"This state is stuck in a partnership with private corporations -- there is no way that we can back out now."
Colorado DOC Executive Director Joe Ortiz on getting out of private prison contracts. Pueblo Chieftain,
August 20, 2004

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
"Tasmanians were promised lots of jobs and that it would be of real benefit to the Tasmanian community."
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz on Serco's decision to fire 36 guards and replace them with cameras at their Pontville Detention Center. ABC News, November 7, 2011

“It reminds me of that old country western song, she got the gold mine and I got the shaft."
Broward County (FL) Property Appraiser Lori Parrish on CCA using a loophole to avoid paying taxes on a piece of property CCA was going to develop. Local 10, October 27, 2011

“This will put a tremendous strain on our police force. We’re going to need as much help as we can get.”
Conneaut (OH) City Manager Timothy Eggleston about his town picking up the tab for law enforcement at CCA's prison after it went from public to private. The Star Beacon, October 11, 2011

"With the detention center, nothing has happened easy. It's been a struggle for us all along, so, in some ways, we were not that surprised that we've got a continued struggle."
Littlefield, TX, City Manager Danny Davis on news that the bid for his empty prison formerly run by GEO fell through. KCBD, September 16, 2011

"They have to pay for it. And the people who's got it going are all up and gone and they left us...Holdin' the bag!"
Tommy Kelton, a retiree, Littlefield, TX resident on getting stuck with the tab for the empty GEO Bill Clayton Prison.
NPR, March 28, 2011

"They get the corporations formed, they get the bonds sold, they get the facility built, their money is front-loaded, they take their money out. And then there's no reason for them to support the success of the facility."
Former McLennan County Deputy Rick White about the empty CEC's McLennan County Jail (TX) developers who put the deal together. NPR, March 28, 2011

"It was built to bring economic development to the city of Littlefield."
Danny Davis, Littlefield, Texas city manager, on the Bill Clayton Detention Center (formerly run by GEO) not having a single inmate in the last two years. KCBD, February 3, 2011

“It’s just sad that the public has to pay for the legislature’s irresponsibility."
Al Shopp with the Florida Police Benevolent Association on the cancellation of prison work squads in order to fund an unneeded GEO prison. WCTV, August 10, 2010

"A lot of people felt like (CCA) let us down."
Jerry Clift, the former Trousdale County (TN) county executive on CCA stalling to build a prison there because its sitting on over 12,000 empty beds else where. Tennessean, August 9, 2010

“Who wants to lease a facility that you can’t flush the toilets?”
Two Rivers Authority’s (Hardin, MT) Jeff McDowell on picking up the cost to replace burst pipes in their Corplan built empty prison. Billings Gazette, June 23, 2010

“What we expected and what the studies had indicated have not materialized at this point”
Peter Argeropulos, CEC senior vice president, on not being able to find inmates for the Jack Harwell Detention Center. Waco Tribune-Herald, April 23, 2010

“Local taxpayers will pay more.”
Swift County (MN) Auditor Byron Giese about deal cut with CCA for their Prairie Correctional Facility. The prison, which closed in February, had appealed its $42.9 million valuation last fall, triggering a series of negotiation sessions. West Central Tribune, March 17, 2010

“The fee serves no legitimate public purpose, and there is no rational basis for the discrimination between CCA and any other entity housing prisoners within the city.”
CCA lawsuit against Youngstown, Ohio on passing a $1 per-day per-prisoner tax on them. The Vindicator,
January 26, 2010

"We knew Cornell was probably going to appeal. We certainly had no idea it [the prison's value] would drop by $42 million."
Folkston City (GA)  Manager Pender Lloyd said the Cornell appeal of the D. Ray James Prison will cost his city at least $108,000 in anticipated tax revenue - nearly a 5 percent cut to the city's $2.4 million budget. Times-Union,
January 22, 2010

“We could also have the current jail filled with federal prisoners and that could be something very profitable to the county.”
Webb County, TX Sheriff Martin Cuellar on losing $500,000 per year in federal dollars to GEO Group. Texas Tribune, December 14, 2009

"It would bring jobs. Believe it or not, it would even bring hope and opportunity."
Greg Smith, Hardin (MT) economic development director on trying to bring terrorists from Gitmo to the $27 million empty prison sitting in his town. CNN, May 26, 2009

“It’s been a challenge so far. I thought it would be easier.”
CCA's newly hired assistant warden Eric Staiger said of locating a rental house for himself, his wife and their two kids in Natchez, MS. Natchez Democrat, April 21, 2009

“The last thing we want in downtown for 20 years is a prison.”
Gainesville (GA) City Councilman Danny Dunagan on CCA's 20 year contract with the County.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 23, 2009

"They've got several million dollars already invested in it. I doubt they're going to walk away from it."
Trousdale County  (TN) chief development officer Tony Grande on news that CCA was delaying the opening of its prison in his community due to financial troubles. Tennessean, February 11, 2009

"Right now, we'd be contracting with a company in default."
 Gary Willems, chief of Montana Corrections' Contracts and Facility Management Bureau regarding the Civigenics Two Rivers jail built on spec and sitting empty. The panel concluded that Two Rivers failed to show how it would staff the jail with qualified workers, how it arrived at the per-day costs previously quoted to the state and failed to show that the jail is financially sound. The panel was particularly concerned that Two Rivers reported it would still be in default, even if it won the contract. Billings Gazette, November 11, 2008

"It doesn't look like the physical structure of the Hardin facility will meet our needs."
Steve Lindly, deputy director of the Wyoming Department of Corrections, to Peter Argeropulos, vice president of marketing for Community Education Centers, on why Wyoming was not interested in using CEC's spec prison in Montana. Casper Star-Journal, May 29, 2008

"I feel bad for the people of Hardin and understand that they want jobs. But I don't feel that this was handled appropriately, nor do I think we should base economic development on prison beds."
Montana State Senator Steve Gallus on a failed CiviGenics plan to hold inmates at a county jail in Hardin. Billings Gazette, January 7, 2008

"There's a lack of work force up there. The population isn't there."
Montana state Sen. Trudi Schmidt on CCA's Crossroad's high turnover rate. Great Falls Tribune, January 11, 2006

"Now, they refuse to pay us ..."
Wheelwright, Kentucky Mayor David Sammons on CCA's refusal to pay a $10,000 per month payment to the town. AP, September 12, 2005

"They’re hitting us in the pocketbook."
Willacy County, Texas Judge Simon Salinas on the federal government not sending enough inmates into its MTC jail. Valley Star, February 10, 2005

"(Companies and public agencies) site these facilities where they'll find the least resistance and the cheapest land costs."
Houston County Commissioner El Franco Lee on the Federal Bureau of Prisons not taking public input on the siting of a private halfway house. Houston Chronicle, November 22, 2004

“(Southern Peaks) has already been a burden on law enforcement and a safety concern to the community and it was not represented that way originally. It’s almost an unfunded mandate when the court orders me to transport these kids.”
Fremont County, Colorado Sheriff Jim Beicker on recent spate of escapes from Cornell's Southern Peaks Treatment Facility. Canon Cafe, October 8, 2004

"Part of the workforce is going to have to move here."
Toole County (Montana) Commissioner Allan Underal acknowledging the difficulty in finding qualified employees for CCA's planned prison expansion in rural Montana. Great Falls Tribune, August 20, 2004

"We have heard so much about how it's going to bring business here. Florence (AZ) has five prison, two of them private and that city has lost so many people because of it. Florence doesn't even have a supermarket anymore. What are we going to become."
Former Arizona corporation Commission attorney Patricia Cooper on MTC's proposal for a 500-bed facility in Benson, AZ. Benson News, August 4, 2004

"We provide evidence that prison construction has actually impeded economic growth in those rural communities that were already growing at a slower pace. Among slow-growing counties, it appears that new prisons do more harm than good."
Gregory Hooks, Chairman of the Department of Sociology at Washington State University on a recent study on the economic impact of prisons on communities. AScribe Newswire, July 19, 2004

"When this thing was built we had hoped there would be just more than the jobs. At some point in time we'd hoped there would be some financial benefit."
Pulaski County (IL) chairman Jerry Thurston on bringing GRW to run the Tri-County jail. The Southern Illinoisan,
June 24, 2004

“They’re located in a for profit industrial park surrounded by for-profit enterprises. They’ve got these bars on the windows. They’ve got barbed wire on top of the fence, and they want to say they’re a residence? Give me a break.”
Kansas State Rep. Candy Ruff, after CCA filed a property tax protest with Leavenworth County, arguing that the prison should be classified as primarily residential, rather than commercial, and thus qualify for a lower rate. Kansas City Star, March 12, 1998

HIGH TURNOVER
"We have a lot of very young staff that have not integrated into very strong security practices."
Odie Washington, a senior vice president at Management & Training Corp., acknowledged that the Kingman prison (AZ) employed an inexperienced staff where three violent prisoners escaped. Arizona Republic, August 22, 2010

"Unfortunately, private prisons are run to make a profit. Ultimately, the company in charge of them has to deliver for their shareholders and so they have to find ways to make money. The way to do this is by having fewer staff, paying low wages, investing less money in training and pensions, and this impacts on the running of the prison. For a prison to run properly, you need the guards and the prisoners to understand each other and work with each other, and that requires experienced guards. That takes an investment in training and keeping staff, which can be at odds with the need to deliver a profit."
Former Chief Inspector of Prisons (Scotland) Sir Clive Fairweather on the cause of a riot at the Kalyx (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. Edinburgh Evening News, January 28, 2010

"Undoubtedly, a private company would pay its employees significantly lower wages and provide them lesser training to realize cost savings. This would lead to higher staff turnover, low morale and place public safety at risk."
Arizona DOC Director Charles Ryan in a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer on a plan to sell its public prisons to for-profit corporations. Arizona Republic, June 14, 2009

"Operating [a closed-monitoring] institution with reduced and inexperienced staffing in an effort to save money is not an option. To do so puts public safety at risk."
Florida DOC Secretary Walt McNeil in letter to Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater regarding a proposal to privatize a public close security prison. Orlando-Sentinel, May 9, 2009

"The Monitoring Team has found that the lack of stable and effective leadership at the vendor-level remains a concern."
Independent monitor regarding Correctional Medical Service's problems at the Delaware Department of Corrections. News Journal, July 30, 2008

"They seem to be understaffed and they also have a high (employee) turnover rate."
Attorney Mike Malloy about GEO's George Hill Correctional Facility. Newsof DelawareCounty.com, December 30, 2004

"The (high turnover rate) generally means that tenured staff is generally low, and when tenured staff is very low, sometimes they have difficulties dealing with situations that are not typical of everyday operations"
Colorado DOC's director of prisons, Nolin Renfrow about CCA's Crowley prison's turnover. Pueblo Chieftain, September 22, 2004

"But we still have a considerable amount of turnover. It's probably in line with the rest of the industry. It's just the nature of the business."
Securicor Facility Administrator Mike Smith on staff turnover at Florida's Cypress Creek Juvenile Detention Facility. Citrus Chronicle, June 26, 2004

"When you're recruiting and training people as corrections officers, many find when they're in training or in their first year that they aren't cut out as corrections officers -- and opt out."
George Zoley, Wackenhut Corrections CEO after the death of Ralph Garcia at WCC's Santa Rosa Facility. Garcia was making $7.89 an hour. Miami Herald, April 16, 2000

HIRING FORMER OFFICIALS
“The people who go back and forth come out really well, but the taxpayers are the ones who aren’t well-served.”
New Mexico Sen. Cisco McSorley on former DOC Secretary Joe Williams returning to GEO Group (formerly Wackenhut) where he worked before becoming NM DOC Secretary. Williams refused to fine GEO and CCA for an estimated $18 million. Albuquerque Journal, November 20, 2011

"I personally don't see anything wrong with it."
Former Georgia Legislator turned CCA lobbyist Dan Lee about revolving door politics. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 13, 2005

"The transition from legislator to lobbyist is just too cozy right now."
 Georgia Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver about former legislators using public service for personal gain after leaving office. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 13, 2005

"The revolving door is spinning so fast it's now hit the department in the rear end.''
State Sen. Gloria Romero called for a state audit of the deals last week after the Los Angeles Times reported that Schwarzenegger's former finance director, Donna Arduin, was appointed to the board of directors of a trust that owns the facility that GEO Group plans to use. San Francisco Chronicle, February 4, 2005 

"Most companies want their lobbying teams to reflect the political landscape."
Chuck McMullen, a former aide to Tom Price, the former Georgia majority leader newly elected to the U.S. House, on CCA hiring the former Georgia floor leader as a lobbyist. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 14, 2005 

“During the initial contract term, the contractor shall not hire as an employee of contractor, any person who, at the time this contract is executive, is serving in an elected office by the County of Dickson.”
Amendment to CCA proposed contract language after questions were raised over possible hiring of Dickson County, Tennessee sheriff. Dickson Herald, December 28, 2004

“I think it’s vital that we have a direct line into the inner workings of that process. From my perspective, this is something we really need to do.”
Reeves County, TX Judge Jimmy Galindo on hiring Randy DeLay, brother of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, to lobby the federal Bureau of Prisons for inmates at the GEO run county detention center. Odessa American, September 14, 2004

"We are not concerned. He is being retained because of his ability to be kept up to speed with the decision making, like all of our lobbyists around the states. That is why we retain the individual."
Steve Owens, CCA spokesman on hiring David O'Leary, former CT Gov. chief of staff, under federal investigation into bid-rigging and possible state impeachment charges. Record-Journal, February 28, 2004

"This allows us to monitor ongoing public policy discussions in corrections. Additionally, lobbyists provide an avenue by which the company can inform and educate decision-makers of our industry generally and our company specifically."
John Ferguson, CCA CEO on hiring Connecticut Gov. John Rowland's former chief of staff. The Courant,
February 23, 2004

LIABILITY
"With the detention center, nothing has happened easy. It's been a struggle for us all along, so, in some ways, we were not that surprised that we've got a continued struggle."
Littlefield, TX, City Manager Danny Davis on news that the bid for his empty prison formerly run by GEO fell through. KCBD, September 16, 2011

"The state doesn't contract away its responsibility."
Tom Rosazza, a consultant and former state corrections director on Arizona's possible liability for three escapees from an MTC prison and their brutal murder of two persons while on the run. Arizona Republic, August 23, 2010

"It was their van, their employees driving the van, at a bare minimum (G4S) should be offering compensation to the family."
Aboriginal Legal Service (Australia) director of legal services Peter Collins on the government's payout of $3.2 million dollars to the family of an aboriginal elder who roasted to death in the back of a Group 4 transport van. Group 4 has never apologized to the family. WA Today, July 29, 2010

"Ultimately (Sheriff Joe Arpaio) is held accountable and responsible for the health care provided the inmates in his jails."
Maricopa County  (AZ) deputy chief MaryEllen Sheppard about the county being on the hook for damages from its contract with private medical provider Correctional Health Services. The Arizona Republic, July 2, 2009

"Once you have a death or a serious injury in a jail, it will take you five or six years to get through the litigation."
Gainesville (GA) City Attorney James E. "Bubba" Palmour advising against  the City from entering into an  agreement with CCA, which offered the city police department indemnification from any wrongdoing. Palmour said no amount of indemnification would protect the city if a "full-blown problem" arose at the facility. Gainesville Times, May 14, 2009

“The county will always be named in the lawsuit. You can negotiate your contract really well (but) the buck stops with the Commission anyways."
Steve Kopelman, New Mexico Association of Counties risk management director to Curry County Commissioners on privatizing its jail. Clovis News Journal, May 12, 2009

"However, they felt being administrators of the contract was putting the county in a position where it could be ..... liable for a facility it does not operate."
Williamson County, Texas spokeswoman Connie Watson on the county's move to end its contract with CCA at the troubled T. Don Hutto Correctional Center. CBS 11TV, October 3, 2007

"Insurance companies still end up paying, but government officials still find themselves spending time at depositions and trials. And the government is still held accountable in the public eye. Privatization was supposed to wash the stench of prisons off the government. But the stench is still there.''
New Mexico Attorney Mark Donnatlli on private prison liability. The New Mexican, January 13, 2007

"You're not going to reduce lawsuits by changing the name over the door."
OSS Law Enforcement Advisors consultant David Salmon on privatization of county jails. Sun Herald, August 21, 2006

"When government incarcerates someone, they have a responsibility to ensure their safety"
Hernando County Florida Sheriff Richard Nugent on recent suicides at the county's CCA jail. Hernando Today, January 25, 2006

"If a private company allows someone to get beat up or commit suicide, I can guarantee you that the county would be named in that lawsuit."
South Carolina Jail Administrators Association President Mark Fitzgibbons on contracting away prison liability. Beaufort Gazette, November 12, 2005

"I get named in all the lawsuits at the jail. We already deal with it to such a large extent that I think it's better we just have complete control over it anyway, because we're the ones that have to answer for it. Private companies aren't responsible to the public. We are."
Santa Fe County, New Mexico Sheriff Greg Solano on taking over jail responsibility from Management and Training Corporation. Albuquerque Journal, September 26, 2005.

