Private Prison Plan Wins Twice In House

Fri., March 20, 1998

From Staff Reports

Idaho is ready for private prisons to come in, with two bills regulating them winning final approval in the House on Thursday.

The state will see construction start this spring on its first private prison. But it has no laws on the books regulating private operations that start up in Idaho to house out-of-state prisoners.

Two pieces of legislation aimed at that situation were sent to the governor on Thursday. The first, SB1516, makes it a crime to escape from a private prison. That’s been an issue in other states. When five Idaho inmates escaped from a private lockup in Louisiana, there were questions over whether they could be prosecuted under that state’s laws. Though the four who have been caught were charged, none have been prosecuted.

The second bill, SB1517, requires private prisons to either contract with the state or the local city or county, or get the express consent of the local city or county before opening up.

It also allows the city or county some say over security arrangements and monitoring, requires the private firm to reimburse the city or county for costs relating to escapes or riots, and makes offenses committed in private prisons crimes, just like offenses committed in state prisons. , DataTimes

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Private Prison Plan Wins Twice In House

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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