Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Grits for Breakfast

Criminal Law

: Grits for Breakfast

Geo Group secretly snagged forensic psych hospital contract in budget conference committee

Amazing! Emily Ramshaw at the Dallas News reports that legislators inserted a provision into the state budget in conference committee to pay for a privately-run psych prison in Montgomery County to be run by the Geo Group, even though no state agency requested it and the idea didn't make it through the budget process in either chamber. According to Ramshaw ("Troubled prison firm's deal for new psychiatric hospital raises questions," July 11): Lawmakers inserted an earmark into the state budget to fund the future Montgomery County facility starting in 2011. But they said they didn't know until this week that the county had selected the GEO Group to operate it, although GEO lobbyists were pushing for it as early as February. The new facility came as a post-session shock to mental health advocates, who acknowledge the need for it...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on July 11, 2009 (boomark / email).