"It's going to cost the state a lot of money in the long run."
Dr. Robert Cohen on state a federal lawsuits Delaware faces regardless of Correctional Medical Services indemnification. Wilmington News Journal, September 25, 2005.

"The government still retains the responsibility for correctional services. The fact that they outsource does not make them less responsible or less accountable. They still have a contract to manage and they have oversight responsibility."
Mike LoBue, executive director of the Association of Private Correctional Treatment Organizations. Yuma Sun,
April 3, 2005

''While I understand the sheriff's position, and understand the health department's position, you just can't contract away the city's responsibility.''
Kelvin Jones, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission (Nashville, Tennessee) on PHS health care issues. Tennessean, March 6, 2005

"The sheriff, and not the defendant Lee County, has the responsibility to operate the Lee County Jail, and funding by the county does not affect this responsibility." 
U.S. District Judge John E. Steele (Ft. Myers, FL) on sheriff's liability in PHS death suit at the Lee County Jail.
Naples Daily News, January 29, 2004

"Privatized approaches to operation do not relieve the county of responsibility for jail operations."
Jail consultant Howard Geisler on privatizing county jail. ZWire, September 8, 2004

"I don't care what you do, the sheriff is still liable. There's no way you can get out of it."
Indiana Sheriff's Association executive director Mike Eslinger on lawsuits under jail privatization. Courier-Journal, August 17, 2004

"The state had a contractual obligation to oversee the contract with these folks. The fact that you contract something out doesn't mean you wash your hands of responsibility"
Bart Lubow of the Annie E. Casey Foundation on Maryland's lack of oversight at CSC's Hickey School. Baltimore Sun, May 27, 2004

MANAGEMENT
"To have a prison that's chaotic, poorly run, dangerous, didn't provide services, highly sexualized and highly violent really limits the ability of the state to turn those folks around, and to ensure public safety upon their release from prison."
Jonathan Smith, chief of special litigation in the civil rights section at the Justice Department, about GEO's Walnut Grove Detention Center. NPR, April 24, 2012

"I just think it is ridiculous that a security company such as Serco misjudges things so badly that prisoners are moved to and fro in black taxis."
UK Home Secretary Theresa May on the use of taxis by Serco because their computerized booking system failed. BBC, October 16, 2011

"If I make money doing it, I do it. If I don't make money, I don't do it. It's a great business model."
Hernando County (FL) Sheriff's Major Michael Page on the one-year anniversary of the Sheriff's take-over from CCA of the jail. St Petersburg Times, August 28, 2011

"If they (CCA) had performed routine maintenance as they should have and as their contract required, this building would look 10 times better."
Hernando County (FL) Sheriff's Major Michael Page on the one-year anniversary of the Sheriff's take-over from CCA of the jail. St Petersburg Times, August 28, 2011

"There were clear indicators (that Villawood staff advise were present at the time) that the riots were reasonably foreseeable. Despite the apparent clear indications, no critical incident plans were in place for staff to follow, should such a situation occur."
A wide-ranging report delivered by Comcare, the Federal Government's (Australia) workplace safety agency. ABC, August 11, 2011

"We are getting fined for things that should have been completed. We are getting fined for not paying attention to the detail. We are getting fined for not doing what we have said we will do."
Serco's senior operations manager for the detention centre, Steve Southgate, addressed colleagues about continued breaches at their Christmas Island . The Australian, July 13, 2011

"It was supposed to be a fail-safe to let the prison know that the guy shouldn't be let go."
Delaware Co (PA) Deputy District Attorney Daniel McDevitt on learning that yet another CEC inmate was "accidentally" released even after his office sent a fax weeks before warning not to release this inmate.
Philadelphia Daily News, September 3, 2010

"Public safety is county council’s top priority and we won’t tolerate mistakes when it comes to our criminal justice system and the safety of our residents."
Delware County (PA) council Chairman Jack Whelan on "accidental" releases from Correctional Educational Centers' George W. Hill prison. Delco Times, September 1, 2010

"Our goal is, we don't want them to come back. The way CCA was running it, why wouldn't you want to come
back?"
Hernando County (FL) Sheriff Richard Nugent on taking over the jail from CCA. Hernando Today, August 27, 2010

"You need to do a more thorough search. The bottom line is, you are responsible when you open the back door."
Delco County (PA) Superintendent John Reilly Jr., who oversees CEC's performance on the county's behalf, on the recent "accidental" release of inmates at the George W. Hill Prison. Philadelphia Daily News, August 27, 2010

"They're pretty much doing what they want there while they stay within the walls."
Hernando County (FL) Maj. Michael Page, the county jail's new administrator on how lax CCA was on inmates at the jail. St Petersburg Times, August 22, 2010

"We are going over everything that happened during the night of the escape, and many issues will be addressed with MTC."
Arizona DOC spokesman Barrett Marson on how three convicted murderers escaped from MTC's Arizona State Prison in Kingman.  AP, August 3, 2010

"A number of staff reported feeling unsupported by managers, detainees claimed that some staff were bullied by more difficult detainees."
Chief Inspector of Prisons (UK) Dame Anne Owers on report about Group 4 run Brook House detention prison.
The Guardian, July 12, 2010

“I think that they have perfunctory meetings that don’t result in any significant change."
Vermont Defender General Matthew Valerio, who oversees the prisoners’ rights office, said his office regularly gets complaints about the lack of education, work or recreation programs and concerns about racial tensions between inmates at CCA's West Tennessee Detention Facility. The Rutland Herald, June 29, 2010

"The department is committed to ensuring that federal contractors and subcontractors hire, promote and compensate their employees fairly, without respect to their race, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion or veteran status."
Patricia A. Shiu, director of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs on a $290,000 discrimination settlement with Wackenhut/Group 4. Department of Labor Press Release, June 9, 2010

"Both the lack of the jailer licenses by the warden and deputy warden, the lack of properly or entirely filling out the inmate screening form, and failing to report the April 18, 2010, death in custody within 24 hours as required will immediately result in a notice of non-compliance with minimum jail standards for the Coastal Bend Detention Center."
Robstown commission Director Adan Muñoz on Louisiana Corrections Services failure to meet state standards at is Coastal Bend Correctional Facility.  Caller-Times, May 3, 2010

"We talked to the sheriff; he made a proposal. It was the best move we ever made. It's been like night and day. I haven't had a phone call on the jail in the two years since he took over."
Bay County (FL) Commissioner Mike Nelson on taking the jail away from CCA and giving it to the Sheriff.
Hernando Today, March 3, 2010

"They were threatening to riot again - so the bosses called in an IT man. He credited all the accounts with a fiver, so everyone could phone home."
An insider at Kalyx's (Sodexho's) Addiewell Prison (Scotland) about paying-off the inmates not to riot in response to an  issue with their phone accounts. The Sun, February 17, 2010

"Unfortunately, private prisons are run to make a profit. Ultimately, the company in charge of them has to deliver for their shareholders and so they have to find ways to make money. The way to do this is by having fewer staff, paying low wages, investing less money in training and pensions, and this impacts on the running of the prison. For a prison to run properly, you need the guards and the prisoners to understand each other and work with each other, and that requires experienced guards. That takes an investment in training and keeping staff, which can be at odds with the need to deliver a profit."
Former Chief Inspector of Prisons (Scotland) Sir Clive Fairweather on the cause of a riot at the Kalyx (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. Edinburgh Evening News, January 28, 2010

"Litre bottles of spirits aren't the sort of thing you can send in with a letter or hand over at a visit. He must be having them brought in by someone working at the prison."
Scottish prison official after a killer was caught drunk with bottles of vodka at Kalyx's Addiewell Prison. Sunday Mail, January 10, 2010

“Certainly an improperly released inmate is a liability to all parties involved.”
Adan Muñoz, the Texas jail commission’s executive director after an undocumented immigrant mistakenly was released from an LCS prison and went un-noticed for three weeks. Caller-Times, December 18, 2009

“We hope the report will detail what really happened .”
Head of (GEO Group) prison security Nyiko Mathebula on figuring out how two dangerous criminals escaped from GEO's Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre, Limpopo. Sowatan, December 17, 2009

"We went on to check the recreation log to see if their concerns were valid. We couldn't even find a recreation log."
Adan Munoz, executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards on trying to verify claims that inmates are not getting recreation time at Southwestern Correction's Burnet County Jail.  KVAN, October 20, 2009

“I have to bring any remedial order before the (jail) commission, but this borders really close to complete incompetence.”
Texas Commission on Jail Standards commission Director Adan Muñoz on conditions inside LCS's Coastal Bend Detention Center after it was cited for failing to classify inmates, check for contraband, improper staff training, jailers without proper state licensing and no tuberculosis screening plan, among other issues.
 Corpus Christi Caller-Times, September 21, 2009

"Mr Westcott's death was not … without sufficient warning as to render his death unpreventable. I find a direct correlation between the failure of the intercom system and Mr Westcott's death."
Australian Coroner Audrey Jamieson on the death of an inmate at a Group 4 prison. Ian Thomas Campbell Westcott was found dead after suffering an asthma attack. The intercom system did not work. Herald Sun, July 9, 2009

"Without a doubt, there is a breakdown somewhere."
Steven Owen of Corrections Corporation of America, the company that operates the Mississippi prison where an inmate escaped during a medical appointment and shot a Tennessee Trooper. WSMV, June 26, 2009

"If these issues are being repeated that's a matter of great concern, because this is not rocket science."
Former head of Queensland's corrective services, Keith Hamburger, on the death of a tribal elder in a prisoner transport van years after a scathing report on Global Solutions (now Group 4) management. Four Corners, June 15, 2009

"It wasn't what we were after. It wasn't what I would have expected."
Vermont Department of Corrections Commissioner Andrew Pallito on pulling his state's inmates from LCS's Perry County Correctional Center in Alabama because of lack of response to concerns over security and inadequately trained staff. Bennington Banner, June 9, 2009

"We're concerned a driver doing 102mph claims to be unaware of his speed – what sort of message does this put out to other road users? A man who makes his income from speed cameras should know better."
 Claire Armstrong, of the Safe Speed campaign group (UK) about Tom Riall, CEO of Serco. who was caught speeding by his companies own cameras. The Telegraph, May 4, 2009

"I'm very excited and proud with quality and cost-effectiveness of OCC. I had great confidence in our medical care partners in the community and that we could do what we set out to do. I think the OCC model is now a bona fide model for others."
Marion County (FL) Sheriff Dean on replacing Prison Health Services with a local non-profit coalition to provide medical care at the county jail. Ocala Star-Banner, February 7, 2009

"There's a history of problems at that facility."
Attorney Ryan Barack representing a former CCA guard in a sexual harassment suit against CCA's Hernando County (FL) Jail. Hernando Today, January 16, 2009

"Every time the issue comes up, CCA acts like it's never been raised before."
Bay County (FL) Deputy Public Defender Walter Smith on CCA's consistently not producing clothing for inmates headed to trial.  News-Herald, September 3, 2008

"Our feeling is they have not met our requirements for quality care at the jail."
Dr. Fred Miller, Pima County's (AZ) chief medical officer on the cancelling of CMS' contract at the county jail.
Arizona Daily Star, July 2, 2008

"I'm not going to tell you there will never be a hostage situation or jail break or issues in jail but I will tell you that there will be far less than what CCA has had to deal with in that facility downtown."
Bay County Florida, Sheriff Frank McKeithen on agreeing to take over management of the Bay County Jail from CCA. WMBB, June 3, 2008

"We have certain standards regarding foods for inmates that we're not prepared to see relaxed. We want to make sure they jibe with our standards."
Florida Department of Corrections Chief of Staff Richard Prudom said of Aramark after assessing nearly $250,000 in fines against the company. Palm Beach Post, May 12, 2008

“It might be more realistic to empty the centre briefly, so that it can be relaunched with a properly trained and reinvigorated staff, focused on plenty of good-quality, purposeful activity, dynamic security, and an emphasis on appropriate behaviour within clear boundaries.”
Anne Owers, UK Chief Inspector of Prisons, suggestion to close the jail after finding a lack of control and order at Group 4's Oakhill Secure Training Unit. The Times, March 17, 2008

“I think it was yesterday morning, I said, ‘By the way, you all did take out your warrant didn’t you?’ And that’s what triggered them to go do it. They should have done that right away. We would have done that, I think, right away.”
Davidson County Tennessee Sheriff Daron Hall on why it took CCA two days before getting a warrant issues for an escapee from their Metro Davidson County Detention Center. WSMV, February 20, 2008

"The rule appears to be at this point, you can't have a blanket policy. You would think that prison officials would be aware of it and would be careful."
David Rudovsky, a University of Pennsylvania law professor on an inmate being strip-searched at GEO's George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania on a misdemeanor charges. AP, January 31, 2008

"Evidently when she went through the metal detector, it didn't go off, or she got it past the guard that searched her clothing items."
Kentucky state police detective Mike Goble after a CCA employee committed suicide at the Otter Creek Correctional Facility. Honolulu Advertiser, January 26, 2008

"A depressing picture has been painted of Rye Hill Prison, of the availability of drugs within the prison and of low morale among inmates and prison officers."
U.K. Judge Richard Bray on sentencing a Global Solutions guard to prison for smuggling drugs into the Rye Hill Prison. BBC, December 11, 2007

"My hope is they are doing all that is necessary to determine what happened and how it can be prevented from happening again."
John Reilly, who, as acting superintendent, oversees the GEO Group's performance at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility on the recent firing of GEO's troubled warden. Philadelphia Daily News, December 1, 2007

"The issue here is a poor management climate, and it stems directly from his deficiencies as a warden."
John Reilly, the acting superintendent and top Delaware County official referring to GEO's George W. Hill Correctional Facility. Philadelphia Daily News, November 29, 2007

“This is a jail, and it needs to be run like one. It shouldn’t have happened; I don’t want it to ever happen again.”
Bay County, Florida Commissioner Mike Nelson on recent accidental release of four inmates from CCA's Bay County Jail. News Herald, November 20, 2007

“That kind of carelessness is something we can’t have. I mean, they’re running a jail.”
 Bay County, Florida Commissioner Mike Nelson on recent accidental release of four inmates from CCA's Bay County Jail. News Herald, November 14, 2007

"There was some evidence that violent incidents were not consistently followed up or investigated, which led to prisoners stating that they, rather than the staff, were in control of the units."
UK Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers on a report on Global Solutions Rye Hill Prison. The Guardian,
October 9, 2007

"The reasons ICE left may or not be found in documents or specific numbers. It may simply be a feeling, which they have expressed."
Cornell spokesman Charles Seigel on why ICE pulled its detainees from the Regional Correctional Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Albuquerque Tribune, September 25, 2007

"We let our guard down. . . . We weren't complying."
John M. Hurley, a GEO vice president on a report about contraband, drugs, etc.  in their Lawrenceville Correctional Facility in Virginia. Times-Dispatch, September 12, 2007

"However, if we had operated RCC as we do our best facilities, no one would have had any basis for criticism. But we didn't."
Cornell Chairman and CEO James Hyman on Cornell's Regional Correctional Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque Tribune, August 11, 2007

“They’re masters at telling you what you want to hear, and then when their butts in the crack, they renege on it”
Hernando County, Florida Sheriff Richard Nugent on CCA's lack of forthrightness regarding paying for inmate fingerprinting. Hernando Today, March 27, 2007

"You expect a little better communication and a little better adherence to the contract then what we're getting out of CCA"
Bay County Florida Commissioner George Gainer on CCA's hiring a new warden without consulting with the county even though its required by the contract. NEWS 13, February 6, 2007

"I think it's pretty universal."
Wyoming health services administrator Anne Cybulski-Sandlian on the bad press Prison Health Services earned.
Star-Tribune, September 19, 2005

"Melbourne Custody Centre is mismanaged through and through." 
GEO correctional officer Bruna Moressi. Herald Sun November 18, 2004

"Our capital is being wasted here, and our company is being undermanaged. We are not going to let you guys destroy this company. Your time at Cornell is limited."
Zachary George with Pirate Capital, a Connecticut hedge fund that owns 7.5 percent of Cornell's shares.
Houston Chronicle, August 15, 2004

