Saipan solicited for extra space for inmates
We all know about the overcrowding situation at the Department of Corrections prison, and officials at the agency are hoping to change that and they're looking at their options in the CNMI.
By KUAM Newsby Nick Delgado
Guam - We all know about the overcrowding situation at the Department of Corrections prison, and officials at the agency are hoping to change that and they're looking at their options in the CNMI.
The prison on Guam continues to see an influx of inmates and detainees on a daily basis. DepCor Spokesperson Lieutenant Antone Aguon says this is why the agency director will be heading to Saipan to meet with prison officials there. "We are looking at the possibility of trying to use Saipan to house some of our inmates due to our overcrowding," he said.
The trip follows word from the bureau of prisons that Guam will have to take back the 20 inmates that are currently serving their time in prison in the mainland. Aguon says they too face the same dilemma. "At this current state right now," Aguon continued, "we don't have the facility to manage them - that's why they were sent off-island. But due to the overcrowding in the mainland they are looking to send them here."
He says it costs DepCor some $600,000 a year to pay for those 20 that are off-island. Whether or not taking the inmates back will be an added savings to the department, Aguon says there is just no space here and they are hoping to work out an agreement with their colleagues in Saipan.
"Saipan has a pretty good facility that is actually being underutilized, they have a lot of bed space and we are just exploring our options to see what available," he said.
Other options include looking at plans that were drafted in the previous administration, such as building a new prison. "Obviously, a brand new prison now with GovGuam's financial (situation) is not something that's looking to come true now but we still have to look at other options to see what available out there to address our overcrowding issues," he said.
He adds a new prison with centralized housing would actually take care of the manpower shortage issues. Aguon says the new prison idea is still being worked out with the administration. In the meantime, the director will head over to Saipan in mid-June.