In July, one of the nation’s top private prison companies, CoreCivic, purchased the Farmville Detention Center for $67 million. It’s under contract to house up to 736 men and expects to earn $40 million a year for its services.
Alyson Ball has spent years studying immigration and says a growing number of people are concerned because 85% of those arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE end up in privately operated prisons.
“This is the year where people are starting to become very interested in this topic. They’re seeing in their own towns things happening with immigration, and they are not sure that they like what’s happening.”
Already, she says, inmates complain of inadequate medical care and nutrition.
“Once Core Civic took over, the food just plummeted, and people started to lose weight there.”
A group of concerned citizens plans to meet in Farmville today from 4-6 to learn more about the situation, to plan visits and support for prisoners. They’ll also encourage local leaders to provide better oversight at the center.
The meeting will be held at 2790 W. Third Street in Farmville, from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, e-mail jordan2pm@gmail.com.
Editor's note: Ball later clarified that she has no first-hand knowledge of what prisoners at Farmville are being fed. Some sources have indicated the food at that facility has improved. CoreCivic says any allegation of detainees not receiving medical care or experiencing weight loss due to changes in food services are patently false.
In an e-mail to RadioIQ, the firm wrote: Operations at FDC-including those in leadership, food services, and medical care provided to detainees-have remained consistent since CoreCivic purchased the facility. In fact, we are now providing three hot meals each day instead of a cold breakfast and a hot lunch and dinner meal as was the practice prior to the acquisition. That change was met with positive responses from those in our care.
