group (NYSE: GEO), and G4S. Corrections Corp of America is the country's largest private prison operator, with 65 jails and detention facilities in 19 states. Its facilities have a capacity for 86,500 inmates and typically operate at more than 95% of capacity. In fact, only the federal government and three states run bigger prison systems. CCA generated 45% of its total revenue of nearly $1.6 billion from state contracts in 2008 (and 39% from federal contracts). Geo Group, the second-largest operator, had $711 million in U.S. revenue. No. 3 Cornell had $386.7 million in total 2008 revenue. Manhunt for value Crime remains a growth industry, but the correction industry has enjoyed some phenomenal growth, too, which ought to seize investors' enthusiasm. CCA shares have almost doubled over the past six months, while Geo is up 44% and Cornell 43%. Yet all are trading at or below their five-year average market multiples. With favorable industry demographics for the long term, analysts expect CCA and Cornell to grow by 11% and 12% per year over the next five years, respectively. They foresee Geo Group growing at a more robust 16% clip per year. This gives Geo Group a PEG ratio of 0.85, lower than the 1.52 for CCA and the 1.02 for Cornell.  All three companies are well below the S&P 500's 2.1 average. These private jailers look tempting, particularly in relation to industry trends. Private prisons housed 7.8% of the country's 1.61 million incarcerated adults in federal and state prisons as of the middle of 2008, up from 7.4% in 2007, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. With the U.S. expecting more than 1.7 million men and women in prison by 2011 (a 13% jump from 2007, according to a study by the Pew Center on the States), the growing cost of those incarcerations may force states to increasingly turn to private companies. By outsourcing incarceration services, a government could reduce the cost of housing those prisoners by 10% to 20%. The big breakout A difficult recession; budgetary constraints by local, state, and federal authorities; no end to the supply of "guests;" and cost savings offered by the for-profit proprietors all point to the possibility that investors could lock up good, long-term returns with these companies. While CCA, as the Big House of the three, ought to command a premium for its shares, I find Geo Group the most attractive right now. Its financials offer comparable metrics at a better price. Geo has a strong balance sheet, and while its operating margin isn't as good as CCA's, Geo Group has enjoyed superior compounded revenue growth over the past five years. If I were to make a break for it with just one private jailer today, it would be Geo Group. Head over to Motley Fool CAPS and take a peek at what other Fools think about the company; it could make a worthy inmate in your portfolio. Copyright 2009 by United Press International.

My View, sending to Lassen County Times

CALIFONRIA GOVERNMENT AND LAWMAKERS GET YOUR PRIORITIES TOGETHER

As a California tax payer and a concern citizen.  It really makes me wonder, what is our Governments PRIORITY today.

We are in a financial crisis.  But at the same time, the state worker has lost well over 15 % in wage’s(which I wouldn’t mind if IT WAS GOING TO OUR SCHOOLS, VETERANS OR SENIOR CITIZENS), we are cutting veterans programs, senior citizens programs, our children’s programs and many more.  While these cuts are taking place.  At the same time the convicted felons programs in California have doubled.  So I ask, where is our priority? 

While all mentioned above are losing money in their general funds, health care programs ect, our children (MY CHILD) is losing programs i.e.: sports, music, bus rides, lunch programs, ect.  The inmate’s of California have improved their medical program, recreational programs and educational programs. So pretty much, my taxes are not going towards my children’s education, they are going towards a convicted felon working on his or her high-school diploma or College AA or even BA. Playing basketball, softball, ect. What is wrong with our society?  Why are the taxpayers not outrage?  Is it okay to rob our future for the convicted felon?  Is it right for our vet’s that have fought for our country and still fighting, getting their benefits robbed so an inmate can have recreational or religious programs?  We have veterans that cannot even come close to the medical care that an inmate receives now.

Our grandparents can not get decent medical, but a convicted felon gets top of the line medical attention immediately.

The last time you went to the emergency room how long did you have to wait?  Three hours?  Four hours?  Or longer?  If a convicted felon is rushed to the emergency room, he or she is seen immediately. But still the taxpayers allow this to happen.

We as the taxpayers have allowed these bleeding heart lawyers from the “Prison Law Office” to run the State of California billions of dollars into debt because an inmate had to wait for medical attention on a non-life threatening issue and other ridiculous lawsuits. So now we as taxpayers are paying.  But it’s not about that.  It’s about the state ROBBING our veterans, children and elderly for what? 

The average California inmate costs the minimal of $12,500(low figure).  California will spend $1,400 per veteran.  Over the last two years California has cut $11 billion from our schools.  The California inmates have had no cuts.    When will we as Californians say enough and tell these lawyers and judges and the Governor, “NO MORE”.

WE NEED TO GET OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

Lori Olah,  Susanville, CA

Fw: I did not know this...good to know

Somebody do this so I know it works :)  If it does, this is a good feature. Lori   >   Did >  you know about 77 on your cell phone.  You need > to. >    >  I knew about >  the red light on cars, > >  but not the *77. >  >  It was about 1:00 p.m. in the > afternoon, > >  and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. > >  An UNMARKED police car > pulled > >  up behind her and put his lights on. > >  Lauren's parents have always > >  told her never to pull over for > >  an unmarked car on the side of the road, > >  but rather to wait until they get to > >  a gas station, etc.  >  >    >  Lauren >  had actually listened to her > >  parents advice, and promptly called > >  *77 on her cell > phone to tell the > >  police dispatcher tha t she would > >  not pull over right away. > >  She proceeded to tell the dispatcher > >  that there was an unmarked police car > >  with a flashing red light on > >  his rooftop behind her. > >  The dispatcher checked to see if > >  there were police cars >  where she > >  was and there weren't, > >  and he told her to keep driving, > >  remain calm and that he had back up > >  already on the way.  >  >  >  Ten >  minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded > >  her and the unmarked car behind her. > >  One policeman went to her side > >  and the others surrounded > >  the car behind. > >  They pulled the guy from the car > >  and tackled him to the ground. > >  The man was a convicted rapist > >  and wanted for other crimes.  >  >  >  I >  never knew about the *77 > >  Cell Phone Feature, > >  but especially for a woman > >  alone in a car, > >  you should not pull over > >  for an unmarked car. > >  Apparently police have to respect > >  your right to keep going to a safe > >  & quiet place. > >  You obviously need to make some > >  signals that you acknowledge them > >  (i.e. put on your hazard lights) > >  or call *77 > like > Lauren did.  >  >  >  Too >  bad the cell phone companies > >  don't generally give you this little bit > >  of wonderful information.  >  >  >  *Speaking >  to a service representative > >  at ** Bell ** Mobility confirmed that > >  *77 was a direct link to state trooper > info. > >  So, now it's your turn to let > >  your friends know about *77  >  >  >  Send >  this to every woman (and person) > >  you know; it may save a life. >  This applies to ALL 50 states. >  NEW mobile Hotmail. Optimized > for YOUR phone. Click here.  >  >  > > >    > > > >  > > >