Belt-tightening delays opening of last prison wing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- One housing unit of the South East Correctional Center at Charleston, Mo., will remain closed for at least the next year because of financial belt-tightening by the state.

The prison, which opened in October, is designed to hold 1,596 inmates. However, Department of Corrections spokesman Tim Kniest said the prisoner population at the facility will be capped at 1,308, 82 percent of capacity.

The prison is expected to reach that cap within the next 12 months. At present, it holds 862 inmates -- 54 percent of capacity. Kniest said the department has no timetable for opening the final 288-bed wing, but that it won't happen during the fiscal year beginning July 1 due to lack of funding. The General Assembly last month included $10.9 million for the Charleston prison in the state budget it sent to Gov. Bob Holden. The amount was unchanged from the recommendation Holden made in January.

$13.34 million sought

The department had requested $13.34 million for Charleston. Sharon Underhill, the prison's business manager, said it was unclear what impact the lower appropriation will have on operations at the facility. When the facility will accepting maximum-security inmates is uncertain. It currently receives only medium-security inmates. Kniest said there is no rush to upgrade the prison's status.

"At the present time, more bed space is needed for medium security offenders," he said.

Maximum-security inmates are proven violent criminals and those serving long sentences. Medium-security prisoners primarily are those serving time for property-related, non-violent offenses.

If a need for space to house more violent offenders arises, they would first be sent to the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Mo. The $70.9 million Charleston prison was built as a maximum security prison and won't require additional equipment or security measures to begin holding such offenders, just more guards.

When it is fully operational, the prison is expected to employ 450 workers. A total of 322 guards and support personnel are currently on staff. That figure is expected to rise to 385 in the next year following growth in the inmate population.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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