And the most expensive prison in Washington is...

[Greg]

HeraldNet: Monroe prison one of state's mostly costly

Cost per inmate
The state Department of Corrections calculates the average annual cost per offender, using total expenditures for a prison and the average daily population of inmates.

1. Ahtanum View Correctional Complex, Yakima: $49,705
   
2. Washington Corrections Center for Women, Gig Harbor: $39,621
   
3. Monroe Correctional Complexes, Monroe: $36,836
   
4. Washington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla: $34,918
   
5. McNeil Island Corrections Center, Steilacoom: $34,861
   
6. Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women, Belfair: $34,111
   
7. Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Clallam Bay: $30,435
   
8. Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women, Medical Lake: $27,220
   
9. Washington Corrections Center, Shelton: $26,112
   
10. Stafford Creek Corrections Center, Aberdeen: $22,778
    
11. Larch Corrections Center, Yacolt: $22,560
    
12. Airway Heights Corrections Center, Airway Heights: $22,282
    
13. Cedar Creek Corrections Center, Littlerock: $21,493
    
14. Olympic Corrections Center, Forks: $20,504
    
15. Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, Connell: $20,421

Source: Washington State Department of Corrections

Monroe prison one of state's mostly costly

Price of housing just one inmate for a year might exceed your income
Published: Monday, November 26, 2007

By Yoshiaki Nohara
Herald Writer

MONROE -- A new maximum-security unit could make housing inmates even more costly at the Monroe prison complex, already the third most expensive among the state's 15 prisons.

Keeping an inmate behind bars in Monroe now on average costs taxpayers $36,836 a year, according the state Department of Corrections. That's far higher than the average at most of the state's other prisons.

It also amounts to about two-thirds of the median annual household income in Monroe.

"I'm kind of surprised about the high cost" at the Monroe prison complex, the state's largest prison with 2,446 beds, said Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe.

Monroe prison officials recently revealed a new $39.5 million, maximum-security unit. The 200-bed unit is set to be fully open by Jan. 8, 2008. Other prisons are expected to send dangerous offenders to the new unit in Monroe.

"That could be a cost driver," said Pearson, a member of the House Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee, which deals with prison issues.

The corrections department calculates the average annual cost per inmate using the total spent to operate a prison, divided by the average daily population of inmates. Only two prisons in the state logged higher per-inmate costs than Monroe in 2007.

The cost was $49,705 at the Ahtanum View Correctional Complex in Yakima, which houses old, ill and disabled inmates. The price tag was $39,621 at Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, which processes all female offenders and allows some to give birth.

The average cost among all the state's prisons was $29,590. The cheapest place to house prisoners is Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Connell, Eastern Washington, at $20,421 per prisoner.

Many factors play into the high cost at the Monroe prison complex, officials say.

The complex has a sex offender unit and a 400-bed special offender unit for inmates with mental problems. Both types of prisoner require specialized employees and special care. The complex employs about 1,100 people.

"The Monroe complex is a very specialized facility," Ken Quinn, the prison complex's superintendent, said adding he's uncertain whether the new maximum-security unit will add costs.

Plus, the state often transfers inmates who require a high level of medical care to the Monroe prison complex. Monroe has Valley General Hospital and is close to other health-care centers along I-5. That means medical bills for inmates are typically higher in Monroe.

Pearson, who has lived in Monroe his entire life, said he believes management issues also add to the costs at the prison complex.

"I hear what's going on all the time," Pearson said. "There was a lack of leadership at the department."

Washington Secretary of Corrections Harold Clarke announced his resignation earlier this month. His last day was Friday. State lawmakers and prison workers openly criticized the management style of Clarke, who faced public anger in late 2006 after felons on community supervision killed three King County law enforcement officers.

The shaky leadership in Olympia has led to low morale at the Monroe prison complex, Pearson said.

Chief Deputy Secretary Eldon Vail has been named as the department's interim leader.

"I hope the new administration in Olympia will be more transparent and explain how tax dollars are being spent," Pearson said.

The Monroe prison has had problems with recruiting and retaining correctional officers, Pearson and Monroe City Councilman Mitch Ruth said.

The Monroe prison complex often loses its correctional officers to Snohomish and King counties, which pay more for jail officers, Ruth said. The high turnover leaves the prison complex with less experienced officers and high costs for training new officers.

