Newspaper

The Alabama Legislature finished another lackluster session in Montgomery last month, leaving behind a dangerous, unresolved overcrowded prison system issue.

For many Alabamians, the idea of spending more money on prisons is not a popular topic. The general consensus is that the thousands of people locked up at a 175 percent capacity are there because they deserve it. The truth, however, is that not much thought goes into the correctional system.

Major problems are not often addressed adequately by the Legislature because the state lives in a political environment that has long thrived on emotion and some of the worst demagoguery ever portrayed in the United States.

Less than a decade ago, there were signs of promise in the state. Some significant investments have been made by companies that brought better economic opportunities. Some lawmakers were intent on weeding out duplication and bureaucracy in state government, as well as corruption.

Then came the debacle of former House Speaker Mike Hubbard and his felony ethics problems. Former Gov. Robert Bentley made a last-minute departure before House members could unleash impeachment procedures against him. Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore again violated ethical standards of a top judiciary figure and was tossed from office.

Getting those three people out of public office at least leaves open the door for some much needed change and progress within state government.

Nonetheless, it is baffling how the prison issue can continue to linger with the federal government closely looking at the conditions of the prisons and the impact on inmates and the officers who work within those dangerous environments.

Fights among inmates are not uncommon, but they become increasingly deadly encounters. Prison guards are now becoming targets at an alarming rate as they deal with an overpopulated element of criminals in outdated facilities.

The families of those guards have every right to be angry at the lack of action by the Legislature. And sure, a lot of people are skeptical about massive bond issues and how to repay them. That’s understandable. What’s lacking is a will to study and find the approach that will best serve the state where incarceration is concerned.

With a stubborn resistance embedded in lawmakers against raising property taxes, which is the most fair and reliable taxation available, the hope of fixing prisons, enhancing education, and making the vast services under the General Fund more functional is fading. 

An election year on the horizon ensures not much will be accomplished in the next session.

Again we stand in the face of federal intervention to make Alabama solve a desperate and dangerous situation. Perhaps that is what many lawmakers want. In an election year, or anytime across Alabama, it is good politics to say the federal government forced its will on the good people of the state.

The truth is that the politicians who employ this low form of political preservation are mocking the obligations of their offices and betraying Alabamians who have long wanted trustworthy, effective government.