I would like to thank you for your interest in the issues faced by the staff at FCI Englewood and for taking the tour of our institution on
December 16, 2005.  I look forward to Congressman Tancredo's visit in the near future.

Hopefully,  you can impress on the Congressman the issues that are on the minds of the staff at FCI Englewood which includes:

Budget shortfalls for the Bureau of Prisons
Budget shortfalls have created a mentality of "do more with less" in all government agencies. There is only so much, "do more with less"
mentality that can be tolerated in a correctional environment before someone (correctional workers) gets hurt or killed.  Additionally, the
"do more with less" mentality can affect the public when they are put at risk because there is not enough correctional staff to prevent or stop
escapes.   Inmates escape to the community thereby putting the community at risk.  "Doing more with less" in a correctional environment is not
good public or fiscal policy.

Privatization
Privatization may have appeal on the surface, but in the long run cheaper is not always better.  Cheaper usually ends up costing more.
The costs can range from inmate law suits because the private workforce is not a highly trained group of professionals and violate inmate
rights or law resulting in substantial monetary awards to inmates.  A poorly trained workforce can also be the cause of riots causing death, injury,
and destruction of property which ends up costing taxpayer dollars.

Corruption by bringing in drugs, escape paraphernalia, etc., to inmates by a lower paid privatized less professional work force resulting in
some very negative publicity and public outcry.  Privatization is not good fiscal policy as it will cost the taxpayer more money every time.

Retirement\Benefits
Congress is looking at ways to reduce the deficit by changing government worker retirement from high three to high five years' pay.
We discussed the graying of the work force and this is one issue that if pursued and enacted by Congress will drive many experienced correctional professionals out of the work force. Experienced workers are needed in all agencies of the government and more so in the field of corrections.

Additionally, the reduction in benefits such as medical coverage will also cause trained professionals to leave the work force.  Changing the
retirement system and reducing benefits is not in the best interest of the public.  Public safety hinges on having experienced correctional
workers.

Law Enforcement Status
Giving OPM the ability to decide who is law enforcement, particularly in a correctional setting is not good public policy.  As an example:
teachers, food service workers, counselors, secretaries, etc., might not be considered law enforcement.  All of these correctional workers
(teachers, food service workers, counselors, secretaries, etc.,) are trained correctional professionals who also work with inmates and
respond to emergencies.  Taking away law enforcement status from these highly trained correctional professionals is not good public or fiscal
policy.  Public safety depends on having highly trained correctional professionals who know how to deal with inmates effectively.

Your assistance in communicating the above concerns to Congressman Tancredo are greatly appreciated.  Once again thank you for your
support and interest.  Look forward to hearing from you regarding the Congressman's tour of FCI Englewood.

Respectfully,
Eva Donaldson
President AFGE Local 709
9595 W. Quincy Ave.
Littleton, CO 80123
(303)980-2319