Alabama Governor Signs Agreements to Revitalize Correctional System
MIAMI—The Governor of Alabama today signed binding lease agreements with CoreCivic to lease new correctional facilities to be constructed and owned by CoreCivic. The State of Alabama will operate and staff the facilities. The new facilities will be located in Elmore and Escambia Counties and will provide approximately 7,000 beds. This is an important next step of the State’s Alabama Prison Program, an initiative to build three new correctional facilities and address its existing failing infrastructure.
“We are excited to see Alabama achieve this critical milestone. Our team’s strong partnership with the Department of Corrections resulted in developing a unique affordable solution to address longstanding challenges.” said Joe Lee, Chief Executive Officer of CGL Facility Management, LLC.
Faced with unsustainable living and working conditions, staffing shortages, exorbitant deferred maintenance costs, and failing, dilapidated infrastructure, the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) proposed a consolidation plan to replace its aging, unsuitable facilities in 2016 and 2017. After the State was unable to solidify a legislative solution in 2016 and again in 2017, the ADOC determined the best next step was to procure correctional infrastructure experts.
In 2018, the State of Alabama engaged HPM and CGL to conduct a system-wide evaluation and develop a plan to improve operational efficiencies and infrastructure. This team, supported by CGL’s parent firm Hunt Companies for financial consulting, applied a total cost of ownership approach to evaluate the system, define solutions, develop delivery options and implement solutions.
ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn commented, “Today’s announcement marks significant progress that advances our multifaceted plan to transform Alabama’s correctional system, beginning with replacing failing infrastructure. Embracing a holistic approach allows us to customize a comprehensive plan to lease and operate safe, secure, and sustainable correctional facilities. The Alabama Prison Program appropriately transfers risk, accelerates delivery, and identifies the lowest ongoing life cycle costs to secure the best possible value for the State.”
The plan will provide the State of Alabama with modernized facilities that improve safety and security, and that better accommodate the delivery of evidence-based rehabilitative programming to its inmate population. The Alabama Prison Program in its entirety will provide significant staffing and operational efficiencies, the creation of approximately 9,600 construction jobs, the avoidance of more than one billion dollars in deferred maintenance costs, the replacement of approximately 10,000 beds, and an anticipated cost-neutral financing solution.
The Alabama Prison Repurposing Commission, a multi-disciplinary group comprised of legislators, local government officials, and community representatives appointed to conduct a thorough evaluation of the ADOC’s existing infrastructure, will make recommendations as to which ADOC facilities should be retained and renovated as major correctional facilities, which could be renovated and repurposed for another use by the ADOC, and which should be repurposed to serve a different purpose, whether by another public entity or the private sector.
CGL is the leading provider of justice facility planning, design, program management and maintenance solutions. Dating back to 1974, CGL has since grown into the largest, most comprehensive criminal justice consulting firm in the world. To date, CGL has worked in more than 900 counties and municipalities, all 50 states, and 20 countries, delivering solutions on more than 1,900 projects. To learn more about CGL and 360 Justice, please visit www.cglcompanies.com