MISLEADING INFORMATION
"This is an absolute distraction, put out to tell people not to even worry about it."
Former prison chaplain and RMIT (Australia) adjunct professor Peter Norden on the government's response blaming a recent riot at GEO's Fulham Correctional Center on toothbrushes and loss of pay TV. The Australian, January 20, 2012

"With the detention center, nothing has happened easy. It's been a struggle for us all along, so, in some ways, we were not that surprised that we've got a continued struggle."
Littlefield, TX, City Manager Danny Davis on news that the bid for his empty prison formerly run by GEO fell through. KCBD, September 16, 2011

"There were some things promised to Hardin I think, but those people who promised them are no longer on the scene. So, now what?"
Tow Rivers Authority (MT) board member Bill Joseph on a misleading feasibility study by Municipal Capital Markets that left the Two Rivers Detention Center sitting empty and the bonds in default. KULR 8, November 17, 2009

"Several times accepted the promises made by the company management, but it seems to be a strategy to buy time and not pay the money owed to workers."
Castigo Meque, from the Union of Private Security Companies (Mozambique) on Group 4 owing workers overtime payments that had been promised. All Africa, August 13, 2009

"There is nothing in the record supporting GEO's patently untrue statements of material fact and omission of material fact, in the documents filed with the SEC."
Attorney Ronald Rodriguez in court papers filed against GEO regarding misinformation about a wrongful death suit settlement. Brownsville Herald , July 6, 2009

“The understanding Council had was that it would a minimum security type facility house people awaiting deportation. Now we’re not so sure.”
Gainesville (GA) City Manager Kip Padgett about his Council’s understanding that CCA would be running a minimum-security facility for illegal aliens at the Gainesville Jail instead of the felons CCA plans to bring in.  Access North GA, March 25, 2009

"I would call every so often and talk to the counselor. And she always said, 'Well he's doing OK.'"
Frank Horton's grandmother Mary Braswell about CCA inmate Horton being left in solitary confinement for over nine months without a shower or coming out because prison officials refused to forcibly remove him. NewsChannel 5, October 30, 2008

“Contractual payments for services rendered.”
CCA's argument that the money it receives from governmental contracts are not "funds" and therefore they are not subject to public records requests under Tennessee law.  Tennessean, July 31, 2008

"This is realistic. That was unrealistic."
Bay County (Florida) Commissioner Bill Dozier said of the sheriff's numbers for running the Bay County Jail seemed right, as opposed to CCA's . News-Herald, June 3, 2008

"Instead of facing the issue head-on, there's all kinds of games and machinations and denials."
John Reilly, who, as acting superintendent, oversees the GEO Group's performance at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility on the finding of a racist photograph of GEO's guard union's president with a noose around her neck. Philadelphia Daily News, December 1, 2007

"The supervisors have authorized me to take whatever action is necessary. We have even talked about eminent domain proceedings."
Morris Township, Pennsylvania, Solicitor F. Cortez Bell on Cornell reneging on its agreements with the township. Centre Daily Times, January 15, 2007

"We feel that a change order from an existing contract does not ensure the benefit of the 3 percent. The contract to build a new prison is not a change order or an existing contract. The contractor owes us the 4.5 percent."
Eloy, Arizona City Manager Jim McFellin on CCA's attempt to avoid paying the city higher taxes it agreed to. Casa Grande Dispatch, December 21, 2006

"They said they could help us on the second project if we gave them the third project, but now that they got the contract for the third project, they threw the second project back at us saying it is not their responsibility."
Willacy County, Texas District Attorney Juan Guerra on how the county was sold private prisons. Killeen Daily Herald, November 13, 2006

"This was a serious mistake, and a boondoggle of the nth degree. They sold it to us, and it didn't meet code."
Wisconsin Sen. Fred Risser on his states purchase of a Dominion prison in Stanley, Wisconsin. Journal-Sentinel,
May 17, 2006

"We're not sure that we could get a clear title, because it's part of a $715 million loan package, with 32 other CCA facilities. We got out-lawyered. The contract is slanted toward CCA. Their lawyers wrote it in their best interest and the state's lawyers didn't catch it. The lawyers for the state who reviewed the original contract did a very poor job."
Montana State Senator Jim Shockley on CCA's contract for the Crossroads CC in Shelby, Montana. Shelby Promoter, January 26, 2005

“I asked how many times do you expect law enforcement will have to come out there (to Southern Peaks), and he said ‘oh, once or twice a year.’ Well, they filled that quota in the first couple hours.”
Fremont County, Colorado Sheriff Jim Beicker on Cornell's assurances that the public would have little trouble from their Southern Peaks Treatment Facility. Canyon Cafe, October 8, 2004

"They reviewed the profit-and-loss statements for the two fiscal years between July 2000 and June 2002. But the information provided by Cornell was not adequate to determine if the center was being operated efficiently."
Valencia County, NM Manager Mike Trujillo. Albuquerque Journal, September 22, 2004 

"We as a county would like to see a stronger commitment on behalf of Cornell - we evidently were mislead a little, too."
Aurora County Chairman Oscar Thompson on Cornell's attempt to get more money for its State Training School in Plankinton, South Dakota. Daily Republic, August 5, 2004

NEGLECT
“It is always disappointing to chart a decline in the performance of a prison but, sadly, that is the case with this inspection of HMP Wolds."
Dame Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons (UK) on a report that condemns Group 4's Wolds Prison.
The Independent, July 6, 2010

"These are children we are talking about. It is unacceptable that they are detained at all."
Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council (UK) about a report on the treatment of children at Serco's Yarl's Wood prison. InTheNews, February 17, 2010

"I suspect they now know that in all likelihood they would not win the bid again."
Vermont Corrections Commissioner Andrew Pallito on Ashley Ellis' dethd from cardiac problems that the Vermont Medical Examiner concluded Wednesday were complicated by the "denial of access to medication." Rutland Herald, October 1, 2009

"The treatment that Aleksey received during the period he was at Rye Hill was both appalling and at times unacceptable."
Assistant deputy coroner for Northamptonshire (UK) Tom Osbourne on the susicide of an inmate at Global's (now Group 4) Rye Hill prison. BBC, September 23, 2009

"I find that the failure of the intercom system denied Mr Westcott the opportunity to receive medical attention."
Australian Coroner Audrey Jamieson on the death of an inmate at a Group 4 prison. Ian Thomas Campbell Westcott was found dead after suffering an asthma attack. The intercom system did not work. Herald Sun, July 9, 2009

"There's many times we have been sat by the side of the road broken down. Sometimes 15, 20-odd hours those vehicles have been stuck out in the middle of nowhere, broken down, with prisoners on board and without prisoners on board. Those vehicles were untrustworthy."
Group 4 driver Nina Stokoe after being sacked by the company over the death a an Australian tribal elder who cooked to death in the back of a Group 4 van. Brisbane Times, June 23, 2009

"I witnessed some pretty bad injuries when I was in Taft there. Guys falling over, one guy broke his femur, another broke his hip, one guy was punched in the face and he had glass embedded in his eye and it took him about a day before they finally took him to the doctor, at Bakersfield, in the hospital. It was horrid."
Convicted former Rep. Vic Kohring (AK) on his stay at the Taft Correctional Institution (CA) run by MTC.
Anchorage Daily-News, June 13, 2009

"That's the downside of the private-run facility. There was a certain amount of indifference there."
Convicted former Rep. Vic Kohring (AK) on his stay at the Taft Correctional Institution (CA) run by MTC.
Anchorage Daily-News, June 13, 2009

“In hindsight, if I had to do that journey again, I would certainly be doing it a lot differently.”
Global Solutions Limited driver Graham Powell said he regretted how Mr Ward an Aboriginal elder died of heat stroke while being transported across the Outback. The West, March 21, 2009

"He literally starved. We watched him turn into a skeleton."
William Morris Byrd Jr.'s sister Charlotte Boyd, about the lack of care by Wexford . Her brother died after months of wasting away at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl. Clarion Ledger, December 2, 2008

"An immigration removal centre can never be a suitable place for children and we were dismayed to find cases of disabled children being detained and some children spending large amounts of time incarcerated."
Report by the UK Inspectorate of Prisons on the conditions at Serco's Yarl's Wood Detention Center.  BBC,
August 22, 2008

"They do not have a clear idea or philosophy of their approach to health care [for detainees]. "It's a system failure, not a failure of individuals."
Neil Sampson, who ran the DIHS as interim director most of 2007 in an interview on  ICE treated detainee health care. Washington Post, May 11, 2008

"Now enters GEO with their paid lobbyists attempting to put a good face on this. I'm saying the corporation should back off. They've run a very poor facility that probably violates the youths' civil rights. ... Kids were stepping in their own feces. The sheets were such that a cat or dog wouldn't sleep on them."
Texas State Senator John Whitmire on conditions at GEO's Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. Dallas Morning News, October 5, 2007

"This is certainly a situation that we want to understand how it happened."
CMS spokesman Ken Fields trying to explain how a woman gave birth in her Maryland detention center cell without medical support. The Capital, December 1, 2005

"Something certainly went wrong, the man died."
Palm Beach County, Florida Circuit Judge Jeffrey Winikoff on Prison Health Services claiming it wasn't responsible for the death of an inmate at the Palm Beach County Jail. Palm Beach Post, September 16, 2005

''I don't see this is just a weird coincidence. I see this is a pattern based on other information I'm seeing.''
Nashville attorney David Raybin on PHS' consistent medical problems at the Metro Jail. Tennessean, February 1, 2005

"Hourly prisoner checks were not conducted or documented and shift change counts were not conducted or documented according to the state standards."
Oklahoma Jail Inspection Division report on inmate death at CCA's jail in Tulsa. Tulsa World, January 9, 2005

"In correctional health care you treat the symptoms. For example if an inmate has an abscessed tooth. We do not have to fix it, but we do have to treat the symptoms"
Union County Sheriff Steve Leverton on Advanced Correctional Services contract for the jail. News Examiner, December 31, 2004

"I had to intervene in may cases of men who were neglected."
Former nurse Theresa McAvinney on lack of care by CMS at the North State CF in Newport, VT.
WCAX Channel 3 News, July 29, 2004

OVERSIGHT
"And to add one final insult to these injuries, State officials repeatedly failed to monitor the contracts with GEO and simply rewarded the company by either extending or offering new contracts, or by not revoking the existing contract despite 'systemic, egregious, and dangerous practices exacerbated by a lack of accountability and controls."
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves in his settlement order against the State of Mississippi for its role at GEO's Walnut Grove Correctional Facility. Sun Herald, March 29, 2012

"We have three monitors now. We could have six there and not see everything."
Idaho Department of Corrections Director Brent Reinke on CCA's violent Idaho Correctional Center. AP,
October 9, 2011

"It is critical that the state takes a more active role in ensuring the success of these programs. It cannot simply cut these halfway houses a check and hope for the best."
New Jersey State Comptroller Matthew Boxer about the Department of Corrections not enforcing contracts with providers. NJ 101.5, June 15, 2011

"There are likely to be significant risk to health and safety associated with the relocation of the Christmas Island detainees to the Villawood IDF."
A safety order issues by Comcare less than three weeks before a riot at the Serco Villawood (Ausralia) prison.
The Daily Telegraph, June 3, 2011

“So the list of items that could qualify as a breach of the contract are not public, and the department doesn’t audit the list of breaches — what breaches happen, how many breaches happen — at what stage is there any type of transparency?”
Australian Senator Hanson-Young on  not only is the $1 billion contract awarded to detention centre operator Serco beyond the reach of public scrutiny, but Senate Estimates hearings today revealed that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship collects scant data on breaches and has limited knowledge and oversight of staff training levels. TangataWhenua.com, May 30, 2011

“The jury found that not only have the promises noted above not been achieved, some of the conditions of the contract have apparently not been met."
Santa Barbara County (CA) Grand Jury report on Prison Health Services not meeting its obligations. Noozhawk,
May 26, 2011

"We'd like to follow up and perhaps do a performance group review on the private prison operators to see whether they are making excessive profits."
New Mexicao Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela justifying the state not fining CCA and GEO for staffing vacancies.
New Mexican, April 25, 2011

"There's no legitimate reason why our private prisons shouldn't be held to the same standards as public prisons."
Arizona House Minority Leader Chad Campbell who is sponsoring five bills on oversight for private prisons but can't get a hearing because of the influence the vendors have over the legislature. Arizona Republic, February 15, 2011

"I believe it is obvious that the contract has not been complied with and that Aramark is in substantial breach of it."
Kentucky Rep. Brent Yonts calling for an investigation into Aramark's contract. Lexington Herald-Leader,
January 10, 2011

“It’s real bothersome to me that we’re scratching for money and he unilaterally makes this decision. That is spending taxpayer money recklessly. He is not looking out for the best interest of New Mexico.”
New Mexico Sen. John Arthur Smith, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, on DOC Secretary Joe Williams, former GEO warden, not penalizing up to $18 M against GEO and CCA for vacancies. New Mexico Independent, September 21, 2010

"NMCD does not regularly compile vacancy rates, contractor staff pay rates, contractor vacancy savings or review potential penalty amount in its central office, but should do so immediately."
New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee on DOC Secretary Joe Williams, former GEO warden, not overseeing contracts with GEO and CCA. New Mexico Independent, September 15, 2010

"The contract does not say I shall do it. The contract says I can do it."
New Mexico DOC Secretary Joe Williams on why he didn't deduct vacancy penalties against his former employer GEO Group (Wackenhut) and CCA. New Mexico Independent, September 2, 2010

"The private-prison industry lobbied heavily against that bill, and they were successful."
Michael Haener, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano's lobbyist at the time CCA killed a bill that would have put oversight on the industry. Arizona Republic, August 22, 2010

"I would say they weren't doing their job."
Kentucky Rep. Brent Yonts on the state's lack of oversight and enforcement of liquidated damages against CCA. Courier-Journal, July 5, 2010

“We are scrambling to do that due diligence with the aim of getting them licensed so they can proceed. So we’re kind of behind the eight-ball on this.”
Laura Blondeau, spokeswoman for Minister Rick Bartolucci, Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (Canada) on finding out company providing security for the G20 summit, Contemporary Security Canada, wasn't licensed to do business in Ontario. The Globe and Mail, June 8, 2010

"We're very concerned. That's the whole purpose of the audit, to find these things before they get to a level where they're critical."
Rona Siegert, director of Idaho Department of Correction Health Services, on CCA having problems with drug and alcohol treatment and medical care at the Idaho Correctional Center. AP, June 1, 2010

"Apparently, there had been complaints for years about the quality of the food, the portion sizes and the continual shortage and substitutions for scheduled menu items. Sanitation of the kitchen was also a source of complaints."
Investigation report into the riot at Kentucky's Northpoint Training Center citing Aramark food as one of the contributing factors into the riot. Herald-Leader, January 28, 2010

“The rampant problems of medical and mental health care aren’t just going to go away if there’s more oversight.”
David Shapiro, a lawyer with the A.C.L.U.’s National Prison Project, on immigrant deaths at detention facilities. New York Times, August 21, 2009

"Our nation’s immigration detention system has been plagued by a total lack of transparency and accountability, and even with today’s announcement there is no way we can be fully confident that there are not still more deaths that somehow have gone unaccounted for.”
David Shapiro, staff lawyer with the A.C.L.U. National Prison Project on news that more than one in 10 deaths in immigration detention in the last six years have been overlooked and were omitted from an official list of detainee fatalities issued to Congress in March. New York Times, August 17, 2009

"If these issues are being repeated that's a matter of great concern, because this is not rocket science."
Former head of Queensland's corrective services, Keith Hamburger, on the death of a tribal elder in a prisoner transport van years after a scathing report on Global Solutions (now Group 4) management. Four Corners, June 15, 2009

"It was a real loose outfit. There have been some real problems there."
Vermont State Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Sears on LCS' operation of the Perry County Correctional Center in Alabama after VT removed its inmates. Bennington Banner, June 9, 2009

"A significant number of complaints, including allegations of staff bullying, were not adequately investigated and replies lacked detail."
Anne Owers, the Chief Inspector of Prisons (UK) about a report on Serco's Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre. The Independent, June 2, 2009

"My concern relates to inmate safety at ICC resulting from the increased violence in recent months."
Former Virtual Prison Program Warden Randy Blades (ID) about concerns over CCA not fully investigating cases of inmate-on-inmate violence and weren't reporting major inmate crimes to the Ada County Sheriff's office for investigation and prosecution. The Olympian, April 4, 2009

"With so many people languishing in immigration detention, it is shameful that the Home Secretary refused to investigate these very serious allegations of mistreatment."
Anna Fairclough, legal officer at Liberty, a human rights group after the courts rules that there should have been an investigation into immigrant abuse at Kalyx's Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre (UK). Worthing Herald, March 17, 2009

