For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
AFSCME Corrections United Applauds the Introduction of the Public Safety Act and the Office of Correctional Health Act of 2003
Washington, DC —The nation's largest corrections union, AFSCME Corrections United (ACU), today applauded Representative Ted Strickland (D-OH) for introducing the Public Safety Act (H.R. 1994) and the Office of Correctional Health Act of 2003 (H.R. 1993). ACU is the corrections branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO.
The passage of the Public Safety Act would limit the use of federal funds for the incarceration of inmates provided by private contractors. In addition, persons charged or convicted of an offense against the United States will be housed in facilities managed and maintained by federal, state, or local governments.
ACU represents 60,000 corrections officers and 20,000 corrections employees - highly skilled and well-trained men and women who work in maximum-security facilities, state prisons and county jails. "Incarcerating criminals is a fundamental government responsibility. Unfortunately, in private prisons across the country, public safety has taken a back seat to corporate profit," said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee. "In private prisons, cutting corners means hiring unqualified and poorly trained corrections personnel and understaffing facilities."
The Office of Correctional Health Act will amend the Public Health Service Act to establish an office of correctional health to monitor and maintain the health of employees working in federal, state or local correctional institutions to include disease prevention, health promotion, service delivery, and research and health education.
