"It costs the state nearly $60,000 a year to keep an inmate at Ahtanum, compared with the roughly $36,000 at other prisons."

-To me it seems like this is a real waste, I understand why the state would want to close it. It's unfortunate that people may lose their jobs but gov't is too big and the numbers seem to say it's an inefficient use of our tax dollars.

Our city and county economy should not be so dependent on government jobs anyway. Gov't is one of the largest employers in the county. Grow the private sector, not maintain inefficient gov't facilities!

Good story. Let's not forget the real function of jails and prisons: to give jobs to people who are comfortable supporting the status quo of oppression. 90% of the people in jail wouldn't be in there if they were rich.

"Lawmakers say a proposal to close the Ahtanum View Correction Center will shift, rather than save, state expenses."

Another State Government shell game - Move them around until you lose sight of the one with the pea under it. Usually, the House, (Govt.) wins and the suckers, (We, the people) lose.

i feel for the some of the staff. I worked at this facility and other prisons. This facility is a joke. These are criminals of the worst kind. Dont forget the victoms. These inmates are coddled. what about the victoms? They belong in a REAL PRISON with the rest of the criminal population. This is not a prison it is a warm and fuzzy inviroment, a wast of tax dollers. As for the corrections staff..... there is always county corrections and they pay better. For the administration half of them shouldnt be in the positions they are Steve Hannson was head of the maitance, who gave him the position of LT? Not closing this facility is the only thing the staff there can agree on. This is not a prison the people in charg of this facility are a joke!!

The higher cost per person is a function of prisoner age and health condition. I suspect the facility has a lower cost than those larger facilities with mixed populations maybe as much as a third according to some estimates.

We are the world leaders in incarceration rates of our own people - 40% more than Russia, 5 times Canada or Europe. Whether it is because we are a particularly evil people or our system is prone to "feel good" criminal legislation, it appears that we have reached the point where it is no longer sustainable.

While some may gain some perverse satisfaction out of the movie image of prisons, the reality is that many prisoners are indistinguishable from any other population.

Whether you like it or not we assume the responsibility for caring for and protecting those that we choose to incarcerate. Even if our collective conscience is lacking, our Constitution is not. It is a pay-to-play system. If you want to incarcerate large numbers of people, get your checkbook out.

"It costs the state nearly $60,000 a year to keep an inmate at Ahtanum, compared with the roughly $36,000 at other prisons."

-To me it seems like this is a real waste, I understand why the state would want to close it. It's unfortunate that people may lose their jobs but gov't is too big and the numbers seem to say it's an inefficient use of our tax dollars.
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itisfriday, apparently you didn't fully grasp the article. Most or over 80% of these inmates are just regular immates that use 36,000 per year. These inmates all have medical needs that bump up the cost. So it doesn't really matter where you move them, the still cost that much. So really the waste would be gas and time to move them.

i didnt even know there was another jail..wow..

OK think about this. I worked in Monroe at the Washington State Reformatory. There they have four cell blocks in one cell block. ONE. it is four tiers high and 40 cells on each tier. each cell has two inmates. that is 320 inmates in just one cell block. Only three officers run that cell block. so why does it take 80 employees to supervise 130 inmates? In monroe they have a 3rd floor hospital in patient hospital and dr on call, nurses on call not there 24 hrs. In emergancy ambulance is called.I also worked at This facility and its a waste of your tax dollars. Hopefully the free ride for the administative staff is over on my tax dollars. Happy Job hunting in this econemy. The staff there are busier head hunting there own staff. Karma is a awsome thing. Right Kathy Dowdy?

Ok, Becca we get it, you use to work there and are not happy with the management.


Monroe has 1044 employee's and 2424 Offenders that is a ratio of 2.32

AVCC has 86 Staff and 130 offenders. That is a ratio of 1.51. Not to bad for the clientele that we support. and of those 86, 12 of them are part time on call. So if you take them out of the picture the ratio turns to 1.80. A little closer to the Monroe staffing ratio.

This is not just about the offenders this is about lively hood and supporting their families. Many people go to work in many industries for many reasons. They at AVCC chose to work within the Department of Corrections and support its mission.

Support us in keeping AVCC open to continue the mission that was started in 1997.

Becca, hope life gets better.

Opie T tax payers are making your paycheck. you can ship those inmates to other facilities where there are already Lt's and councelors, and medical staff. Instead of paying it again for 130 inmates here in yakima, and staffing another prison. If that is what you choose to call it. Other prisons have what they call protective custody. those inmates will be fine so quit glorifying AVCC. It's just not that productive. happy job hunting.

oh and you need to get your fax straight. 320x4 is 1280 that is 4 cell blocks that is not including the annex or seg. that is one facility on the hill there are 4 of them. try again. Quit trying to bluff the community. They dont know the differance. I do!

well at least we still work at avcc and did not get fired like "becca" did. That is pretty low that someone would want for others to be unemployed, your comments about happy job hunting are completely inhumane and uncalled for. Go pick up your welfare check. This is about people fighting for their jobs just like anyone else would be doing. Quit trying to bring them down to your level. At least if the prison closes they were made to leave because they all were and not because they got fired. Why is it again you don't work for AVCC or WSR?