"Right now, with these jails there is no accountability, no regulation, no oversight."
Missouri Sen. David Pearce on his bill requiring private prisons and jails to report escapes after two inmates escaped from a private jail at about 5 a.m. but the sheriff's office was not notified until 1 p.m. that day, and local residents were not informed until even later. Columbia Missourian, March 13, 2009

"The audit felt like we were giving too many warnings to private prisons and that we needed to start doing more liquidated damages."
Oklahoma DOC Director Justin Jones on the state's recent fining of CCA and GEO Group for inadequate staffing at their facilities. Tulsa World, December 16, 2008

“I told them at the end of it, ‘If it were my decision I’d fire you.'"
Metro-Davidson County Councilman Michael Craddock on meetings with Wackenhut (Group 4) over the break-in and stealing of a sensitive computer and the overbilling by Wackenhut. Nashville City Paper, December 10, 2008

"This really just points to what we had in our report, that there's no oversight over these detention centers, and contractors can get away with all kinds of things."
Pramila Jayapal, executive director of OneAmerica, on GEO Group's falsifying guard background checks. AP,
September 30, 2008

"The Monitoring Team has found that the lack of stable and effective leadership at the vendor-level remains a concern."
Independent monitor regarding Correctional Medical Service's problems at the Delaware Department of Corrections. News Journal, July 30, 2008

"The fact the chief inspector made the recommendation three years ago and nothing has been done since is down to the Home Office. "
Norman McLean, head of the Independent Monitoring Board Secretariat (UK), after learning that nothing had been done in three years to increase oversight at private immigrant detention centers. Daily Mail, June 15, 2008

“This is outrageous that this is going on, and that nothing appears to being done about it.”
Scott Medlock, attorney for the Texas Civil Rights Project in Austin, about the lack of oversight regarding allegations of sexual abuse of detainees at  GEO's South Texas Detention Complex.  WOAI, May 16, 2008

"No WDOC Policy, Procedure or Directive is in place that requires the tracking and compliance of out of state incidents to ensure that these incident (sic) are properly tracked for compliance."
Maj. William Moore of the Wyoming Department of Corrections in a report about an inmate beating at CCA's Oklahoma North Fork Correctional Facility. Casper Star-Tribune, February 19, 2008

“The Department of Corrections is not responsible for the collections. The matter is ultimately an issue between OPM and CCA.”
DC DOC spokesperson Beverly Young on the city's lack of ability to collect an estimated $7.5 million owed it by CCA because two agencies are pointing fingers at each other.  Washington City Papers, February 15, 2008

"This contract has been running for over 10 years, and we were not provided a single monitoring report."
National Commission on Correctional Health Care on lack of oversight by the Michigan Department of Corrections over its contract with Correctional Medical Services. Detroit News, January 23, 2008

"There has been little oversight of this program, and self-reporting has allowed Wackenhut to operate without accountability and in relative anonymity."
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. calling for an audit of Wackenhut Corp., claiming the company is doing a poor job despite its nearly $1 million-a-year contract to provide security on county bus routes. Journal Sentinel, December 19, 2007

"Even if you excuse the inexcusable – which is not knowing from the beginning that this guy was a registered sex offender – there were complaints that were filed that should have put them on notice long, long before he was terminated."
Dallas lawyer Bob Crill over GEO's hiring a registered sex offender as a guard at the Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. Dallas Morning News, December 6, 2007

“I want to know exactly what happens to these officers and have got an appointment to see G4. I want to know how prisons can operate functionally if there are no records kept on officers disciplined. They can then go and get a job elsewhere."
Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan on discrepancies in Group 4's records regarding fired guards. Wales on Sunday, December 2, 2007

"It pains me to think of all the people who have been mistreated there in the years since we first raised the issue. If the authorities had listened to us, then all that suffering could have been avoided."
Former Melbourne Custody Center employee Ros Atkinson on how her information on abuse was ignored by GEO Group and others. The Herald Sun, November 24, 2007

"We told the company, we told the Ombudsman, we told Victoria Police, we told members of Parliament, and others, but the situation didn't improve."
Former Melbourne Custody Center employee Ros Atkinson on how her information on abuse was ignored by GEO Group and others. The Herald Sun, November 24, 2007

"The private prison contractor and the Government have a common interest in burying the issues."
Hugh de Kretser, executive officer of the Federation of Community Legal Centres on the difficulty in getting access to information a private prisons and jails in Australia. The Age, November 24, 2007

"The MCC appears to operate with only limited oversight by both GEO and Victoria Police and in my opinion the system in place to monitor incidents is unsatisfactory."
Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer on a beating of a detainee at GEO's Melbourne Custody Center. The Age, November 22, 2007

“What concerns me is what else is going on out there that we don’t know about.”
Bay County, Florida Commissioner Mike Nelson on recent accidental release of four inmates from CCA's Bay County Jail. News Herald, November 20, 2007

“Managing prisoners out of state, quite frankly, is very, very difficult for us.”
Colorado Department of Corrections Director Ari Zavaras on shipping inmates to a CCA prison in Oklahoma. Daily Sentinel, October 15, 2007

"It was very simple that the monitors were not doing their job and there was a human failure. Who's monitoring the monitors?"
Texas State Sen. John Whitmire on the lack of oversight of GEO's troubled Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. KRIS TV, October 12, 2007

"I think it's outrageous. It just confirms what many of us suspected – that there was too close a relationship between the TYC employees and GEO employees."
Texas State Sen. John Whitmire on learning that the State had hired former GEO employees to monitor at GEO's troubled Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. Dallas Morning News, October 12, 2007

"They know how the NRC and licensee operate and feel no one wants to really find out if anyone is sleeping, because they already know they are."
Wackenhut (Group 4) whistleblower at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station on NRC ignoring allegations into sleeping guards. York Dispatch, October 5, 2007

"What were they doing? That's what we're asking. I do imagine that we will be seeing personnel actions taken as a result of this."
Texas Youth Commission spokesman Jim Hurley on the lack of oversight by his monitors at the GEO Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. Dallas Morning News, October 3, 2007

“Times have changed and we simply need to get in front on this issue.”
Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke after an inmate suicide at Dickens revealed filthy living conditions and poorly trained and unprofessional staff at the GEO prison in Texas. Idaho Statesman, July 31, 2007

"On contracts in general, we're going to be stepping that up. We want to take a firsthand look."
Idaho Department of Correction Director Brent Reinke on lack of oversight by the state into GEO prisons in Texas. The Olympian, July 26, 2007

“Apparently this company is not on top of things, and the state employees [who ] are over this are not on top of things. No one is checking on anybody, and this is what happened. It’s just terrible.”
Arkansas Senator Terry Smith on learning about Cornell's losing its contract at the Alexander Youth Services Center. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, November 4, 2006

“Of course it's a problem if the private company is supposed to be monitoring itself."
I.C.E. overseer John "Kip" Crowther on CCA's monitoring of itself. CBS5, November 2, 2006

'I'm surprised because of the way the last contract was handled and terminated and because they were not the lowest bidder. My concern has always been making sure that the state fulfilled its end of the contract by imposing the fines."
Florida Senator Dave Aronberg upon learning that the DOC had given a contract back to Prison Health Services including an extra $250 million after they pulled out because they weren't making enough money on the first contract. Tallahassee Democrat, October 24, 2006

"I am convinced that the necessary leadership will never be in place until CMS is ousted."
Dr. Jerry Walden in a report to US District Court in Michigan on the state of health care under Correctional Medical Services. Detroit Free Press, August 21, 2006

"They didn't have any knowledge of that at all. He was speechless at that point"
Hernando County Florida Sheriff Richard Nugent about CCA's management not knowing about CCA's release of an inmate. St. Petersburg Times, January 30, 2006

"The corrections department pays the CCA to house inmates and how they break that down is a question for CCA."
New Mexico Corrections Department's Tia Bland over their position in a lawsuit over religious programming at CCA's New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility. Cibola Beacon, November 22, 2005

"The Private Prison Monitor Unit visits two if not three times a month to check on the inmates and those inmates are allowed a grievance process"
Colorado DOC spokeswoman Alison Morgan about CCA's Tallahatchie, Mississippi facility. Pueblo Chieftain,
June 3, 2005

"In the past we may not have scrutinized it as closely as we maybe ought to have"
 Kentucky Rep. Jesse Crenshaw chairman of the House corrections budget subcommittee on the state's not fining CCA for contract violations. Courier-Journal, October 30, 2004

"With private contracts, the key is oversight and monitoring. You have to hold their feet to the fire." 
Doug Sapp, former Kentucky corrections commissioner after learning CCA prison had no inspectors prior to a recent riot. Courier Journal, September 29, 2004

"The people in Kentucky were not always responsive to the complaints raised by our inmates before the riot"
Vermont Corrections Commissioner Steven Gold told legislators after a riot at CCA's Lee Adjustment Center. Times Argus, September 25, 2004

“I know for a fact that when they know we’re coming things are really perfect.”
Dr. Laura Bedard, Florida Correctional Privatization Commissioner (CPC), on dropping in on private prisons unannounced. CPC meeting, March 11, 2004

POLITICAL INFLUENCE
"And how do they get more customers? Enhancing penalties, and jailing more people."
West Virginia state Supreme Court administrator Steve Canterbury addressing a House-Senate subcommittee on for-profit private prisons. AP, September 14, 2011

"The only political part of this has been the part where CCA is a very politically active organization, and so I think the governor is bringing it in--instead of removing it."
State Rep. Anne Haskell says Maine's corrections department has been remarkably unpolitical -- until the hiring of a former CCA warden to run the state system. The new secretary refuses to divest from his CCA stock.
Maine Public Broadcasting Network, January 25, 2011

"The private-prison industry lobbied heavily against that bill, and they were successful."
Michael Haener, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano's lobbyist at the time CCA killed a bill that would have put oversight on the industry. Arizona Republic, August 22, 2010

"Kendrick Meek was part of the team that enabled Wackenhut to bilk Miami-Dade taxpayers out of millions of dollars."
Democratic Senate candidate Maurice Ferre on the influence used by Wackenhut in Miami-Dade County. Rep. Meek, his wife and mother, a former Congresswoman, are connected to the company. Miami-Herald, February 19, 2010

''I think it's time we asked and that they proffered. I think it's a fair question and we'll be taking a look at it.''
Joe Rasco, director of the county (Miami-Dade) Office of Intergovernmental Affairs when asked if  it was a conflict of interest for former-Congresswoman Carrie Meek to represent both the County and Wackenhut while the County was overcharged by Wackenhut and Wackenhut is suing the County. Miami-Herald, May 17, 2009

"Geo should be ashamed and anyone who's rallying behind Geo should also hold their head in shame."
Texas Youth Commission Acting Executive Director Dimitria Pope on damage control efforts by GEO supporters after horrid conditions at GEO's Coke County Juvenile Justice Center came to light. San Antonio Express-News,
October 5, 2007

"Now enters GEO with their paid lobbyists attempting to put a good face on this," Mr. Whitmire said. "I'm saying the corporation should back off. They've run a very poor facility that probably violates the youths' civil rights. ... Kids were stepping in their own feces. The sheets were such that a cat or dog wouldn't sleep on them."
Texas State Senator John Whitmire on conditions at GEO's Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. Dallas Morning News, October 5, 2007

"Nobody in our department has worked for this company in the last six or seven years. They've also worked for PHS. They've also worked for about a dozen other companies. They go back and forth between the companies and state service."
Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Richard Allen defending his homeboys before legislative questioning about a CMS contract award. I don't think realized what he said. Huntsville Times, September 6, 2007

"You give money strategically."
University of Kentucky political scientist Donald Gross on corporations, like CCA, giving to the governor's mansion restoration fund. Lexington Herald-Leader, October 25, 2005

"When these out of state interests pour money into Wisconsin elections, they don't care about our state's well-being. They are out to obtain benefits for themselves. It's time that Wisconsin elections were cleaned up and stopping out of state contributions is one way to start doing that."
Wisconsin Rep. Spencer Black on legislation to ban out-of-state political contributions. WisPolitics.Com,
October 17, 2005

 "With CCA, you have to look especially because of its political ties. Privatization is payback, it's political patronage, let's face it, and that troubles me."
Kentucky Rep. Robin Webb on deal with CCA to house 400 female inmates. Herald-Leader, July 12, 2005

"We see it as the civic responsibility of a major corporation."
Louise Chickering on CCA's $50,000 donation to Tennessee Governor Mansion face lift. Tennessean, July 4, 2005

"We absolutely get no favors in return, and we expect no favors in return."
Louise Chickering on CCA's $100,000 gift to troubled US House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal defense fund.
Star Telegram, December 1, 2004

"These political foundations have become methods for well-heeled corporate executives, lobbyists and others to purchase influence and face time with top politicians, and without the limits or disclosure required of campaign donations or lobbying." 
Rick Cohen, executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, on CCA's $100,000 gift to US House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal defense fund. Star Telegram, December 1, 2004

''We are supportive, regardless of party lines, of those individuals that believe in the private sector playing a role in delivering government services"
CCA spokeswoman Louise Chickering on why its political action committee has given 96 percent of its money to Republicans so far this election cycle. AP, October 25, 2004

"We support organizations that want to further public-private partnerships and efficient government use of taxpayer money."
CCA spokeswoman Louise Chickering on contributing over $370,000 to political groups in Tennessee. Chattanooga Times Free Press, October 13, 2004

"One thing I underestimated is the politics in this business"
GRW executive Gil Walker on political influence. Tennessean, June 4, 2004

"This is nothing but greed and politics winning over what's best for the taxpayers."
Florida Correctional Privatization Commissioner Sam Block on the vendors getting the CPC abolished because they were looking to re-bid their contracts. Tallahassee Democrat, May 26, 2004

PROFITS
"We'd like to follow up and perhaps do a performance group review on the private prison operators to see whether they are making excessive profits."
New Mexicao Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela justifying the state not fining CCA and GEO for staffing vacancies.
New Mexican, April 25, 2011

"To sum it up, you don't want anyone you know to get treatment in their care. . . . For every dollar of treatment, it's $1 less of profit. So the incentive is not to provide treatment."
Howard Finkelstein, Broward County (FL) public defender on the difference between Armor and PHS. Miami Herald, August 19, 2010

"To make a profit the only place you can cut corners is on staffing."
Clive Fairweather, who has previously inspected the private prison at Kilmarnock, Scotland on a riot at Kalyx's (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. BBC, January 26, 2010

“The fewer services they provide, the more money they make.”
Seth Lipschutz, supervising attorney at the Vermont Defenders office after Ashley Ellis died less than two days after entering a Vermont prison from the careless and negligent operation of a privatized for-profit (PHS)  prison healthcare system. In These Times, December 8, 2009

"Apparently their profitability is somewhat related on what they spend."
Robert Kern,  whose 41-year-old son, Daniel, died earlier this month while serving a one-year sentence for drunken driving. Delaware Medical Examiner's Office told him his son died of pancreatitis inflammation or infection of the pancreas. The News Journal, September 30, 2009

"They would go to Frank's door, look in on Frank, [ask] 'Frank, you all right?' As long as he was living and breathing in that cell, they kept moving."
Patrick Perry, former CCA Captain on why inmate Frank Horton was left in solitary confinement for over nine months because prison officials refused to forcibly remove him. Perry claimed it was because they feared too many incidents involving force could jeopardize staff's yearly bonuses. NewsChannel 5, October 30, 2008

"This is a for-profit prison. The bottom line is shareholder profit, not limited recidivism and eliminating assault. The issue is keeping contracts."
Review Panel on Prison Rape Chairman Steven McFarland on why CCA's Torrance County Detention Center (NM) has a 13.4 percent rate of sexual victimization at the prison compared with the national average of 3.2 percent. Mountain View Telegraph, October 9, 2008

"I don't like doing business when we're being held hostage, and that's exactly what this is."
Colorado Representative Buffie McFayden on on CCA's demands for a 5 percent increase in payments from the state. Pueblo Chieftain, February 6, 2008

"They're there to make a profit and they'll cut corners, and they'll cut back on services and they'll many times look the other way when abuse is taking place."
Texas State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa on privatized prisons at a legislative hearing on GEO's troubled Coke County Justice Center. KRIS TV, October 12, 2007

"We dismissed the vendor for a failure to produce a profit."
Seal Beach , California police Chief Jeffrey Kirkpatrick, explaining that the Cornell jail in the city's police station on Seal Beach Boulevard was losing money. Orange County Register, June 28, 2007

