State blocks info on ‘violent incidents’ at Valdosta State Prison
Sounds like trouble is brewing down I-75. The Valdosta Daily Times says the state has turned aside its efforts to look into reports of “violent incidents in the Valdosta State Prison.” Says the newspaper:
The Department of Corrections (DOC) denied all requests in the Times’ Open Records filing, stating that, under Georgia law, the documents do not have to be released.
After receiving phone calls from concerned individuals who have knowledge of recent violent prison attacks, the Times submitted the Open Records request to Department of Corrections Commissioner Brian Owens.
Before doing so, the Times tried to contact VSP Warden William Danforth and was denied access to him.
The public information officer for the department did not respond to calls or questions submitted by the Times.
Kristine S. Pham, assistant counsel for the Department of Corrections, responded to the Open Records request in writing, stating that the request was denied for several reasons.
“These records are either part of the department’s investigative reports which are classified as confidential state secrets …. or part of the individual’s medical file.”
Pham also stated that the department “will not release records which may implicate security concerns,” citing a section of the Georgia Annotated Code.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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9 comments Add your comment
khc
June 7th, 2011
11:44 am
corrections folks have very tuff job, budget cuts probably contribute to security issues, but transparency in govt should be a given
BirdManofAlcovy
June 7th, 2011
12:14 pm
“…part of the department’s investigative reports which are classified as confidential state secrets…”
Stupid government employees, they always make the same mistake. Anytime they stonewall like this the news media just become more determined. The newspaper will find a judge who’ll order the release of the information, then the DOC will be embarrassed, someone(s) will get fired, and so on.
Silent Jay
June 7th, 2011
12:17 pm
BS.
Transparency? In the People’s Republic of Georgia? First Deal bans Fox 5 from covering a public ceremony in a public building–and now this.
Goodbye First Amendment. Blog fast, they’re coming to take you away.
Wondering
June 7th, 2011
12:49 pm
Judges are hesitant to order the release of information that might put guards at risk.
Remember that the request is for existing records, which probably discuss security plans and strategies. That falls clearly in the exception carved into the ORA. Also, Corrections is not required to create new documents or redact existing documents to satisfy the request.
jd
June 7th, 2011
1:25 pm
Wondering is correct — all recent changes to ORA by the Republicans who argue transparency in one breath — while taking away with another
SpaceyG on Twitter
June 7th, 2011
1:32 pm
Sounds like a job for LulzSec.
Typical Democrat
June 7th, 2011
1:44 pm
These poor misunderstood inmates probably never went camping as children, their parents did not hug them and then they just mixed up with the wrong crowd. They need lover and understanding … not incarceration.
Bobby Anthony
June 7th, 2011
3:52 pm
What are the violent incidents? Were they incidents between inmates abusing other inmates, staff abusing inmates, or inmates abusing staff? Working in a prison is a stressful job. The staff usually has a no-nonsense approach to handling situations because of the cliental they deal with. Sometimes guards do get carried away with the power they have over inmates. Inmates are not the best people in the world to work with because they lack regard for following rules and respecting authority. This is the reason why most of them are in prison. As a taxpayer in the State of Georgia, I would like to know the facts behind these allegations before I form an opinion on whether my money is being spent appropriately by the Department of Corrections. If the Fifth Estate is shackled from reporting facts we are deprived of valuable knowledge. I do believe there are more sources than just prison records. A hardworking reporter can find them if he or she uses a little shoe leather. Hopefully the journalist involved with this story will do this. I just hope the reporter will tell the facts and not turn it into an editorial. Give me the facts and let me make my own opinion.
prison employee
June 8th, 2011
7:30 pm
You think Valdosta is bad…….look at Alto/