In reference to the multible posts by "becca", Some of his/her information is reflective of a bitter past employee. These statements are for his/her personal gain. Out of respect, I will not place names on a public post. Please be responsible and check into what this facility is all about. It's a great place for both offenders and staff to be at. Offenders are not "coddled". They are held accountable for their actions and confined per WADOC policies and state RCW's and WAC's. We are leaders in correctional development throughout the United States. Great staff are hard to find. DOC tries to weed out staff who cannot measure up to the professional standards the public expects of correctional professionals. The public should demand this. Please support the staff at AVCC. They work 24/7 to ensure the public is safe and that the incarcerated offenders are held accountable for their actions. Correctional staff have very stressfull jobs. It is mental stress as well as physical stress. I applaud their efforts and will lobby to keep AVCC in our valley.

i transfered from Wsr and i didnt comply with sexual advances froma Sgt at AVCC Therefore i was black balled by the admin staff. The same Sgt had 3 other same compalaints against him. i had a awsome career with DOC. Not even a bad eval NOT ONE recomendations from LT and SGT from WSR.Come to AVCC Deal with the one SGT then on admin leave 3 times and i beat it. When they want ya they will get ya.Dont make me bring out the dirty laundy. I had to start over at no fault of my own now its admins turn. As far as the officers i feel for ya like i said there is always county. it pays better. But is still is true this facility is a drain on taxpayers nothing i have said is a lie. I am bitter i will admit. But i tell the truth. like i said community dont know what goes on there i do.

to that last post what do I have to gain?

Becca, There are some good people who work at AVCC and their families depend on their income. It's too bad that you feel you got the shaft, but as you know, if is very hard to get fired from the state (especially being union) so I'm thinking they obviously had cause or you would still be there! To wish ill will to the good people who still work there is wrong! Personally, I am glad you don't work there any more, the negativity is not wanted nor needed. As far as what you have to gain? MISERY LOVES COMPANY!

yes there are good people who work at Avcc some are my friends and i hate that they will have to look for work. It is hard out there. On the other hand it isnt hard to get fired from the State just buck the system @#$% off the right people and make the wrong complaint agisnt the wrong person. Bam no more job. See i thought the same thing.Wrong!!
what is going on I am not the govenor I did not make this discisson. But, I agree i dont want to pay the salery for the ADMIN AT AVCC. THAT IS BIG BUCKS AND THEY ARE WOTHLESS.
for the hard working officers there wait till your head is on the choping block. Its only a matter of time.

As for the last post the union is in the superintedants back pocket. mandatory dues. Get it? every where else is teamstes voulentary dues. figure that out.

this has turned into a personal vendeda, i am not on welfare and dont plan to be. look at the facts and the numbers. the fact that the admin there even responds to me has to tell you something. you are the community use your head and figure it out. I have said all I need to. About time i had a chance to say my piece.

Becca, I hear what you are saying. I know that you don't believe that the fine, straightforward and upstanding custody staff at AVCC should lose their jobs. I also know, from EXPERIENCE, that you are speaking the truth, just a little more colorfully.

There have been Admin and Custody Staff that were off the hook and were searching for ways to string you up if you weren't a good ole boy. Imagine, the first time you ever got in trouble in your working career, over following WA State DOC Policy and Procedure. Yep, then of course, the sexual harassment from the Sargent mentioned. Then trumped up BS charges.

And Yes, at the time that I experienced AVCC in its glory, the inmates were coddled. Where else do we turn our head and let them behave in any way they please as long as we are all getting along. Awwww. Group hug, I feel it coming.

Quite possibly Becca has had some of the same experiences. And I am sure many other upstanding custody staff, female and male, alike have experienced the inhumane treatment from certain supervising staff and Admin. (It's public record people)

Now, some of those crooked, evil, upstanding staff loathing people are gone, but some of them are still there. Kudos to those staff that have been able to survive it, however you did it. Chucking a peer under the bus to save your own skin, creating stories where there are none, or just plain keeping quiet when you know that your peer is falsely accused. It is a tough economy and you have to survive somehow.

I was fired from AVCC but was supported by the union upon appeal. I was granted full unemployment benefits due to the Administrative Hearings Judge (who is now a fine Yakima County Judge) saw ZERO merit to the cause for dismissal. The reason I did not fight for my position is that my spouse, kids, family and friends and I could not stand the stress that the superintendant and Lt. inflicted upon me. My physical and mental health deteriorated rapidly as lies and untruths were deliberately formulated and spread around my home facility (yes, I transferred to AVCC with zero black marks).

Several upstanding officers have been wrongly accused of inappropriate conduct without merit (other than an inmates word - usually words put there by Supt or Lt) and then run through the Supt interview gamet without proper representation or due consideration. It is sad when the biggest crooks are the ones supervising the inmates.