'I'm surprised because of the way the last contract was handled and terminated and because they were not the lowest bidder. My concern has always been making sure that the state fulfilled its end of the contract by imposing the fines."
Florida Senator Dave Aronberg upon learning that the DOC had given a contract back to Prison Health Services including an extra $250 million after they pulled out because they weren't making enough money on the first contract. Tallahassee Democrat, October 24, 2006

"You're dealing with a private business here, and they are in it to make money and answer to shareholders. Our mission is public safety, and the ideologies don't always line up"
Oklahoma Corrections Director Justin Jones on Cornell's plan to evict state inmates for higher paying federal inmates. The Oklahoman, October 12, 2006

"Any plan to artificially reduce the county jail population will invoke CiviGenics rights to exercise a 30-day termination provision."
CiviGenics' Chief Operating Officer Peter Argeropulos on forcing Columbiana County to keep the jail filled. Salem News, August 12, 2006

``They are all fine people, but their goal is to make money and that is very different from the public sector goal''
Oklahoma Senator Cal Hobson on legislation allowing for-profits to house maximum security inmates. KOTV
April 8, 2006

"If we really do catch more aliens and if we really do lock them up, then we really do have an important source of growth for the private prison industry."
 Andrew May, an analyst with Jefferies and Co. on need for more prison beds due to the fight against terrorism. Reuters, December 17, 2004

"After 25 years of marketing bigger bombs to kill more people, it got to me"
MTC Chariman Robert Marquardt on getting out of Morton Thiokol and into the private prison industry. Salt Lake Tribune, August 22, 2004

"Indeed, because a private prison corporation’s first loyalty is to its stockholders, rather than the public interest, it is no surprise that cost-cutting measures jeopardizing prisoners’ rights are more likely in private facilities than in public ones."
US Supreme Court Justice Stevens writing in dissent in Correctional Services Corporation vs. Malesko,
534 US 61 2001

PROGRAMS
"I thought I was going to a place interested in rehabilitating children. They were not."
George Cole, former principal at the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility (GEO Group), told a Mississippi House committee that he also saw evidence of physical abuse of inmates. AP, January 12, 2011

“There is nothing worse than boredom with a detainee who really doesn’t know what his future is going to be. This can cause stress, and stress can lead to trouble and disturbances.”
Independent Monitoring Board chairman Lieutenant Colonel Freddie Cantrell  on GEO's lack of programs at its Campsfield Detention Center (UK) which has a history of escape attempts and violent incidents. Oxford Mail,
May 18, 2009

"They failed to provide the services they promised in the contract"
 Danny Thompson, director of auxiliary services for the North Carolina Division of Prisons on taking control of two prison back from CCA. Courier-Journal, October 30, 2004

"You've got to address those before a guy can get a job, and a lot of this stuff is busy work. How many people get out there and get a job tying horse hair?"
Shelby Montana Mayor Larry Bonderud on CCA's inmate programs, Missoula News, May 20, 2004

PRISON OVERCROWDING
"I would have never thought about prisoners as an import product, but evidently a Tennessee company and a Tennessee community has found a niche that works."
David Bohan, chief executive of BOHAN Advertising/Marketing on CCA's promo video encouraging California inmates to ship out to Tennessee due to overcrowding. Tennessean, March 6, 2007

"God bless the sheriff. God bless the judges. They are bringing them in."
Cathy Sullivan, CCA's Hernando County Jail PIO, on jail overcrowding, St. Petersburg Times, May 18, 2004

PUSHING LEGISLATION
"This is nothing but greed and politics winning out over what's best for the taxpayers. DMS hasn't got a clue about operating prisons, but the vendors wanted the commission's demise just as soon as we said we were going to rebid the contracts."
Florida Correctional Privatization Commissioner Joel Block on vendors getting his commission abolished because of threats of contract rebidding, Tallahassee Democrat, May 26, 2004

"This is the time of year when the various legislatures are in session. We invest significant time introducing privatisation legislation and testifying for its adoption. This can be a lengthy, involved process, but it is vital to our business to have empowering statutes adopted. Once the statutes are implemented, a request for proposal usually follows. This legislative process also affords us an opportunity to work closely with elected officials and thereby understand what is important to them."
Charles R. Jones, Senior VP, Wackenhut, 1996 Annul Report as reported in Prison Privatisation Report International, No. 11 June 1997

RUNNING HOTELS
"The fact that CCA had the right to fill up any extra space with inmates from other jurisdictions coupled with the governmental entities' paying based on the number of inmates housed, makes these agreements look more like those between 'hotels, motels, rooming houses, and other facilities' and 'lodgers or occupants' than leases for real property."
New Mexico Appeals Court Judge Michael Bustamante on ruling against CCA's request for a $2.5 million tax rebate. CNN Money, September 19, 2007

"It's not like running a hotel. I'm sorry. Your hotel guests rarely riot."
Former CCA general counsel Richard Crane on the abrupt resignation of CCA's Chief Operating Officer, James Seaton a former Marriott hotel executive. Tennessean, August 11, 2004.

"As long as the industry continues to improve, which we think it will, these companies will be thought of a hotel companies," he added. "Because that's really what they do."
Don Hodges, president of Hodges Capital Management, on CCA and GEO, CNN/Money, April 22, 2004

RURAL COMMUNITIES
"With the detention center, nothing has happened easy. It's been a struggle for us all along, so, in some ways, we were not that surprised that we've got a continued struggle."
Littlefield, TX, City Manager Danny Davis on news that the bid for his empty prison formerly run by GEO fell through. KCBD, September 16, 2011

"All of these prisons are in small, rural communities. It's going to have a tremendous economic impact."
CCA Warden Ralph Kemp on news that Georgia was considering closing one of three private prisons in the state. Macon Telegraph, October 3, 2004

"I'm used to small towns. Most of CCA's facilities are in small towns, anywhere from 800 to 1500 people."
CCA Shelby, Montana's Crossroad CC assistant warden Sam Law. Golden Triangle News, September 8, 2004

SAFETY
“Like clockwork, or maybe as if by pact, all the nurses agreed on the same approach: They did nothing."
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in a $1.2 million settlement given to a Fort Myers man after he was partially paralyzed because of inadequate care by Corizon (PHS) during a stint in the Lee County (FL) Jail. News-Press, September 9, 2012

"I was literally shaking with fear. There was a note saying they were going to tie me up, rape me, then kill me and I wasn't even made aware. They played Russian roulette with my life."
Rose Forsyth, 32, alleges a note was discovered with detailed plans of how the group of up to nine inmates - most convicted of serious sexual offences - were going to carry out the horrifying abuse and then chillingly kill her and was not told of the plan by GEO. Sunday Herald Sun, May 20, 2012

"To have a prison that's chaotic, poorly run, dangerous, didn't provide services, highly sexualized and highly violent really limits the ability of the state to turn those folks around, and to ensure public safety upon their release from prison."
Jonathan Smith, chief of special litigation in the civil rights section at the Justice Department, about GEO's Walnut Grove Detention Center. NPR, April 24, 2012

"It means something is wrong."
Burnet County (TX) Judge Donna Klaeger on the dire conditions of the LaSalle Southwestern jail where an inmate escaped by removing a rail by a toilet and chiseled away at cinder blocks under a sink until he created an escape route. Daily Tribune, March 5, 2012

“We were falling behind on our time period for doing our TB tests.”
Richard Harbison, LCS’ executive vice president, on the problem with tuberculosis in their East Hidalgo Detention Center. The Monitor, March 3, 2012

''I was told the scenario was unrealistic and would never happen."
Assistant Police Commissioner, Frank Mennilli, told politicians, at hearing on riots by detainees that cost millions of dollars in damages, that Villawood (Australia) was not secure. Sydney Morning Herald, October 6, 2011

"There are likely to be significant risk to health and safety associated with the relocation of the Christmas Island detainees to the Villawood IDF."
A safety order issues by Comcare less than three weeks before a riot at the Serco Villawood (Ausralia) prison.
The Daily Telegraph, June 3, 2011

“There were alarms that never worked. There were doors propped open with rocks.”
Mohave County (Arizona) Sheriff Tom Sheahan on MTC's lax security at its Kingman prison.  The Daily News,
May 8, 2011

"These contractors threaten the security of our troops and risk the success of our mission."
Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee on their report on private security in Afghanistan showing companies hiring guards with Taliban connections, NBC News, October 8, 2010

"What was found were excessive false alarms. The system was not maintained or calibrated."
Arizona Corrections Director Charles Ryan on MTC recording 89 false alarms in one 16 hour period before the escape of three violent criminals from the Arizona State Prison in Kingman. Arizona Star, August 20, 2010

"He's a twisted guy. Why weren't they in a maximum-security facility?"
Bryan Knoblich, whose father was murdered years ago by one of three escapees from MTC's Arizona State Prison. The facility is built to hold DUI prisoners. Arizona Republic, August 3, 2010

"Our surveys, interviews and observations all evidenced a degree of despair amongst detainees about safety at Brook House which we have rarely encountered. At the time of the inspection, Brook House was an unsafe place."
Chief Inspector of Prisons (UK) Dame Anne Owers on report about Group 4 run Brook House detention prison.
The Guardian, July 12, 2010

"There were an obvious number of indicators that should have set off bells and whistles."
Delaware County (PA) District Attorney G. Michael Green on the accidental release of an inmate at CEC's George W. Hill Correctional Facility.  Philadelphia Daily News, June 16, 2010

"Is this prison unsafe, and are there some major security breaches?"
State Sen. Will Espero (HI), chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, about two inmate deaths at CCA's Saguaro Prison in Arizona. Star-Advertiser, June 15, 2010

"Unfortunately, private prisons are run to make a profit. Ultimately, the company in charge of them has to deliver for their shareholders and so they have to find ways to make money. The way to do this is by having fewer staff, paying low wages, investing less money in training and pensions, and this impacts on the running of the prison. For a prison to run properly, you need the guards and the prisoners to understand each other and work with each other, and that requires experienced guards. That takes an investment in training and keeping staff, which can be at odds with the need to deliver a profit."
Former Chief Inspector of Prisons (Scotland) Sir Clive Fairweather on the cause of a riot at the Kalyx (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. Edinburgh Evening News, January 28, 2010

"We are all aware that we work in a prison, but allowing one prisoner to perpetrate four assaults in six months and still stay medium security needs to be addressed."
Serco employee about the Acacia prison in Australia. The Western Australian, December 31, 2009

“It’s a real problem. On average there’s one mobile for every 10 prisoners."
UK Prison Officers Association spokesman Glynn Travis on the rampant cell phone problem at Group 4's Altcourse Prison. Liverpool Echo, November 5, 2009

"There are inherent safety issues. We don't allow private prison contractors to run high-custody beds, and the entire complex is a secured area."
Colorado Rep. Buffie McFadyen on a proposal to sell a brand new high security public prison to a private vendor. Pueblo Chieftain, October 25, 2009

“Medical care in this facility does not meet ICE standards."
John P. Torres, director of detention and removal operations, after looking into the suicide of a 32-year-old Guatemalan detainee at CCA's Eloy Detention Center (AZ). New York Times, August 21, 2009

"If there's a desire to bring prisoners home -- whether they're male or female prisoners -- we're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars that we don't have right now."
Hawai'i Governor Linda Lingle placing cost over the safety of her female inmates allegedly being raped at CCA Otter Creek prison in Kentucky. Star-Bulletin, July 12, 2009

"In this post-9/11 world that we're now living in, I cannot fathom how security breaches of this magnitude were allowed to occur."
US Sen. Susan Collins on a report by the Government Accountability Office on the lack of security at Federal buildings by private security guards. Government Executive, July 8, 2009

“We have been in the middle of a Mexican drug cartel war which has spilled into the prison. We all fear for our safety and if or when one of us does get hurt, no one can say that we did not warn them.”
Canadian Brent James Curtis about CCA's California City Correctional Center. The prison was locked down 47 days over a three month period.  Ottawa Citizen, July 2, 2009

“It is an absolute tragedy that a prisoner in the care of the state could end up dying in that condition.”
West Australian Premier Colin Barnett on the death of a tribal elder in the back of a Group 4 van. The West,
June 23, 2009

"Undoubtedly, a private company would pay its employees significantly lower wages and provide them lesser training to realize cost savings. This would lead to higher staff turnover, low morale and place public safety at risk."
Arizona DOC Director Charles Ryan in a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer on a plan to sell its public prisons to for-profit corporations. Arizona Republic, June 14, 2009

"My back didn't get any kind of attention at all, other than ibuprofen. I was told by the director of medical to shut up ... They said no to everything."
Convicted former Rep. Vic Kohring (AK) on his stay at the Taft Correctional Institution (CA) run by MTC.
Anchorage Daily-News, June 13, 2009

“This is a damning indictment of the present criminal justice system which is chronically overcrowded."
South Wales Central AM Leanne Wood, after a report on extremely high levels of inmate on inmate violence at Group 4's Parc Prison (UK). South Wales Echo, June 8, 2009

“The physical plant in Perry, frankly, was not very conducive to the type of inmates they sent us.”
Richard Harbison, executive vice president of LCS Corrections Services, on Vermont pulling its inmates from the Perry County Detention Facility (AL) after many assaults on their inmates. Seven Days, May 27, 2009

“Of course it shouldn’t happen. It means there is a weakness in the security. Of course that has been rectified.”
Independent Monitoring Board chairman Lieutenant Colonel Freddie Cantrell on the escape of seven detainees from GEO's Campsfield Detention Center (UK) which has a history of escape attempts and violent incidents. Oxford Mail, May 18, 2009

"Operating [a closed-monitoring] institution with reduced and inexperienced staffing in an effort to save money is not an option. To do so puts public safety at risk."
Florida DOC Secretary Walt McNeil in letter to Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater regarding a proposal to privatize a public close security prison. Orlando-Sentinel, May 9, 2009

"If (the warder) is the only one with a key, then every time a prisoner wants to go in and out of their cell you've got to send somebody to look at it."
Gary Sturgess, research director of the Serco Group and former cabinet chief, told the New South Wales parliamentary why Serco wants to give keys to inmates. The Australian, March 27, 2009

"Cell phones in the hands of inmates, that's a major breach of security."
 Kevin Dean, Florida Correction Department's canine supervisor on the high number of cell phones found at GEO Group's South Bay Facility. Sun-Sentinel, February 8, 2009

"They took over the compound," he said. "They burned half the stuff over there."
GEO guard Matt Guerra as over 2,000 inmates riot at the Reeves County (TX) Detention Center. AP, February 1, 2009

"Inattentiveness on the part of those charged with the vital task of protecting and operating our nuclear power plants [is] completely unacceptable."
Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wackenhut (Group 4) guards sleeping on the job. Chicago Tribune,
January 6, 2009

"Things just plain aren't getting done."
Patti Barber, Mississippi CURE, about the chronic health needs of inmates not being met by Wexford as outlined  by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review found in a report on inmate health care. Clarion Ledger, November 23, 2008

"When you're in that profit driven business and your overhead begins to grow and your profit margin begins to shrink, you begin to take short cuts and people get hurt."
Johnson County, Missouri Sheriff Charles Heiss about the escape of two very dangerous from the Integrity Correctional Center. FOX 4 News, September 29, 2008

"No one knows it until they lived it."
Former CCA nurse Kathy Baucum after being fired by CCA for refusing to put herself into a dangerous situation that reminder her of a hostage situation she survived at the Bay County Jail 4 years earlier. New-Herald, September 18, 2008

"I don't know how these inmates were able to get to the control panel and unlock all of the jail cells."
Attorney Lawrence Stacey on threats and beating his clients took at CiviGenics' Columbiana County Jail (OH). Morning Journal News, August 29, 2008

"Obviously this is something we're concerned about. We'll get to the bottom of it."
CiviGenics Senior Vice President Peter Argeropulos about the escape of four inmates from their Columbiana County Jail in Ohio.  Salem News, August 19, 2008

"Bathing, yes. Bathing's a big deal. Poor hygiene is a big problem."
University of South Florida pathogenic microbiologist Lindsey Shaw on claims that CCA water was turned off for days at a time at their Gadsden prison for women, apparently as a cost-cutting measure leading to the death of an inmate due to MRSA. Fort Mills Times, August 13, 2008

"The Monitoring Team has found that the lack of stable and effective leadership at the vendor-level remains a concern."
Independent monitor regarding Correctional Medical Service's problems at the Delaware Department of Corrections. News Journal, July 30, 2008

"In a correctional facility, anytime you open a door there's a chance there's something not authorized coming through."
GEO's Lawton Correctional Facility (Oklahoma) warden David Miller on the problem with cell phones in their facility. KSWO, July 29, 2008

