In the Albuquerque Journal today there is a story about a proposed Bernalillo County ordinance which would authorize the issuance of $100 million in industrial revenue bonds for a new factory on the West side. If the bonds are approved and issued and sold, the County will be obligated to pay $125,000 to an attorney for services in handling the bond issue. See post of May 16, 2005, which sets out the contract the Commissioners made with the attorney, agreeing to pay $1.25 per thousand for IRB bonds. The lawyer fee contacted for is substantial, when you consider that it is $125,000 for ?? hours of work, and you consider that we taxpayers pay the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico, $106,000 per year.
This $100 million IRB is said to be the largest in Bernalillo County history. It is relatively picayune, considering the $16 billion IRB issue recently approved in Sandoval County (voted for unanimously by the Sandoval County commissioners).
This raises the question of whether the Legislature has done a wise thing in delegating to County Commissions, and City Commissions, the power to enter into these attorney contracts and approve IRB's (in effect subsidize new or existing companies for the purpose of encouraging business).
Are these commissions qualified? Are they in danger of special interest influence? When they allow IRB's to be issued, a tax exemption results which affects the tax base for school districts, and the State. The Intel deal, now $26 billion, means $26 billion off the tax rolls, meaning the tax base is reduced $8 billion plus. In Bernalillo County, the deal is the equivalent of taking 100 houses worth $330,000 each off the tax roll.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Thursday, August 04, 2005
PRISON ASSAULT CAN BE REDUCED
In the news this week we hear of the study done of sexual assault in prisons in the United States. The Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, and asked for studies and reports. This week a report was issued, and can be seen at the website ncic.org, or by searching Prison Rape Report on Google.
No details there about the numbers or places where these acts occur. The report seems to countenance the killing of the attacker; or the prevention of an attack by creating a reputation for toughness. One suggestion as to how to appear tough, is to just go to the yard and pick a big guy and do him serious bodily harm, sending him to the hospital.
We have modern technology; why not use it? We could put a live video camera, with pictures on-line accessible by persons designated by the individual inmates (for example, my brother could access the site). Perhaps the site should also be available to a reputable prisoner rights group. The camera could be so situated in the institution that once a day each inmate would appear before the camera and state his number. He would have the opportunity to claim abuse, and in any event his folks would know he is still alive and what his face looks like.
Also, video cameras could be placed throughout the institution, to make it impossible for an assault to occur in secret. The video feed should go on the internet, accessible at least to reputable prisoner rights advocates or monitors, on a regular basis, and available in segments to the public in case of an alleged crime.
Electronic bracelets as small as a wrist watch would enable the Warden to monitor where each inmate is, and how close he is to another, etc. This could be recorded for future reference, in case of an assault. And the information could be used to keep predators by themselves.
Pupillometry could be used to keep the inmates off dope. The inmate takes 30 seconds to look into the eyepieces and the machine spits out a report as to whether the inmate is under the influence of a variety of drugs.
This technology is available. The need is there. We owe it to our inmates to provide a safe place for their rehabilitation, or simple detention for purposes of punishment or deterrence. Robert Schwartz, former District Attorney and now the Governor's criminal law adviser, once said, "It is my job to get them into the penitentiary, not to fluff up their pillows!" Mr. Schwartz was right. But it is our job, as citizens, to insist that prisoners are kept in a safe, clean environment.
No details there about the numbers or places where these acts occur. The report seems to countenance the killing of the attacker; or the prevention of an attack by creating a reputation for toughness. One suggestion as to how to appear tough, is to just go to the yard and pick a big guy and do him serious bodily harm, sending him to the hospital.
We have modern technology; why not use it? We could put a live video camera, with pictures on-line accessible by persons designated by the individual inmates (for example, my brother could access the site). Perhaps the site should also be available to a reputable prisoner rights group. The camera could be so situated in the institution that once a day each inmate would appear before the camera and state his number. He would have the opportunity to claim abuse, and in any event his folks would know he is still alive and what his face looks like.
Also, video cameras could be placed throughout the institution, to make it impossible for an assault to occur in secret. The video feed should go on the internet, accessible at least to reputable prisoner rights advocates or monitors, on a regular basis, and available in segments to the public in case of an alleged crime.
Electronic bracelets as small as a wrist watch would enable the Warden to monitor where each inmate is, and how close he is to another, etc. This could be recorded for future reference, in case of an assault. And the information could be used to keep predators by themselves.
Pupillometry could be used to keep the inmates off dope. The inmate takes 30 seconds to look into the eyepieces and the machine spits out a report as to whether the inmate is under the influence of a variety of drugs.
This technology is available. The need is there. We owe it to our inmates to provide a safe place for their rehabilitation, or simple detention for purposes of punishment or deterrence. Robert Schwartz, former District Attorney and now the Governor's criminal law adviser, once said, "It is my job to get them into the penitentiary, not to fluff up their pillows!" Mr. Schwartz was right. But it is our job, as citizens, to insist that prisoners are kept in a safe, clean environment.
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