The 480 inmates exported to a private Oklahoma prison in 2006 and 2007 will return to Colorado — and visiting distance of their families — “in the near future,” officials say.
Ari Zavaras, the state corrections director, wouldn’t release details of the homecoming for security purposes, he told the legislature’s joint Judicial Committee on Wednesday.
The return comes despite warnings of bed shortages at public prisons and threats by the private Corrections Corporation of America to ban new Colorado prisoners from its cells if the state doesn’t pay the company more money.
The squabble over funds — an additional $4.2 million next year alone — won’t interfere with the planned return, said Katheryn Sanguinetti, department spokeswoman.
“Any time you move inmates out of state, it’s a hardship on the family,” Sanguinetti said.
The inmates — among the healthiest and best-behaved in the public prison system in 2006 — were sent to the CCA-run North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre, Okla.
There they complained of smaller rations, lack of access to phones and law books and expensive commissary items.
Prisoner advocates and relatives meanwhile argued that family interaction is crucial to reforming inmates.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