"Unsafe and unstable."
Inquest into the stabbing death of Global Solutions inmate in their Rye Hill Prison. BBC, July 16, 2008

"We conclude that our above findings in relation to Rye Hill prison created an environment that contributed to the death of Wayne Reid."
Inquest into the stabbing death of Global Solutions inmate in their Rye Hill Prison. BBC, June 26, 2008

"That concerns me a lot."
Gallatin County (MT) Sheriff Jim Cashell on a CiviGenics spec prison proposal that relies on a non-existing law enforcement authority to help in the event of an incident at their prison. Billings Gazette, June 17, 2008

"The prison had deteriorated to the extent that we considered that it was at that time an unsafe and unstable environment both for prisoners and staff."
Tom Osbourne, assistant deputy coroner for Northamptonshire (UK), on an inspection made days before an inmate was stabbed to death at Global Solutions (now Group 4) run Rye Hill. BBC, June 16, 2008

"It's messed up."
CCA guard at the Crowley Correctional Facility about why the computer screen showed the cell doors open when in fact they were closed to reporter Maria Hinojosa. NOW, May 9, 2008

"I think you saw us [in] April at our worst."
 Ernie Dixon, director of operations for The GEO Group, about the costs a riot in 2007 at GEO's New Castle Correctional Facility is causing. The Star Press, April 24, 2008

"It's indefensible, in my opinion, that we put kids in a facility that's inadequate for adults."
Natrona Country, Wyoming Commissioner Matt Keating on a report that their troubled juvenile facility had been deemed unsuitable for adults years before. AP, April 19, 2008

"The inmate wasn't five minutes down the road by the time I hit the doors to report it."
Woman told KENS 5 that she tried to warn GEO guards that Esequiel Pena had broken out, but she says they didn’t listen.  KENS 5 News, April 1, 2008

"It's a tragic lapse of judgment."
John Reilly, GEO's George W Hill prison's acting superintendent on one of their guards being charged with having sex with a trustee. Philadelphia Daily News, March 26, 2008

“It might be more realistic to empty the centre briefly, so that it can be relaunched with a properly trained and reinvigorated staff, focused on plenty of good-quality, purposeful activity, dynamic security, and an emphasis on appropriate behaviour within clear boundaries.”
Anne Owers, UK Chief Inspector of Prisons, suggestion to close the jail after finding a lack of control and order at Group 4's Oakhill Secure Training Unit. The Times, March 17, 2008

"We need a formal way for him to be picked back up. And I would hate to hear that when this thing settles down, we look back and he was pulled over in Arkansas but there was no warrant, and therefore he was released.”
Davidson County Tennessee Sheriff Daron Hall on why it took CCA two days before getting a warrant issues for an escapee from their Metro Davidson County Detention Center. WSMV, February 20, 2008

"It is a matter of public safety. (Other states) are exporting their worst criminals to Arizona, and we can't even know what they are doing and what steps they are taking to protect Arizonans."
Dennis Burke,  Arizona Governor Napolitano's chief of staff on legislation to open private prisons in Arizona to public scrutiny. Arizona Republic, February 1, 2008

"What I emphasized to them is what occurred is a security breach. Once I got word of the suicide and how it occurred, my initial reaction was, how did a gun get in there?"
Clayton Frank, director of the Hawai'i Department of Public Safety, after a CCA employee committed suicide at the Otter Creek Correctional Facility. Honolulu Advertiser, January 26, 2008

"As a result of two or three things and my on-going concern about the jail, about staffing and (personnel) training and other issues, we asked the county commission to start looking into it prior to the uprising, which highlighted the need for commissioners to review their contract with Cornell Companies. I felt our office had to intervene."
New Mexico 12th Judicial District Attorney Scot Key on a Grand Jury investigation into Cornell operations at the Lincoln County Detention Center.  Ruidoso News, January 25, 2008

"Custody officers claimed that staffing levels could at times be dangerously low, especially in ‘A’ wing and at weekends. They said that two members of staff had been assaulted over the past year, while there had also been a large number of less serious incidents. We sensed generally that staff seemed to be even more concerned about safety than they had been a year ago (and being under complement could also have contributed to this). Examples were cited where it was impossible to arrange relief cover for toilet breaks, meaning that prisoners were left unsupervised, except by CCTV, during these periods."
Scotland Chief Prison Inspector Clive Fairweather on a recent report on Premier's Kilmarnock Prison. Scotland on Sunday, January 6, 2008

"It is of concern that witnesses spoke of a culture that involves staff favouritism; the centre being dominated by a few staff; tolerance of abuse of prisoners; and an environment where speaking out means job loss."
Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer on a beating of a detainee at GEO's Melbourne Custody Center. The Age, November 22, 2007

“That kind of carelessness is something we can’t have. I mean, they’re running a jail.”
 Bay County, Florida Commissioner Mike Nelson on recent accidental release of four inmates from CCA's Bay County Jail. News Herald, November 14, 2007

"To me, it looked like one employee didn't do their job.”
Eldon McCumber, the Hinton (Oklahoma) Economic Development Authority's chairman brushing off reports that Cornell's Great Plains Correctional Facility had major security issues after two murderers escaped. The Oklahoman, October 9, 2007

"When we saw what a terrible job they were doing at Coke County, TYC had the ability to shut it down and move their youth."
Texas Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, cited the "terrible job" Geo Group Inc. did running the West Texas youth lockup and said he plans to review adult corrections contracts the state has with the company. Houston Chronicle, October 5, 2007

"We have serious doubts about their (Cornell's) ability to provide the safe and humane environment we want for our detainees. That's the reason we are not there."
Gary Mead, assistant director for detention and removal operations for ICE, on why ICE removed their detainees from Cornell's Regional Correctional Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque Tribune, September 13, 2007

"It's a half-mile from the high school, so the type of prisoner they're bringing in there concerns me."
Epps, Louisiana Mayor Jeff Guice on Emerald Correction's lack of openness on its West Carroll Detention Center. Houston Chronicle, July 22, 2007

"Considering the millions of dollars that we are spending on the Mainland, we would expect to get excellent service, excellent facilities, and ... I would expect that with their experience, they should be able to minimize any problems,"
Hawai'i Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman Will Espero upon learning that CCA had another mistaken cell door opening leading to inmate beating. Honolulu Advertiser, July 18, 2007

"Something's not right, and we need to make sure that we have an understanding of what this problem is."
Virginia state Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle about problems with contraband at GEO's Lawrenceville Correctional Center. Times Dispatch, May 23, 2007

"We believe we have reasonable grounds to believe the camp presents a substantial danger to public health, safety and welfare"
Liz McDonough, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Health and Human Services on closing CEC's Alternative Youth Adventure after a 15 year-old died of a staph infection.  Denver Post, May 11, 2007

"They have been understaffed"
GEO guard's wife, Twilla Deaton on staffing issues after a riot at GEO's New Castle CF. The Star Press, April 25, 2007

"There were serious security concerns"
Arizona Department of Corrections spokeswoman Katie Decker on concerns over GEO's staffing levels at their New Castle CF in Indiana after a riot by over 500 inmates. The Indianapolis Star, April 25, 2007

"Straight from the start I had expressed concern about the level of support and training. I told senior management about it and they didn't do anything."
Global Solutions Ltd Guard Daniel Daymond after a scathing report on an inmate's suicide. The Guardian, April 3, 2007

"CCA is in the position that we don't make excuses for an escape because there is none"
CCA's Hernando County Jail Warden Russell Washburn on why it took CCA four hours to inform the local sheriff that an inmate had escaped from his jail. St Petersburg Times, February 28, 2007

"You're dealing with a private business here, and they are in it to make money and answer to shareholders. Our mission is public safety, and the ideologies don't always line up"
Oklahoma Corrections Director Justin Jones on Cornell's plan to evict state inmates for higher paying federal inmates. The Oklahoman, October 12, 2006

"Basically, anybody could have gotten to them."
LCS co-owner Richard Harbison about how easy it was to tamper with a electrical fence control box (located in the ground, out in the open) at their East Hidalgo Detention Center, TX where six inmates escaped. KRIS TV,
September 23, 2006

''The way we see it, there is lack of security there right now. There are a lot of safety issues pertaining to that"
Joe Magallan, a deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service in Texas, on LCS' problems after an escape of six inmates from their East Hidalgo Detention Center. Houston Chronicle, September 21, 2006

 "Prisoners in private prisons are no less violent, they're no less difficult. You are twice as likely to be attacked in a private prison as in a public prison. "
UK Prison Officers Association national general secretary Brian Caton on the use of batons in prison in the UK.  24 DASH, April 23, 2006

"Anytime you put an inmate in transport vans you put them in a less secure environment."
CCA's Bay County Jail Warden Kevin Watson on recent escape of CCA inmate from a TransCor van with faulty locks. News Herald, February 24, 2005

"When incidents of this nature occur, they cause the courts, law enforcement and the public to question the operation and security of the jail."
Hernando County Purchasing Director James Gantt on CCA's escape troubles. Hernando Today, December 22, 2004

"The way the jail is run, the way it was run when I was there scares me, it doesn’t feel safe ever."
CCA guard James Hall about the Bay County Jail. News-Herald, December 9, 2004

"There's no qualitative measure of what's safe."
Peter Mount, communications director at MTC's Central North Correctional Centre when asked by if the super jail is a safe place after three stabbings in 2004. Midland Mirror, October 13, 2004

“They’re not escaping, they are simply walking away from the facility."
Lisa Tauser, communications director for Cornell after a recent spat of escapes from their Southern Peaks Treatment Facility in Colorado. Canon Cafe, October 8, 2004

"Everything I've worked to do here is going to go right down the drain because of incidents like this."
MTC jail Warden Kerry Dixon on an inmate rape at Santa Fe Jail. Santa Fe New Mexican September 30, 2004 

"Are we surprised that something like this happened and we're involved in it? Yes we are. In the six or seven years we've been doing business like this out of state it's the first time this has happened."
Ray Flum, director of inmate classification for the Vermont Department of Corrections, on Vermont inmate's riot at CCA's Lee Adjustment Center in Kentucky. AP, September 17, 2004

"Having six breakouts in the past eight years and only catching one of the 15 that have escaped, that's pretty scary."
Pearsall Mayor Roland Segovia on CSC's Frio County Jail on recent escape of five inmates. WOAI News 5,
August 10, 2004

"It's absurd. How could you cut two holes through the fences and just walk out? Don't they have people watching them?"
Pearsall, TX resident Judy Stacy who lives two blocks from CSC's Frio County Jail on recent escape of five inmates. Express-News, August 8, 2004

"Why should the public worry about them fighting on the inside."
Tutwiler, MS. Mayor Robert Grayson on gang-related violence at CCA's Tallahatchie prison. Clarion Ledger,
May 25, 2004

SALARIES
"Yes, we're going to pay a higher starting salary than CCA pays."
Hernando County (FL) Sheriff Richard Nugent on paying over $7,000 more per year to employees after taking over the jail from CCA. Hernando Today, June 24, 2010

"They're just paying some standard wages for the area. That's cut and dry. They're breaking down the standard of living for us out here."
Darrell Fagg, representative of Iron Workers Local 433 regarding why CCA was not paying prevailing wages to workers building a CCA facility in Pahrump, NV.  Pahrump Valley Times, October 21, 2009

"It is not a federal project, there's not federal dollars in the construction activity, therefore we're not governed by prevailing wage."
Buddy Johns, senior director of project development for CCA regarding why CCA was not paying prevailing wages to workers building a CCA facility in Pahrump, NV.  Pahrump Valley Times, October 21, 2009

"Undoubtedly, a private company would pay its employees significantly lower wages and provide them lesser training to realize cost savings. This would lead to higher staff turnover, low morale and place public safety at risk."
Arizona DOC Director Charles Ryan in a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer on a plan to sell its public prisons to for-profit corporations. Arizona Republic, June 14, 2009

“This employer refuses to give them a pay raise of any sort.”
Union chief negotiator Howard Johannssen about GEO Group guards going on strike. News 4 WOAI , January 14, 2009

“We do see turnover. But I don't think it’s turnover because of the facility itself, I think it's turnover because 'I can make more money.'”
Torrance County (NM) Sheriff Clarence Gibson trying to explain away  his CCA's jail highest level of rape then any jail in the US. KOAT, October 1, 2008

"It's a little higher rate. But let's face it; a lot of the problems have been because of the salary."
Bay County (Florida) Commission Chairman Jerry Girvin on the Sheriff taking over the Bay County Jail from CCA. News-Herald, June 3, 2008

"There were not very many jobs out here. Any time you could take a state job, it was a better job for everybody because it paid more money. That's the only reason. It was like a step up from GEO. That's the way everybody viewed it."
Patti Frazee, former Texas state monitor clerk at GEO's troubled Coke County Juvenile Justice Center on why locals took jobs with the state after working for GEO. Dallas Morning News, October 12, 2007

"We cash (the guard's) paychecks, and I can tell you they make about $6 an hour — or about what we pay our clerks."
Epps, Louisiana Crystal Hale, 33, who runs the Best Way market on Emerald Correction's pay at its West Carroll Detention Center. Houston Chronicle, July 22, 2007

"The guards make $18,000 a year and the inmates are walking around with a thousand dollars in cash on them"
Former GEO Group inmate David Eugene Davis about his experience at GEO's Lawrenceville Correctional Facility in Virginia where over half the states illegal drugs are found. Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 18, 2007

"The few privatized jails I've seen have a tendency to pay minimum wage or slightly above, so you're going to have a problem with staff turnover."
American Jails managing editor Ken Kerle on pay and turnover at for-profits. Beaufort Gazette, November 12, 2005

"It is a challenge in trying to make salaries competitive with what is paid by the state."
CCA spokesman Steve Owen on competing with Colorado DOC pay and benefits. Rocky Mountain News,
November 12, 2005

"But it's not necessarily going to be at the salary and benefits that they have now."
Beaver County, Pennsylvania Controller Rick Towcimak on CiviGenics taking over their jail. Beaver County Times,
 September 8, 2005

"I don't care who you work for, if you pay your people $6,000 more, you're going to get more people working that you want working for you and fewer that you don't. That's just a fact."
Florida Juvenile Justice Association lobbyist Mark Fontaine on why public facilities have less staff turnover than private ones. Palm Beach Post, December 5, 2004

"Originally, we thought people were going to start at $14 or $15 an hour, and instead they started at $8 or $9."
Brenda Loncake, Shelby, MT realtor about CCA pay, Missoula News, May 20, 2004

SECRECY
"Thus, after four years, CCA is still fighting hard to avoid producing the records I requested, which would have to be produced if I requested them from any public agency. This is a perfect example of the lack of transparency and lack of public accountability in the private prison industry."
Alex Friedmann, Prison Legal News, in their attempt to get CCA to release records in Tennessee after the courts ruled in Friedmann's favor. Nashville Scene, January 26, 2012

“When you're dealing with a private entity like that, you're kind of at their mercy. We keep being told that they're going to present charges, but they're just taking time to do it.”
Beckham County (OK) District Attorney Dennis Smith said about CCA's investigation of a riot in October 2011. Oklahoman, January 14, 2012

“At some point, if they want charges filed, they'll have to turn it over to us.”
Sayre (OK) Police Chief Ronnie Harrold said he has yet to receive anything from CCA regarding a riot in October. He said he thinks something is close to happening, but that the prison corporation has “been giving us the runaround.” Oklahoman, December 10, 2011

“I don’t know anything about it. All I know is what I read in the paper.”
Ashtabula County (OH) Sheriff William Johnson about not being told his agency was going to pick up the cost of policing incidents at CCA's new prison taken over from the public. Star Beacon, October 21, 2011

"This report is quite damning [in] that there is a culture of non-disclosure, a culture of secrecy, total lack of transparency and what we see is we don't know how many cases of self-harm there are, how many incidents that have had to be escalated to different levels."
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on a wide-ranging report delivered by Comcare, the Federal Government's (Australia) workplace safety agency. ABC, August 11, 2011

"If you do nothing, I think there will be a court case. I think people will expect or assume they'll be able to get records."
Vermont Legislative counsel Michael O'Grady on open access to CCA's records. Burlington Free Press, July 28, 2011

"We find it very strange that we need to get permission to gain access."
South Africa Corrections Commissioner Tom Moyane on getting access to two private prisons. Mail & Guardian,
June 23, 2011

“So the list of items that could qualify as a breach of the contract are not public, and the department doesn’t audit the list of breaches — what breaches happen, how many breaches happen — at what stage is there any type of transparency?”
Australian Senator Hanson-Young on  not only is the $1 billion contract awarded to detention centre operator Serco beyond the reach of public scrutiny, but Senate Estimates hearings today revealed that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship collects scant data on breaches and has limited knowledge and oversight of staff training levels. TangataWhenua.com, May 30, 2011

