CCA Dedicates Fifth Prison in Pinal County, First-Ever Facility Prototype
Corrections Corporation of America, the nation’s largest provider of corrections management services to federal, state and local government, dedicated the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona on Tuesday, marking the opening of the company’s fifth facility in Pinal County, Arizona and its 65th correctional center nationwide. Corrections Corporation has a contract with the Hawaii Department of Public Safety's Corrections Division to operate the $95 million Saguaro Correctional Center.
More than 100 guests - including dignitaries from the State of Hawaii, CCA corporate management and local facility personnel, as well as local Arizona officials and community leaders - attended the ceremony, which included a traditional Hawaiian dedication of the facility. The 1,896-bed facility will house exclusively Hawaii inmates, and is expected to receive the first 125 inmates later in June. The opening of the Saguaro Corrections Center is the culmination of 10 years of partnership between the Hawaii Department of Public Safety and CCA. The Saguaro facility will address Hawaii's correctional needs by consolidating the majority of its inmate population of 2,000 in various CCA mainland facilities into Saguaro and the adjacent CCA Red Rock Correctional Center. Construction on Saguaro began in February 2006 and was completed in June 2007.
"The opening of this state-of-the-art correctional facility, which we have built for our valued State of Hawaii customer, is a proud occasion for our company," said John Ferguson, president and chief executive officer. "It represents CCA's continued dedication to delivering on a promise of meeting customers' demands in the area of corrections management services. It delivers meaningful economic stimulation to the local Pinal County community, which has been a strong partner to CCA. I applaud our dedicated employees and vendors who have contributed so much to bringing this correctional center from a concept to a successful reality."
The Saguaro Correctional Center is CCA’s represents a news correctional facility prototype for CCA. It incorporates a new design, state-of-the-art technology and new communication systems. These new technologies include a stun fence, front-end metal detectors, front entry X-ray machines and enhanced camera systems. Saguaro is the first facility built with CCA's new design that fully supports the direct supervision method of inmate management. Additionally, the facility will be the first of CCA’s correctional centers to have video conferencing in each housing unit, giving offenders a more flexible way to visit with family members. The Hawaii Department of Public Safety will provide the facility with video conferencing equipment for parole hearings and court cases. This technology allows the parole board to see inmates during court proceedings without the expense and security risks of off-site court appearances.
Because only Hawaiians will be serving time inside the campus-style facility, the correctional center will observe Hawaiian holidays, accommodate natives' polytheistic religious beliefs and base its food service menu on Hawaiian culture and meal preferences. The center will place a strong emphasis on programmatic opportunities for the offenders, including education, vocation, substance abuse treatment, faith-based initiatives and life skills programming.
The Saguaro Correctional Center will employ 300 correctional and administrative staff, for a total of nearly 2,000 employees in Arizona. CCA is the largest employer in Pinal County and one of the top 100 employers in the state, currently annually generating more than $75 million in payroll and more than $3 million in property tax revenues. Corrections Corporation of America owns and operates 65 correctional facilities in 19 states and the District of Columbia, with responsibility for more than 70,000 offenders.