August 5, 2011

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This is CCPOA's 5150 information hotline and today is Friday August 5, 2011.

CCPOA NEWS

CCPOA Training Conference & Convention–  In less than two weeks, the CCPOA Annual Training Conference & Convention will be held at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas on August 17-18th.  CCPOA Members wishing to pre-register for the conference should contact Suzanne Davis at 800-821-6443, ext. 236.  You can also email her at suzanne.davis@ccpoa.org .  Those wishing to reserve rooms at the CCPOA rate of $69 may call 1-888-746-6955 at the Rio and mention the group code “SRCCP21”. 

We have also posted the full agenda for the training conference and convention on the website for you to review.

CDCR NEWS

Possible VSPW Conversion–  There was more media coverage this week about VSPW and the possible conversion of it to a men’s prison.  Some folks in Madera County are worried about possible changes to the Chowchilla women's prison. 

Some residents are concerned that the families of male inmates will move into the community and cause trouble but the California Department of Corrections says that scenario is unlikely.  Terry McDonald, Director of Adult Institutions for the CDCR said, “The reality of it is that, often times, it's an unfounded concern, but we have to take those issues very seriously, listen, and communicate as we move forward.”  Prisoners who would be moved to Chowchilla are low-level offenders, with an average sentence of 18 months, according to CDCR, but most of those types of inmates will in reality be sent to the counties for housing.   The conversion from a women's prison to a men's prison could happen within the next year, according to the news report.  The full story from CBS 47 News is linked on the CCPOA website with embedded video.

Seniority Letters– The letters from CDCR sent out to all employees concerning their seniority score made it to the newspapers this week.  According to one paper near San Luis Obispo, CDCR officials have been discussing a plan to reduce staffing at CMC by nearly 200 positions.  At this point, CDCR is saying it is only a plan that has not been authorized for implementation.  As you may remember, CCPOA state president Mike Jimenez sent out a memo to Unit 6 members addressing the seniority score issue, calling it premature.  Please go to the CCPOA website and read his letter for more information.  We’ll provide an update on this issue as soon as we receive anything solid from the department.

CAPITOL NEWS

LAO Report– The non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released a report today titled, “A Status Report: Reducing Prison Overcrowding in California.” The report concludes that the current plans by CDCR will not be sufficient to reduce prison overcrowding as required by the US Supreme Court. The LAO also made some legislative recommendations designed to meet the Court’s mandate.  The LAO urged CDCR to request additional time to comply with the court order and to expand the current program of sending California inmates for housing in out-of-state, for-profit, private prisons.  CCPOA remains adamantly opposed to the use of these for-profit corporations and exporting hundreds of millions of California tax dollars to the private companies from Tennessee and Florida.  These companies cost more to house inmates than leaving them in state prisons here.  Shipping inmates, jobs and tax dollars across the country in order to line the pockets of corporate shareholders will do little to benefit California’s treasury, economy or job market.  We’ve linked the full report for you to download and also a couple of news articles discussing the report.

Private Prisons– Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the largest for-profit, private prison corporation in the country released its quarterly stock report this week and in it the company boasts about its increased profits for shareholders.  CCA reported that its higher profits were due in large part to the corporation’s contracts with CDCR and higher numbers of California inmates sent to their for-profit facilities in Arizona, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. 

For additional information on private prisons, the latest news on parolee problems and up to date information on current topics, please visit the CCPOA website where we post the information as it comes in.

Thanks for calling the 5150 information hotline and have a safe shift.