"We can't got into detail on the total amount of any fines imposed, as this information is considered commercial-in-confidence."
Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship spokesperson on why they could not release information about Serco fines. The Australian, May 12, 2011

"The state can outsource public functions and services such as health care for prisoners but it cannot contract out the public’s fundamental right to know how their tax dollars are being spent and the quality of services the public is getting for its money."
Prison Legal News Editor Paul Wright on suing Prison Health Services for records related to the death of an inmate under their care in Vermont. Serious News, August 26, 2010

"The Department was also not advised immediately about the escape by Management Training Corporation and it's unfortunate it took as long as it did."
Arizona Department of Corrections director Charles Ryan on why it took over 19 hours for the victim of the escape of a murderer from an MTC prison. KGUN9-TV, August 3, 2010

"We no longer know what kind of background checks have happened or any kind of those details."
Milwaukee County (WI) 4th District Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic on Wackenhut (Group 4) taking over inmate transport services for the county jail. TMJS, May 28, 2010

"There were a lot of things GEO was hiding that day."
Former corrections officer Michelle Terrien was the center of a bizarre triangle within the South Bay Correctional Facility (FL) run by the GEO Group. Palm Beach Post, January 5, 2010

"It's legally inappropriate. ... And I question why an agency would renew a contract with someone who doesn't comply with the law. Any vendor that doesn't want to recognize legal authority shouldn't be a government contractor anymore."
Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, on Correctional Care's attempt to keep financial records secret. The Times-Tribune, November 10, 2009

"My job is not to give you the answers you want my job is to give the information I've been employed to release or not release."
American Police Force spokesperson Becky Shay in response to who and what was APF. KULR, October 2, 2009

“This is a serious issue that’s going on out there at that facility that I think we need to try to get our hands on before it goes too far."
Leflore County (MS) Supervisor Wayne Self said during a board meeting Tuesday that an inmate assaulted a guard at the medium-security Greenwood prison a couple of weeks ago. Accounts of the altercation leaked out of the facility,. Greenwood Commonwealth, September 9, 2009

"Too often the public is denied information about the costs of hospital, school and prison contracts on the grounds of commercial prejudice or commercial confidentiality" he said. "This decision is extremely important and should help pave the way for greater access to information about all PFI/PPP contracts."
Unison's Scottish organiser Dave Watson said the union had long argued there was too much secrecy around public-private financing regarding Serco's £50m PFI contract for Kilmarnock jail. The Scottish Information Commissioner ruled this financial information was a public record.. BBC, September 9, 2009

"During this time, the county has continually asked for, inquired about and pursued payment for the expanded capacity beds. … We have continually been ignored."
Hernando County (FL) Purchasing Director James Gantt on CCA's reneging on a shared revenue plan.
St Petersburg Times, July 28, 2009

“If one of the largest unions in the state can’t get the information, what makes you think an individual like me can.”
Santa Rosa (FL) community activist Alan  Isaacson on trying to get records from a local economic development council. The Florida PBA has been working on records related to a GEO Group prison built there.  Santa Rosa Press-Gazette, Jul y 24, 2009

"If the process had been more transparent, there probably would have been other state officials who would've said, 'I don't know if GEO is the best use of state dollars.' "
Monica Thyssen, children's mental health policy specialist with Advocacy Inc. (TX) on the GEO Group's getting inserted an earmark into the state budget to fund the future Montgomery County facility that no legislator wants to own up to. Dallas Morning News, July 10, 2009

"We've asked and asked and asked for how they account for this."
Hernando County (FL) Purchasing Director James Gantt on CCA's lack of providing the county information on a shared revenue plan. Hernando Today, July 7, 2009

"I feel we're not getting enough information from them to satisfy my needs."
Hernando County (FL) Commissioner Jim Adkins on CCA not giving information regarding their operations of the county jail. Hernando Today, June 25, 2009

"My concern relates to inmate safety at ICC resulting from the increased violence in recent months."
Former Virtual Prison Program Warden Randy Blades (ID) about concerns over CCA not fully investigating cases of inmate-on-inmate violence and weren't reporting major inmate crimes to the Ada County Sheriff's office for investigation and prosecution. The Olympian, April 4, 2009

"It's not a crime to escape from a private jail. Once the prison told Johnson County about the escape, the sheriff's office said there was nothing they could do because no crime was committed."
Missouri Sen. David Pearce on his bill requiring private prisons and jails to report escapes after two inmates escaped from a private jail at about 5 a.m. but the sheriff's office was not notified until 1 p.m. that day, and local residents were not informed until even later. Columbia Missourian, March 13, 2009

“Access to the information increases the likelihood of escape attempts and makes power and phone lines vulnerable.”
GEO Group attorney Joan Mell on why they went to court to keep the public from seeing the records for the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, WA.  The News Tribune, March 21, 2009

"It was bad enough when they built it in the first place but to be fed this rubbish that they weren't going to make it any bigger and then see the prefabricated cells carted past my front door is just a joke. They have been so sneaky and underhanded."
John Hitchins about the stealth expansion of Kalyx's Bronzefield prison in Ashford (UK). Staines News, March 6, 2009

"Taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent."
Alex Friedmann, a former inmate who is now an advocate and associate editor for Prison Legal News, has taken the nation's largest for-profit prison operator to court, seeking access to public records under the Tennessee Public Records Act. Tennessean, March 6, 2009

"Let’s ask for it.  If we ask for it and get no comment, then that’s what we get. Let’s send them a letter and ask them for the information.”
 Oklahoma Board of Corrections member David Henneke on comments by GEO warden David Miller that private prisons are private businesses, there is little obligation for them to give the state information on formulas to set rates. Oklahoman, February 13, 2009

"One of my goals is to be low-key and below the radar screen. And so far so good."
CCA's Torrance County (NM) Detention Facility Warden Robert Ezell on avoiding the public scrutiny regarding his facility having a high rape rate. Mountain View Telegraph, February 5, 2009

“We can’t do a whole lot of talking right now.”
Greg Hess, vice-chairman of the Storey County Commission (NV) on a Texas private prison's (Cornell?) plan for a prison in his community. Reno Gazette-Journal, December 12, 2008

"We welcome legislation that will help protect our citizens."
Johnson County (MO) Sheriff Charles Heiss on proposed legislation requiring private jails to report incidents at their facilities after Integrity Correctional Center waited 15 hours to report the escape of two inmates from their Johnson County facility. Herald-Tribune, October 4, 2008

"WSI feels we have provided sufficient information on this issue and we don't want to further discuss the phone policy, other than to say that we reviewed it and revised it following the incident in question."
Wackenhut (Group 4) spokeswoman Courtney Henry when asked to provide details regarding the security's contractor's previous and current phone policies. Knoxville News, September 25, 2008

"I was very upset, upset with the jail for not notifying us."
Katherine Clifton about the escape of two very dangerous criminals from Integrity Correctional Centers jail in Johnson County (MO) and not being notified for over 12 hours of the escape. FOX 4 News, September 1, 2008

"It is a matter of public safety. (Other states) are exporting their worst criminals to Arizona, and we can't even know what they are doing and what steps they are taking to protect Arizonans."
Dennis Burke,  Arizona Governor Napolitano's chief of staff on legislation to open private prisons in Arizona to public scrutiny. Arizona Republic, February 1, 2008

"This a private settlement among private parties, and I'm obliged not to disclose the dollar amount."
Honolulu lawyer Myles Breiner on a settlement with GRW and two Hawai'i inmates who were sexually assaulted at the Brush Correctional Facility in Colorado. Honolulu Advertiser, January 8, 2008

"The private prison contractor and the Government have a common interest in burying the issues."
Hugh de Kretser, executive officer of the Federation of Community Legal Centres on the difficulty in getting access to information a private prisons and jails in Australia. The Age, November 24, 2007

"It is of concern that witnesses spoke of a culture that involves staff favouritism; the centre being dominated by a few staff; tolerance of abuse of prisoners; and an environment where speaking out means job loss."
Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer on a beating of a detainee at GEO's Melbourne Custody Center. The Age, November 22, 2007

"What I'm really upset about is there was a seven hour delay before anyone at our place was ever notified, and what concerns me even more is what else is going on our there that we don't even know about?"
Mike Nelson, Bay County , Florida Commissioner, on release of 9 inmates from CCA's Bay County Jail. WJHG, November 20, 2007

''We have very comprehensive and detailed standards which we meet with our public partners in terms of information that is provided to them.''
CCA spokeswoman Louise Grant on why CCA opposes H.R. 1889 that would require private prison vendors under contract with the Federal Government to comply with FIOA requests.  The Morning Call, November 11, 2007

"There is a greater sense of fear and intimidation in this facility than perhaps any other I have been to."
Texas Youth Commission Ombudsman Will Harrell in his report on conditions at GEO's Coke County Juvenile Justice Center. Dallas Morning News, October 3, 2007

"We're trying to get on top of the situation."
Epps, Louisiana Mayor Jeff Guice on Emerald Correction's lack of openness on its West Carroll Detention Center. Houston Chronicle, July 22, 2007

"I want to make sure that what they're giving us is true and accurate. "I want something to go directly to corporate office up there that says you guys have got to be candid when we ask questions."
Hawai'i Department of Public Safety interim director Clayton Frank on CCA's continuing trouble with door locks at their Red Rock Correctional Facility in Arizona. Honolulu Advertiser, July 22, 2007

"Right now, I have some serious concerns and doubt of whether they are providing us with everything."
Hawai'i Department of Public Safety interim director Clayton Frank on CCA's continuing trouble with door locks at their Red Rock Correctional Facility in Arizona. Honolulu Advertiser, July 22, 2007

“It’s kind of unusual for me to sit up here and vote for something I haven’t seen and the city attorney hasn’t read over.”
Adams County, Mississippi Alderman Alderman James “Ricky” Gray after being asked to vote on an interlocal agreement for CCA that he had not seen. Natchez  Democrat, June 12, 2007

"Private, confidential, or otherwise protected material."
Prison Health Services' attorney on Guilford County, North Carolina, sheriff BJ Barnes request for information for his own contract with the vendor. News & Records, June 5, 2007

“Then they all of a sudden cancelled the visit that had been approved for the Hutto detention center and the New Jersey detention center."
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants Jorge Bustamante on being denied access to CCA's T. Don Hutto Correctional Center. San Antonio Current, May 23, 2007

“It was the first time I’d heard we were actually going to have to put up money”
Adams County, MS Supervisor Henry Watts on CCA's not being upfront with all the costs for their prison proposal. Natchez Democrat, May 3, 2007

"We filed our report two weeks ago. When something is put on the agenda is not our business."
CCA's Hernando County (FL) Jail warden Don Stewart on why CCA did not report an accidental release of an inmate to the county commission. Hernando Today, July 28, 2006

"We received a report that talked about our inmates having a disturbance. There was nothing in there to make us think anything was wrong."
Idaho Department of Corrections operations administrator Pam Sonnen on GEO's lack of candor over an incident at its Newton, Texas facility. Idaho Statesman, June 9, 2006

"There's some sort of chink in the communications there."
Hawai'i Department of Public Safety spokesman Michael Gaede on why they found out about an inmate's death at CCA's Otter Creek, KY prison through the family and not CCA. Honolulu Advertiser, January 4, 2006

"However, we are not able to confirm amounts or any details on payments or deductions regarding the bonuses as these matters are commercial in confidence."
Queensland Corrective Services Minister spokeswoman Judy Spence on confirming GEO Group's contract compliance. Australian, November 30, 2005 

“The first I heard of this was in the newspaper. What upsets me and others is the fact that they held several meetings for the Charlotte residents, but were just trying to fly this over on us”
Dickson County resident Jimmy Stokes over plans by CCA to build a new jail for the county. Dickson Herald, December 30, 2004

"Most of the staff I had discussions with were concerned about being identified if they shared issues or concerns with me."
Bay County jail contract monitor Roger Hagen on CCA's correctional code of secrecy. News Herald, December 29, 2004

My view is that public authorities must resist any suggestion from tenderers that the price of best value is to agree to withhold information which otherwise under freedom of information may be made available."
Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion on the public's access to secret contract agreements with security company Reliance. BBC, November 24, 2004

"I don’t know who in the world they’ve been talking to, but they haven’t been talking to me."
Roger Hagen, Bay County’s correctional program manager on CCA's claim it was sharing with county officials an "after-action" report about an inmate takeover at CCA's Bay County Jail. News Herald, November 9, 2004

"I was very concerned that we were not notified by Cornell that these people were even missing."
Florence, Colorado Police Chief Mike Ingle on Cornell's not notifying local law enforcement after an escape at its Southern Peaks facility in Colorado. Daily Record, October 7, 2004

"This incident made us aware that our policy for contacting local law enforcement needed to be changed."
 Cornell Director of Communication Lisa Tauser on Cornell's not notifying local law enforcement after an escape at its Southern Peaks facility in Colorado. Daily Record, October 6, 2004

"There's a lot of things that go into negotiations with private prisons that we don't know about and there is a lot that they do that help Colorado."
Colorado State Senator Ken Kester on his lack of expertise on CCA contracts. Pueblo Chieftain, July 28, 2004

STAFFING
"It was too unsafe the way it was. There were too many prisoners for each guard."
Donnie Hedgepeth said he worked at CCA's Adams County Correctional Facility when it opened in 2009 until sometime in 2010. A riot on May 20, 2012 left one guard dead. Clarion Ledger, May 21, 2012.

"We expect the highest level of professionalism from all our contractors, and there are strict guidelines which must be followed when tagging offenders."
A Ministry of Justice (UK) spokesman on two Group 4 guards tagging a false leg on an offender who eventually was arrested and in custody before they figured it out. UKAP, August 29, 2011

"Frankly, I don't understand why a few of them (former CCA guards) weren't in jail."
Hernando County (FL) Sheriff's Major Michael Page on the one-year anniversary of the Sheriff's take-over from CCA of the jail. St Petersburg Times, August 28, 2011

“A lot of those that I let go reappeared in the ranks of the privates. At one point, I asked the privates to stop hiring the people I was firing.”
Former Florida Department of Corrections secretary, Jim McDonough, on for-profits hiring the public dregs.
Orlando Weekly, May 19, 2011

“No officers were implicated at all. There were just officers not doing their jobs.”
Mohave County (Arizona) Sheriff Tom Sheahan on MTC's lax security at its Kingman prison.  The Daily News,
May 8, 2011

"These contractors threaten the security of our troops and risk the success of our mission."
Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee on their report on private security in Afghanistan showing companies hiring guards with Taliban connections, NBC News, October 8, 2010

"We have a lot of very young staff that have not integrated into very strong security practices."
Odie Washington, a senior vice president at Management & Training Corp., acknowledged that the Kingman prison (AZ) employed an inexperienced staff where three violent prisoners escaped. Arizona Republic, August 22, 2010

“The staffing levels in the visits departments are often inadequate and this should be addressed as a matter of urgency if the problems are not to continue and even increase."
Report of the the Independent Monitoring Board (UK) for the Kalyx (Sodexho) Peterborough Prison.
Peterborough Today, August 21, 2010

"G4S takes these matters very seriously and is committed to upholding the highest standards of honesty and professionalism and to preserving the trust of the public and our clients. . . . Upon learning of Mr. Owens' recent conduct, G4S immediately terminated Owens' employment."
Group 4 trying to explain away why they hired a peeping Tom with a previous criminal background. Miami Herald, August 19, 2010

“I had never seen that before."
Bay County (FL) Sheriff Frank McKeithen on CCA hiring felons to work as guards. The News-Herald, July 12, 2010

“The deterioration in safety and security arrangements, particularly the significant increase in drug use and the weakness in staff supervision of prisoners, are issues that can and must be addressed.”
Dame Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons (UK) on a report that condemns Group 4's Wolds Prison.
The Independent, July 6, 2010

“Bingo nights is one thing, but still having personnel that can’t figure out how to comport themselves around women detainees or women in state custody shows that (CCA) doesn’t learn from its mistakes.”
Judy Greene, criminal justice policy analyst for the New York-based policy research group Justice Strategies, on CCA's proposal to pretty up immigration prisons with flowers and bingo nights. Tennessean, June 25, 2010

"When you don't pay well, it's hard to retain good quality folks."
Hernando County (FL) Sheriff Richard Nugent on paying jail correctional officers up to $7,000 more than CCA. Hernando Today, June 10, 2010

