Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Lawmakers want progress at women's prison

Lawmakers want progress at women's prison

Apr 09, 2004 - 23:53:05 CDT

By CURT WOODWARD, Associated Press Writer

Rep. Ken Svedjan likens the state Legislature to a frustrated customer when dealing with the delay-plagued women's prison in southwestern North Dakota.

Lawmakers heard pledges a year ago that the former Roman Catholic convent and boarding school was nearly ready to accept inmates, the Grand Forks Republican said.

"We believed what we heard. We in good faith entered into the contract and we need a product delivered. It's that simple," Svedjan said Friday.

The 2003 Legislature decided to send female state prisoners to county-owned facilities rather than create a new women's prison in Jamestown.

A year later, renovations at the New England prison's medium-security wing are unfinished and women held elsewhere are taking up room needed for a growing male inmate population.

The state prison system had 1,295 inmates, including 122 women, this week, said Elaine Little, the state corrections director.

The New England prison now has about 65 inmates and about 30 more will be sent there once the medium-security area is finished, Little said.

"We've got to get going because we need the bed space, and I haven't heard anyone saying we should release dangerous people back into the community," said Sen. Raymon Holmberg, R-Grand Forks.

Holmberg, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Svedjan, chairman of House Appropriations, plan to join an interim committee on a tour of the New England prison next week.

Sen. Aaron Krauter, D-Regent, said the visiting lawmakers will see progress.

"It's encouraging. This thing's going to happen," Krauter said. "Lawmakers who have not been here yet are going to come away amazed at the facility and the capabilities of the staff there."

The New England prison is owned by six southwestern counties that also operate a jail in Dickinson, about 25 miles to the north.

The women's prison was scheduled to begin housing inmates in early November, but the transfer was delayed after it failed a state inspection. The first inmates arrived Nov. 19.

Women requiring closer supervision were supposed to come on Jan. 1, but their housing area remains unoccupied. Delays in construction, including a lack of water needed to charge fire sprinklers, have kept those women in Jamestown.

Prison administrator Norbert Sickler said a grant could bring expanded water service by June, when other major projects also should be completed.

The board that oversees the prison has hired a construction manager in hopes of speeding up renovations.

"We can't throw the towel in now. It's too far down the project," Sickler said.

Some lawmakers say they want to judge the progress for themselves.

"I think the people in New England need to realize that the future of that project could be in jeopardy if they don't deliver," Svedjan said.

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Comments

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