Today I am a productive and successful citizen in Yakima and am overjoyed at the favor the Supt/Lt did for me. If it hadn't been for the pain and suffering my family and friends endured, I would send Supt Poop and Lt Snivelin a thank you gift. But I am sure they have received theirs as you reap what you sow. I sleep well at night knowing that any error/lapse in judgment I had was minute and merited only educational corrective action.

Becca, you seem to have hit a nerve with a few of these people when you were not attacking them but voicing your experience (free speech) and commenting on this article, as this forum was intended.

Please do as "RqstTheTruth" has implored and get the facts. Get the facts of corruption, waste and coddling that have been ongoing since AVCC's inception. There really are great people that work there and their positions should be protected in some way.

Goodperson - if Becca was anything similar to me, she was professional, reliable and good humored until several bad experiences changed that. It is NOT difficult to be dismissed from the AVCC, just elsewhere in the State. AVCC had a reputation before I got there and I should have listened, but I believed that a situation is what you make of it. Not always possible. Following policy/procedure and not curling into a fetal position when kicked were my downfalls. What part of that is right?

Check the facts, do the math, do what is right. Yes, the economy is tough all over, but if you are a good/useful/reliable/honest person than you will find a good job and be ok.

I also worked at AVCC for a number of years. I have worked at other prisons in the state too and want to let folks know that the experiences of staff/admin tension are not unique to AVCC. It happens at all the prisons in the state. Staff are walked off, Administration bully’s employees and gets away with it. Policies apply only when it suits administration... Lawsuits, tension, union involvement. All of it. There's plenty wrong with AVCC, but it's not unique to that facility.

The real topic here though is the closing of the facility and the resulted savings to the state. I offer the following arguments:

1. If 80% of inmates at AVCC are just regular inmates that cost the state 36,000 annually, that means 20% or 26 inmates cost the state over 150,000 each.
130 inmates
$59,000 each=$7,670,000
80 (104) regular inmates@ $36,000/ea = $3,744,000
What’s left is the amount spent on the 20% (26) $3,926,000 which equals $151,000 each.
There will obviously be a HUGE savings for housing these 26 offenders if they are moved to another prison.

2. Assuming that only 20% of the inmates require extraordinary medical care, the other 80% still need care of some sort since, on the whole, inmates tend to be less healthy than free people of the same age. AVCC does not have an adequate medical department to handle this 80%. If it can't be administered in pill form, then it's off to the Dr. they go. Every dental procedure needed, ingrown toe nail removal, X-ray o any other "routine" type procedure is a trip to the community for the service; which equates into higher medical costs...in both costs of services and staffing. Every other prison in the state has the medical staffing and necessary equipment on-site to perform these types of routine procedures. I believe by moving this 80% of the population to another facility will save the tax payers a considerable amount of money.

3. Should the 26 inmates with extraordinary medical needs stay at AVCC. 86 employees is obvious overkill for 26 inmates. So for those who would like to keep the facility open, I propose the following staffing model. (We'll throw in 10 inmates for maintenance and food service).
36 inmates.
1 counselor,
3 officers (10 on call for medical outings)
1 Sgt.
1 records person,
1 plant mechanic,
1 secretary,
2 cooks
3 CNA's
3 RN's
1 Supt.
Cost per inmate in this proposal will still exceed $100,000 per inmate.

Warm and Fuzzy. Yes, the first Supt. prided himself on what a different culture AVCC had. A place where officers were not in uniform and could be seen tying an offenders' shoe.

5. These 26 elderly offenders are enjoying the "hospice" environment...Lest we forget the offenses of these old men? They are not stand up citizens who should receive any extraordinary care. They are murders, rapists, child molesters. They have a right to medical treatment, but only enough to maintain life. They were sent to prison and the key was thrown away. I believe the public would be appalled if they knew the type of treatment these loathsome individuals are receiving. These old men need to go back to a real prison and live out the remainder of their sentence. They have no right to dignity.

5. As for the other 80%, the majority of them are at AVCC in "protective" custody because they are child molesters or rapists. They should be moved to a real prison to either live in fear or live in a protective custody cell. They should not be living the life of luxury at AVCC, moving freely around the facility without a care in the world.

Prisons are a business. It does not make business sense to keep pumping money into a failing business. AVCC is a teeny weenie little prison with a great big pricetag. It is not cost effective to keep it open any longer.

Both OFM scenarios include closing AVCC. I don't think there's any hope of saving it.

As for the loss of state jobs- it is impossible and ridiculous to imply that the loss of 86 state jobs is going to cause the Yakima economy to spiral down into some sort of economic abyss threatening the existence of the town itself. Yakima has always had a depressed economy, and the loss of 86 jobs isn't going to make it any worse. DSHS, L&I, DOL, DOT and WSP are all still there pumping plenty of state salaries into the economy.

Times are tough right now. Luckily for this handful of state employees, most will have options to work at other locations within DOC. Private sector workers are not so lucky.