"There was clear evidence at the inquiry that the majority of staff recruited by Kaylx (sp) were inexperienced within the prison service."
Sheriff Mhari Mactaggart in an inquets into the hanging death of an inmate at Kalyx's Addiewell Prison in Scotland. The Scotsman, February 16, 2010

"Unfortunately, private prisons are run to make a profit. Ultimately, the company in charge of them has to deliver for their shareholders and so they have to find ways to make money. The way to do this is by having fewer staff, paying low wages, investing less money in training and pensions, and this impacts on the running of the prison. For a prison to run properly, you need the guards and the prisoners to understand each other and work with each other, and that requires experienced guards. That takes an investment in training and keeping staff, which can be at odds with the need to deliver a profit."
Former Chief Inspector of Prisons (Scotland) Sir Clive Fairweather on the cause of a riot at the Kalyx (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. Edinburgh Evening News, January 28, 2010

"Therefore you have the minimum number of staff, you have the minimum amount of training and it's certainly my experience with Kilmarnock that violence and the like was a problem until eventually staffing levels got to a slightly better stage."
Clive Fairweather, who has previously inspected the private prison at Kilmarnock, Scotland on a riot at Kalyx's (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. BBC, January 26, 2010

"He indicated they were undermanned, understaffed; he didn't have the budget he needed that he thought he could run the facility to the best of his ability."
Former LCS Warden Art Crews about the Coastal Bend Detention Center (TX) and LCS.  WEAU, December 29, 2009

"Recent incidents reflect the sentiment of prisoners who are fully aware of the staff's lack of ability to contain the prisoners here in an emergency situation."
Serco employee about staffing issues at the Acacia Prison (Australia). The Western Australian, December 31, 2009

“They will hire any friggin’ warm body because they go through staff so much.”
Lorene Gendron, who worked for PHS (in VT) for two years as an inmate advocate, says that poor support, salaries and working conditions mean high turnover. Ashley Ellis died less than two days after entering a Vermont prison from the careless and negligent operation of a privatized for-profit (PHS) prison healthcare system. In These Times,
December 8, 2009

"The staff ratio just wasn't there."
Mona Brown, a floor staffer at the Forbes Juvenile Attention Facility in Topeka, Kansas after a lawsuit was filed for a 12-year-old boy to be repeatedly raped by his roommate over three days. Topeka Capital-Journal, October 18, 2009

“Not only sexual abuse or physical abuse but death investigations also, so they vary. The different cases and situations, they vary."
Kentucky State Trooper Mike Goble about incidents at CCA's Otter Creek Prison. WKYT, August 17, 2009

“He was involved. He was a suspect. I don’t care if he was a corrections officer."
Pima County (AZ) Deputy Dawn Barkman on the shooting of a CCA guard who had just committed a home invasion robbery.  Arizona Daily Star, July 22, 2009

"It's viewed as a major concern."
CCA's Hernando County Jail (FL) Warden Russell Washburn on reports that one of his guards was arrested for rape and sexual contact with minors. The employee has not been fired yet. Hernando Today, July 2, 2009

``We haven't been made whole. It would be irresponsible for us to continue doing business with an entity that we believe has overbilled us.''
Miami-Dade County (FL) spokeswoman Victoria Mallette on being sued by Wackenhut (Group 4) after an audit and whistleblower suit uncovered ghost employees. Miami Herald, April 30, 2009

"If it is true that staff employed to work with asylum-seekers and immigrants are members of the BNP then it is yet another sign that the Home Office are allowing for the mistreatment of immigrants in this country."
Labour MP and anti-racist campaigner Diane Abbott on revelations that two private prison guards were members of an ultra-right wing political group. Politics.Co.UK January 14, 2009

"I hope you understand how seriously we're taking not only the report but the safety of our inmates. They have an ongoing staffing issue that doesn't appear to be able to be solved."
Idaho Department of Corrections Director Brent Reinke about cancelling GEO's contract for their Bill Clayton (TX) Facility. AP, November 6, 2008

“We do see turnover. But I don't think it’s turnover because of the facility itself, I think it's turnover because 'I can make more money.'”
Torrance County (NM) Sheriff Clarence Gibson trying to explain away  his CCA's jail highest level of rape then any jail in the US. KOAT, October 1, 2008

"Clearly this is a cause for concern."
Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for ICE about GEO Group falsifying employee background checks. AP,
September 30, 2008

It's appalling that a person paid to counsel inmates against drug abuse is charged with trying to smuggle heroin and cocaine into the jail, the exact opposite of what he was paid to do."
NY Department of Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn regarding the PHS employee caught smuggling drugs into Rikers Island. New York Sun, September 19, 2008

“It is clear that staff complacency and physical plant vulnerabilities played a key role in the escape.”
John Gilbert, CEC’s deputy director/secure facility division on his staff's role in the escape of four inmates from their Columbiana (OH) Jail. Youngstown Vindicator, September 12, 2008

"I was proud to be a detention centre officer, protecting Australia's borders. Then I changed. I became a monster, a cowboy, like all the other officers. They were all driven crazy. When I look back, I just think - what the hell did I do that for? To end up hating people for no reason."
Former ACM (GEO Group) guard Carol Wiltshire on what happens to workers at detention centers. Sidney Morning Herald, September 13, 2008

"Our correctional officers wear their uniform proudly. They stand upright."
Louise Grant, vice-president of marketing and communications for Corrections Corporation of America, about her guards. Pahrump Valley Times, August 22, 2008

"The Monitoring Team has found that the lack of stable and effective leadership at the vendor-level remains a concern."
Independent monitor regarding Correctional Medical Service's problems at the Delaware Department of Corrections. News Journal, July 30, 2008

"They've got to get this right."
Sue Cain, Metro (Nashville, Tennessee) law director about Wackenhut's need to pay taxpayers back the $840,000 for a stolen laptop computer and ghost employees and explain just how company officials intend for it not to happen again. Tennessean, May 17, 2008

“It might be more realistic to empty the centre briefly, so that it can be relaunched with a properly trained and reinvigorated staff, focused on plenty of good-quality, purposeful activity, dynamic security, and an emphasis on appropriate behaviour within clear boundaries.”
Anne Owers, UK Chief Inspector of Prisons, suggestion to close the jail after finding a lack of control and order at Group 4's Oakhill Secure Training Unit. The Times, March 17, 2008

"Moreover, there has been consistent turnover at staff-level positions, and, at [Young Correctional Institution] in particular, there is a problem with staff insubordination that needs to be addressed because it affects inmate medical and mental health services negatively."
Delaware independent monitor Joshua W. Martin III  in a 229-page report on Correctional Medical Services health care in this state. News Journal, February 1, 2008

"Last week, our office began training all jail staff and Cornell agreed to strategic planning to provide more training to hire more and more qualified people from a larger geographic area."
New Mexico 12th Judicial District Attorney Scot Key on a Grand Jury investigation into Cornell operations at the Lincoln County Detention Center.  Ruidoso News, January 25, 2008

"We were told that CMS can unilaterally choose to reduce provider staffing from five days a week to two days a week, if it has trouble recruiting, and that CMS is not subject to any penalty or disincentive."
National Commission on Correctional Health Care on lack of oversight by the Michigan Department of Corrections over its contract with Correctional Medical Services. Detroit News, January 23, 2008

"Custody officers claimed that staffing levels could at times be dangerously low, especially in ‘A’ wing and at weekends. They said that two members of staff had been assaulted over the past year, while there had also been a large number of less serious incidents. We sensed generally that staff seemed to be even more concerned about safety than they had been a year ago (and being under complement could also have contributed to this). Examples were cited where it was impossible to arrange relief cover for toilet breaks, meaning that prisoners were left unsupervised, except by CCTV, during these periods."
Scotland Chief Prison Inspector Clive Fairweather on a recent report on Premier's Kilmarnock Prison.
Scotland on Sunday, January 6, 2008

"Your body is not designed to work 12 hours a day. The schedule is brutal. It's a killer."
Former Wackenhut (Group 4) guard Robert Hall on his work schedule at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station. AP, December 4, 2007

"You wonder where the hell were the detention officers in all of this."
MTC inmate attorney Gary Mitchell on the lack of staffing at the Santa Fe County Detention Center at the time his client killed another inmate. New Mexican, November 19, 2007

"I was working five, six days a week, 12-hour days, overtime. "It's hard to get people to go into that line of work."
Former Coke County, Texas guard John Christman on GEO's trouble with staffing. Dallas Morning News, July 29, 2007

"They have been understaffed"
GEO guard's wife, Twilla Deaton on staffing issues after a riot at GEO's New Castle CF. The Star Press, April 25, 2007

"There were serious security concerns"
Arizona Department of Corrections spokeswoman Katie Decker on concerns over GEO's staffing levels at their New Castle CF in Indiana after a riot by over 500 inmates. The Indianapolis Star, April 25, 2007

"There's just not enough personnel. More security officers and more detention officers, should be placed there"
Joe Magallan, a deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service in Texas, on LCS' problems after an escape of six inmates from their East Hidalgo Detention Center. Houston Chronicle, September 21, 2006

"The few privatized jails I've seen have a tendency to pay minimum wage or slightly above, so you're going to have a problem with staff turnover."
American Jails managing editor Ken Kerle on pay and turnover at for-profits. Beaufort Gazette, November 12, 2005

"Staffing is hard to come by"
MTC's Santa Fe County Detention Facility Warden Kerry Dixon on trouble keeping medical staff. Tennessean, September 12, 2005

"We don't hire questionable people, and that's the embarrassing part"
GRW President Gil Walker on his company hiring guards with criminal records at their at their Brush Correctional Facility in Colorado. Rocky Mountain News, March 23, 2005

"Until there's more staff, there's not going to be a drastic improvement"
Former PHS administrator Stephanie Lawson on turnover at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in Jefferson County, Alabama. Birmingham News, March 18, 2005

"We knew the prison was full of thieves but we thought they were behind bars"
An insider at Premier's Kilmarnock  jail after a staff member was caught on camera stealing inmates candy.
Sunday Mail, October 3, 2004

“We’re working 12 to 16 hour shifts and we’re tired. No one get raises because we’ve burned up all the overtime because the program director didn’t hire anybody for three or four months in a row.”
CiviGenics employee David Lucero on staff burnout. Ruidoso News, August 26, 2004

"We're going to have to attract more workers, more than we did before . "Part of the workforce is going to have to move here."
Toole County Commissioner Allan Underdal acknowledging the difficulty in finding qualified guards for expanding CCA's Crossroads prison. Great Falls Tribune, August 20, 2004

"This guy tells me, 'I'm doing a 480-year sentence and I'm 20 years in. A lot of these guys (guards) were bagging groceries last week. Who do you think is going to be better at what they do: me at being a prisoner or them at being a guard?"
Former New Mexico DOC Secretary Rob Perry on why he he wouldn't allow maximum security inmates at private prisons. Albuquerque Tribune, July 26, 2004

"At the end of the day, we were beset with some difficulties in attracting and training qualified staff."
Paul Doucette, Cornell VP of Business Development and Public Affairs, on not being able to maintain staffing at their New Morgan Academy in Pennsylvania. Daily Republic, September 4, 2003

TRAINING
"(N)o training, no idea and no perceived intention to provide any welfare."
A former Serco employee at Curtin Detention Centre (Australia) says treatment of detainees by some staff members was "outrageously brutal" and they were bullied constantly. The West Australian, August 25, 2011

"Basically, from what I've seen, the new recruits were just basically put on the floor, no training whatsoever, they were being told that they would be trained as they were."
A Serco guard quoted in a wide-ranging report delivered by Comcare, the Federal Government's (Australia) workplace safety agency. ABC, August 11, 2011

"She just made a colossal mistake."
Delco County (PA) Superintendent John Reilly Jr., who oversees CEC's performance on the county's behalf, on the recent "accidental" release of inmates at the George W. Hill Prison. Philadelphia Daily News, August 27, 2010

"There was clear evidence at the inquiry that the majority of staff recruited by Kaylx (sp) were inexperienced within the prison service."
Sheriff Mhari Mactaggart in an inquest into the hanging death of an inmate at Kalyx's Addiewell Prison in Scotland. The Scotsman, February 16, 2010

"Unfortunately, private prisons are run to make a profit. Ultimately, the company in charge of them has to deliver for their shareholders and so they have to find ways to make money. The way to do this is by having fewer staff, paying low wages, investing less money in training and pensions, and this impacts on the running of the prison. For a prison to run properly, you need the guards and the prisoners to understand each other and work with each other, and that requires experienced guards. That takes an investment in training and keeping staff, which can be at odds with the need to deliver a profit."
Former Chief Inspector of Prisons (Scotland) Sir Clive Fairweather on the cause of a riot at the Kalyx (Sodexho) Addiewell Prison. Edinburgh Evening News, January 28, 2010

"Undoubtedly, a private company would pay its employees significantly lower wages and provide them lesser training to realize cost savings. This would lead to higher staff turnover, low morale and place public safety at risk."
Arizona DOC Director Charles Ryan in a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer on a plan to sell its public prisons to for-profit corporations. Arizona Republic, June 14, 2009

"It wasn't what we were after. It wasn't what I would have expected."
Vermont Department of Corrections Commissioner Andrew Pallito on pulling his state's inmates from LCS's Perry County Correctional Center in Alabama because of lack of response to concerns over security and inadequately trained staff. Bennington Banner, June 9, 2009

"I didn't know what I was doing and didn't have anyone to help me. I didn't have a clue. I felt inadequate and stupid because I didn't know the routine and prisoners were trying to tell me what to do."
Former Premier (now Serco) guard Ann Hinshelwood on the lack of training she received after a riot at the HMS Bowhouse prison. Sunday Mail, May 24, 2009

"Obviously, whether he was enticed or lured or not, we've got a major breakdown in training with the staff at Otter Creek, and a problem with accountability up there of guards if a person can go in there and commit this type of act against one of our inmates."
Hawai'i State Sen. Will Espero, chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, on the rape of an Hawai'i inmate at CCA's Otter Creek (KY) Prison. Honolulu Advertiser, October 2, 2008

"I was dealing with people tying razor wire around their throats, using razor blades, knitting needles that they would sharpen, rope … overdosing on Panadol, detergent, chemicals, gravel."
Former Group 4/Wackenhut Woomera Detention Center (Australia) worker described how, with no appropriate training, she had to counsel up to 12 people a day who had self-harmed over their indefinite detention.  The Age,
September 19, 2008

"The key word there is proper."
Columbiana County (OH) Sheriff David Smith regarding how four inmates escaped from the CiviGenics jail after employees failed in their head count. Salem News, August 20, 2008

"The man was unshaven and did not have a uniform on. As everything happened so quickly I did not think to ask for ID, or that he may have been a bogus caller."
Michael Chafer, of Hindon Walk, Scunthorpe (UK), received a visit from Group 4 Securicor after the firm was given the wrong details. Scunthorpe Telegraph, June 3, 2008

"It was around the availability of personnel. The training of personnel. The certification. Licensing of personnel. Nothing deliberate. It was just a matter of logistics and timing. "
St. Louis,  Missouri MetroLink transit agency President Robert Baer on why Wackenhut (Group 4) lost its contract.
St Louis Post -Dispatch, April 26, 2008

“It might be more realistic to empty the centre briefly, so that it can be re-launched with a properly trained and reinvigorated staff, focused on plenty of good-quality, purposeful activity, dynamic security, and an emphasis on appropriate behaviour within clear boundaries.”
Anne Owers, UK Chief Inspector of Prisons, suggestion to close the jail after finding a lack of control and order at Group 4's Oakhill Secure Training Unit. The Times, March 17, 2008

“Staff don’t like the way they are treated by management. They feel there is a lack of training. Some don’t want to be there. They are trained for half a day, once a week. They don’t feel they’re learning anything. It’s about time the Assembly looked at what was going on."
Former Group 4 warden on lack of training at Group 4's Parc Prison. Wales on Sunday, December 2, 2007

"I assume they have some training, but I don't know."
Epps, Louisiana Police Chief Roosevelt Porter on Emerald Correction's lack of openness on its West Carroll Detention Center. Houston Chronicle, July 22, 2007

"Straight from the start I had expressed concern about the level of support and training. I told senior management about it and they didn't do anything."
Global Solutions Ltd Guard Daniel Daymond after a scathing report on an inmate's suicide. The Guardian, April 3, 2007

"None of the staff have training with psych patients and the centre is not properly equipped to deal with these people" 
GEO correctional officer Bruna Moressi about the Melbourne Custody Centre, Australia. Herald Sun
November 18, 2004

"Nobody trained me."
Registered nurse Deb Moore on CMS at the North State CF in Newport, VT. WCAX Channel 3 News, July 29, 2004