BP talks with George LombardiState agencies are cutting jobs, limiting some services, limiting travel,and taking other steps to deal with state government’s declining fiscal condition. One agency is trying to handle its situation without violating the constitution.
At a time when Missouri’s prison population is increasing by an average of 30 inmates a month, state government is under growing pressure to cut spending.
More than thirty-thousand inmates have to be fed every day. They have to be housed and kept warm in the winter. They have to have medical attention. And they have to be guarded.
Twice as many people are under department supervision outside the walls—through a widespread probation system.
But for Corrections Director George Lombardi says some spending requirements are, well, inescapable. “There are medical, mental health, food issues, etcetera that are really important, as well as our safety and security of our facilities….as well as the public,with parole officers,” he says.
Corrections director George Lombardi says every aspect of the operation has been scoured for things that could be delayed, personal services that could be reduced, travel that can be avoided—as other department have done.
But those other departments don’t deal with more than 30-thousand of the most dangerous people in the state.
