CCA Takes Hawaii Taxpayers For An Expensive Ride

Just more proof that CCA is a corrupt, inept, incompetent and unqualified corporation that doesn't give a damn about public safety. You can bet that money was funneled to someone in Hawaii's legislature or DOC in order for the contracts to be awarded in an underhanded and unethical manner. Looks like the citizens of Hawaii have been taken for a fun and expensive ride through their dealings with CCA - as have so many other states.

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The state's auditor on Wednesday blasted the Hawaii Department of Public Safety's management of a contract to house prisoners in privately owned Arizona prisons.
In a 77-page report, Marion Higa also criticized the financial data about the arrangement the department has provided legislators and the public for using a flawed methodology and containing inaccurate or insufficient figures.

"Without clarified guidance by policymakers, the department has no incentive to perform better and will continue to evade accountability by providing unreliable and inaccurate reporting of incarceration costs," Higa wrote in the audit's conclusion.

"In addition, the department has misused its procurement authority to circumvent the process designed with safeguards to protect the state's interests," she added.

Interim Public Safety Director Jodie Maesaka-Hirata said her agency acknowledges the auditor's recommendations "and will address the concerns raised in the report. In addition, we will review all administrative rules, practices, and existing policies as it relates to the mainland and federal detention center branch."

Much of the audit's findings were critical of actions taken before current Gov. Neil Abercrombie took office earlier this month, succeeding Gov. Linda Lingle. Abercrombie has said he wants to stop exporting inmates to other states but hasn't specified how that would be accomplished.

Spokeswoman Donalyn Dela Cruz said possible solutions include "revisiting ideas of increasing prison capacity in Hawaii and ensuring successful transitions into the community."

About 2,000 male Hawaii prisoners are housed in the Florence, Red Rock and Saguaro correctional centers owned by the Corrections Corp. of America, according to the audit.
The state in 2006 signed an "intergovernmental agreement" with Eloy, Ariz., where the facilities are located, but deals almost exclusively with CCA, the report contended.

The arrangement allowed agency officials to circumvent and manipulate the state's competitive procurement process to steer business to CCA, the audit found. The department also treated CCA as a government agent instead of a private vendor operating for a profit, it contended.

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