The cost of living is higher in Monroe, one of the fastest-growing cities in Washington with about 16,000 people.

"But wages are identical," Ruth said. "There's no adjustment for regions."

The prison complex is in the city limits and uses the city's utility services. The complex lost 19 million gallons of water because of a leaky pipe. In September, the state agreed to pay the city $219,999.

"Goof-ups like that drive up the cost," Pearson said. "The department makes mistakes. Taxpayers pay for that."

The prison complex doesn't pay the city the same utility rates as other businesses, Ruth said. That needs to change, even though the complex is considered an essential public facility under state law.

"The city of Monroe doesn't have the responsibility to subsidize the Department of Corrections," he said.

© 2007The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA

[robeans]

It's tough because there are so many factors involved. Coyote Ridge is a small minimum security camp, compared to the Pen which houses the worst inmates in the state. Monroe's Special Offender Unit has to be wicked expensive to run also.

You know, its funny they talk about loosing officers to King and Snohomish, when it turns out that is a load of crap. I read last week that last year only 4 or 5 CO's left Monroe for county jobs. Now that may be spun one way or the other, but it's not like the state is bleeding jobs to county. The problem is that Monroe is a dump and is super dangerous to work at.

[MCC8858]

Originally Posted by robeans

The problem is that Monroe is a dump and is super dangerous to work at.

Things have really turned around. Im not sure when the last time you where over here, but we have gotten our act together. With the new IMU, a new hire of some Asso. Sups and new admin that are more security mindset, MCC has tightened up quite a bit.

However, we, like WSP have run into the problem that fights are no longer Inmate to Inmate and broken up on sight with enough staff presence. It seems inmates are starting to turn on staff when we respond to fights now. This has really only improved things. Now staff are going back to the basics... assessing situations from the beginning. Deciding the safest course of action, and forcing shift command to implement tools at our disposal, and not just throwing CO's to the wolves.

[wsr707]

Monroe is not a dump. A hell hole...maybe. Not too dangerous to work at. A couple of staff assaults a year. When you factor in 700-800 blue shirts, a fist or dinner tray here and there does not seem like that big of a deal to me. When I got assualted, I was back to work the next day. There are C/O's at Monroe that would die for me, and me the same. I know that someone, somewhere always has my back. The only thing dangerous is the hard concrete. We have no C/O's on L&I right now from inmate assaults. We have many on L&I from the concrete.
RoBeans, are you at WSP? Everyone at Monroe thinks WSP is the worst. I bet we have the same problems. Crap, piss, barf, blood, fists all smell and feel the same. Good luck in your IMU. I know that admin is eager to fill it to the top.

[robeans]

All I know about Monroe is what I hear in the rumor mill, so hearing two from there saying different makes me feel different. Although I think the staffing problem is much worse there than here.

I tell you what, the inmates sure do like it, there are more than willing to take a transfer. They don't like our Seg now and ask questions later policy. But in reality, the Penitentiary's job has always be to be the last stop in a prison system.

If the cost of living wasn't so stupid out there, I would transfer in a minute, Walla Walla isn't what I would call a "party" town.

[wsr707]

Rumor mills are great aren't they. We like to take the "separation from service" papers, or whatever their called, and put random people's names in them and leave them laying around. It's really funny when you put your own name on one.
The inmates definately think the time is easier here. A promotion if you will. The kids and hispanics are ruining it though. Not in a racist way, in a north/south way.
The staffing problem sucks, but lot's of OT whores to lap it up. Mando's are rare. Low senoirity can normally get OT except in Feb. and the beggining of Dec. We are 33 short according to the EMT minutes. Mostly Unit RDO posts.
Cost of living is retarded here. Wife has a good job. Lucky for me.

[robeans]

Well for what its worth, Walla Walla is really expensive too, this coming from someone who lived in Tacoma.

[MCC8858]

Yea, I went and looked in Walla Walla, thought about transferring there. But, didn't see a drastic cost reduction in anything... So...being close to the water and seattle...its worth the extra bucks here and there if big cities and water are your thing

[Bobshouse]

I remember when the Feds gave up McNeil Island and offered transfers to the staff willing to move or conversion to the Washington State system for those that didn't.

Talk about portal to portal problems nowadays, imagine having to get to the ferry dock in time for the ride out to the island to get to work.