Purchase of Perry Co. Correctional Center Part of Governor’s Prison Plan

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

Governor Ivey’s plan to address the state’s prison problems includes the purchase of an empty prison near Uniontown.

Perry County Correctional Center has sat vacant for nearly a decade — but it could soon be the property of the state of Alabama. Purchasing the facility is part of the governor’s $1.3 billion dollar plan to fix the on-going prison problems in the state.

“Alabama legislature is about to go into special session to deal with the prison system,” Commissioner Albert Turner, Jr.

“We’re thankful that they are now decided to purchase this prison.”

“To use it in a way to maybe, those who are already on parole,” said Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole Director Cam Ward.

“They’re already out of prison, but they have a high risk of committing a crime again, committing a new crime, why not use this for drug treatment, mental health treatment and maybe eventually even job training, to make sure they don’t commit a crime again, they don’t go back to prison.”

The 700 bed facility was built in 2006.

“This is going to be an alternative sentencing facility. It’ll be an educational facility. It just won’t be a warehouse where you’re locking them up and throwing away the key. It’ll be an educational rehabilitation facility,” said Turner.

“So, I think Governor Ivey and her staff have done a great job of coming up with an alternative method to decrease the population of prisons in Alabama.”

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Alabama over conditions in state prisons. The state is at risk of a federal takeover of it’s prison system — if improvements are not made.

Some of the issues include — overcrowding — under staffing — and violence.

The state legislature will go into special session on Monday.