LOCAL PRISONS Letters urge puchasing NOCC

The government could buy NOCC a lot cheaper than building a new prison.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- In separate letters Thursday to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Sens. Mike DeWine and George Voinovich said federal purchase of Youngstown's private prison would not only save the government millions, it would help the financially troubled Mahoning Valley.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is operating over capacity and the Bush administration is planning to build up to 11 new facilities, Ohio's two senators said.
DeWine wrote that Corrections Corporation of America, the Nashville, Tenn., company that operates Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in Youngstown, has offered to sell the facility to the federal government "for a price significantly below that of a new federal facility of similar capacity."
The purchase would save the federal government about $80 million compared to building a new facility, DeWine wrote. He did not disclose the asking price.
What's behind this: CCA told the city last week it may close NOCC in August if it does not get a new contract for inmates. There are about 350 prisoners in the 2,106-bed prison. Also, CCA has given termination notices to its 449 workers.
Gov. Bob Taft wrote Ashcroft a similar letter Wednesday.
Reginald A. Wilkinson, director of Ohio's Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said the state has no interest in the facility because the state's prison population has decreased the past few years and there is no need for additional space.
He did endorse the federal government purchase.
Traficant's stance: U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. of Poland, D-17th, is not working toward having the federal government take over NOCC.
"He is not considering that because we don't think the Bureau of Prisons is interested," said Charles Straub, his spokesman.
Instead, Traficant is pushing for the Bureau of Prisons to consider transferring illegal immigrants detained in border facilities to prisons further away from the United States-Mexican border.
The bureau should consider having those prisoners housed at NOCC, Traficant said.0