MT: DOC Exploring "Special Needs" Prison

The Department of Corrections was successful in lobbying for several million dollars to explore a “special needs” prison that is scheduled to open in late 2006. The legislature has not specified exactly which “special needs” people will be served by a new prison, but it’s likely to be for imprisoning people who are classified as disabled, geriatric, chemically dependant, sexual offenders, or, security threat groups (people the DOC has designated as “gang related”). The prison was sold to the legislature on the premise that its design and programming would be different from the standard prison setting, but since the size, location and design are all negotiable, it’s difficult to know how different it will be.

The Department of Corrections has been praised by some for addressing the shortcomings of prisons for confining people with mental health issues, or people who require drug and alcohol treatment. The DOC has taken the interesting position of acknowledging that prisons are not the most effective way to manage mental illness or addiction, but new special needs prisons will be more effective than serving these populations in the general community.  Source: Billings Gazette, Montana DOC website