Consultant Recommends Washington Prison and Reform School Closures OLYMPIA, WA (N3) - A study commissioned by the state Legislature recommends closing three prison wings and a juvenile lockup. Governor Chris Gregoire says she'll give the recommendations serious consideration. KPLU's Tom Banse has more.

State of Washington - Governor's Budget Office

Full story
Faced with an ongoing budget deficit, Washington state politicians asked a consultant to identify where best to cut one and a half thousand prison beds plus several hundred juvenile reform school beds. The answer back include: Close the Maple Lane School for juveniles in southwest Washington. Close Ahtanum View near Yakima and downsize the McNeil Island prison or the state penitentiary in Walla Walla. Democratic Governor Chris Gregoire says she's undecided on the options, but says there's a pressing need to cut.

Chris Gregoire: "You know, I look at this economic recession not only as a time for private sector to reboot. It's a time for government to reboot. So we're not going to come out of this looking like we did going in."

Legislators from prison towns are already rallying to defend the union jobs.
State homes for the developmentally disabled are on the block too. A better picture of how politically palatable closures might be will come when Washington's governor releases a new budget next month. I'm Tom Banse in Olympia. © Copyright 2009, N3