Dear Editor:

I am honored that Correction Corporation of American’s (CCA) spokeswoman Louis Grant thinks our tiny organization, the Private Corrections Institute (PCI), might exert a powerful influence in the Millen community (Letters, Nov. 4, 2009). In fact, CCA with $1.5 billion in annual revenues uses its power to drown out a great deal of factual public discourse regarding their operations.

PCI’s single purpose is to educate the public on the issues arising from for-profit corrections. CCA’s only purpose is to profit off the imprisonment of human beings. We think they’re doing that in a way that endangers their employees, the public and inmates and detainees.

CCA would have the public believe that it’s the answer to all Jenkins County ’s economic woes. A substantial body of long term, peer-reviewed, university and think tank research has demonstrated the opposite is the case. The presence of their prisons typically represents drains on community resources and promotes economic stagnation.

CCA claims to offer “well-paying, stable” jobs. If a person is willing to work under dangerous conditions for fast-food wages with expensive benefits, and is comfortable with 50+ percent annual turnover rates, an unstable job might be waiting for them.

Ms. Grant resorts to calling PCI names because she knows that the facts are on not on CCA’s side. If CCA wants Millen residents to believe it is so wonderful, the corporation should publicly release turnover rates for all their facilities, details of all the lawsuits against them and the number of escapes from and details of the violent incidents at their prisons and detention centers.

With accurate information the public can actually make an informed decision versus one driven by false promises, economic desperation and job uncertainties.

Ms. Grant is well aware that anytime any CCA representative wants to publicly debate this issue in Millen or elsewhere, PCI will be eager to oblige.

For more information go to our webpage: www.privateci.org

Sincerely

Ken Kopczynski

Tallahassee , Fla. Dear Editor:

Over the past several weeks I have had the privilege of watching the Jenkins County High School One Act play perform “The Devil and Daniel Webster”.

Everyone should be extremely proud of these high school students and the excellent way they represented themselves, their school, their families and their community. They were once again Region 3A champions and State competitors but more than that they were a representation of all the positive, caring, committed qualities we all want to see in our young people. The time and effort they put forth to learn lines and rehearse is admirable.

I give a standing ovation to each of them and their director and look forward to future one act plays which I know will be as well-produced, well-acted, and well-received as ever. Encore, encore!

Connie Fields

Millen, Ga.