News Releases for May 2007
May 02, 2007
For further information, please Contact the Governor's Office
Hoeven Signs $130 Million Corrections Legislation
Governor Emphasizes Need To Move Forward With Prison Upgrades
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today was joined by legislators and prison officials to sign House Bill 1015, a $130 million Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Appropriations bill. The bill includes $41 million and a trigger mechanism to address the need to upgrade the state prison, and $29 million for enhanced public safety measures.
Key public safety measures in the corrections budget include:
- 10 new correctional officers and prison staff to manage the growing prison population.
- 10 additional parole officers to increase supervision of parolees.
- More than $1.2 million for alternatives to incarceration, including Adult Drug Courts in Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot, as well as faith-based programming, like Teen Challenge.
- $3.3 million in additional funding for male and female transitional programs.
- Increased funding for Juvenile Services at the Youth Correctional Facility in Mandan, as well as field services.
In addition, the legislation appropriates $41 million and sets up a legislative committee to address critical needs at the state penitentiary in Bismarck. Concerns include:
- A shortage of orientation beds for new prisoners to assess risk before inserting them into the general population.
- A shortage of segregation cells, where the most dangerous prisoners are housed at the State Penitentiary.
- Dated medical facilities at the state penitentiary that need upgrading and expanding. The state penitentiary has only five infirmary beds, but the need is greater.
- Construction at the east cell house, which is 100 years old. The unit has open cells that no longer meet modern prison standards.
“Our corrections officials and law enforcement officers do an outstanding job for the people of North Dakota,” Hoeven said. “While we’ll work with legislators, we need to move forward to address the critical needs of the state prison so that our officials have the facilities necessary to keep North Dakota the safest state in the nation.”
E-mail comments to the Governor
