mbly leaders cited Senator Hagan’s recent active role in securing tighter safety and security controls over the operators of private prisons. (8) OCSEA members are also involved in testifying against bills. In 1998, H.B. 590 was a proposal to privatize all new state prisons. Representatives of the OCSEA Corrections Assembly testified against the bill along with Richard Corday, then a Democratic candidate for Attorney General. (9) Although the bill never passed, it is not proven that it did not pass because of the efforts of OCSEA.In 1998, Republican Ron Gerberry introduced a bill H.B. 738 that would impose a five-year moratorium on prison privatization in Ohio and create a joint House-Senate study committee. OCSEA supported this bill, but it did not pass.OCSEA members accompanied a House-Senate Corrections Institution Inspection Committee in an attempted surprise inspection of the Corrections Corporation of America’s prison in Youngstown, Ohio. CCA denied access because two OCSEA members accompanied committee members. The Corrections Institution Inspection Committee is now exploring new legislation that would penalize prison companies from obstructing the work of the committee. (9)The leaders of OCSEA called on state legislatures to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the escape of six inmates on July 25, 1998 from a private prison in Youngstown. The group also called on the General Assembly to ban future private operation of prisons. Leaders also wrote letters to Senator Rhine McLin and Representative Sam Bateman, requesting that a thorough investigation be conducted. The letter also contained a request for legislation to bar any new prisons housing out-of-state inmates and to repeal sections of laws passed that established two privately managed prisons. (10) OCSEA was somewhat successful because a thorough investigation was conducted, but I was unable to find out if the prison was turned ove...
