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February 16, 2010
Dan Rather Reports
Episode Number: 506
Episode Title: What's Happening Inside Reeves?
Description: A privately run Federal prison in a small Texas town collects millions of dollars a
month but few know--or can find out--what goes on behind the walls. And a national landmark
gets a makeover.
TEASE:
DAN RATHER (VOICE OVER)
TONIGHT, PAYING THE PRICE. WHAT’S GOING ON INSIDE AMERICA’S COSTLY
PRIVATE PRISONS.
DAVID SHAPIRO, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
Government operates best when it doesn't operate in complete secrecy. Unfortunately, it-- that's
not a principle that the law currently extends to-- to private prisons.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
ALSO, MISSION OF MERCY. WHAT YOU HAVEN’T SEEN FROM HAITI.
INDEPENDENT U.S. PILOTS BRINGING RELIEF TO THE FORGOTTEN FAR CORNERS
OF THE EARTHQUAKE COUNTRY.
CHRIS ROURKE, PILOT
It's about 2000 foot long, gravel strip and before we land we need to do a low pass so that the
locals will get all the goats, the cows, the one bull that lives there and all the people off the
runway so that we can land.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
AND AMERICA’S BUSIEST NATIONAL LANDMARK GETS A FACELIFT.
JANETTE SADIK-KHAN
We basically closed off Broadway from 47th Street, all the way to 42nd Street.
RATHER
And made this, what I'll call a concrete beach?
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SADIK-KHAN
Yes, this is Broadway Beach. That's good.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
WE’LL BRING YOU THE NEWS, TONIGHT ON DAN RATHER REPORTS.
THE PRISON AT PECOS:
RATHER (ON CAMERA)
GOOD EVENING FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS. OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT IS ABOUT
ONE MAN WHO DIED IN A FEDERAL DETENTION CENTER HERE IN TEXAS. BUT IT
IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT BECAUSE IT INVOLVES HOW THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SPENDS BILLIONS OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS. TAX DOLLARS THAT
ARE OUR INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND, ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO TRACE. AT
ISSUE IS THIS, IN 1997 WASHINGTON DECIDED TO OUTSOURCE SOME
INCARCERATIONS TO PRIVATE PRISON COMPANIES. SINCE THEN SOME OF THE
COMPANIES HAVE MADE FORTUNES FROM THE FEDERAL TREASURY WITH
WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE VERY LITTLE TRANSPARENCY AND LESS
ACCOUNTABILITY THAN YOU WOULD THINK. TEN OF THOUSANDS OF INMATES
AND DETAINEES HAVE NOW SERVED TIME BEHIND PRIVATE PRISON BARS, IN
WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE SECRETIVE, OUT OF THE WAY PLACES. AND NOT
EVERYONE THAT HAS GONE IN HAS COME OUT TO TELL THEIR STORY..
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
THERE'S AN OLD SAYING IN THIS PART OF WEST TEXAS..YOU CAN LOOK
FARTHER AND SEE LESS THAN ANYPLACE ELSE IN THE WORLD. THERE ARE
ALSO TWO CONSTANTS HERE: IT'S FLAT AND IT'S DRY. PECOS IS A SMALL TOWN
SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF IT....KNOWN MOST FAMOUSLY AS THE PLACE
WHERE THIS COUNTRY'S FIRST RODEO WAS HELD. IT'S THE COUNTY SEAT FOR
REEVES COUNTY, MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SQUARE MILES, A
COUNTY BIGGER THAN RHODE ISLAND. ALL THAT TERRITORY HAS A
POPULATION OF ONLY 11,000 PEOPLE AND MANY TURN OUT FOR COMMUNITY
EVENTS LIKE THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. BUT EARLY ONE DECEMBER MORNING,
ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE SHOWED UP FOR A
VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF MARCH. THEY'RE NUMBERS MAY BE SMALL BUT
THEY SAY THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING VERY BIG - CHANGE
THE WAY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TREATS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN AND
WOMEN SENTENCED BY FEDERAL COURTS TO DO TIME BEHIND BARS. THE
DESTINATION OF THE MARCH WAS THE REEVES COUNTY DETENTION CENTER,
JUST OFF THE MAIN HIGHWAY OUT OF TOWN. R-C-D-C, AS THE LOCALS CALL IT,
IS HARD TO SEE BEHIND ALL THE RAZOR WIRE. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 20
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YEARS, BUT SINCE 2003 THE COUNTY HAS PAID THE PRIVATE PRISON GIANT, THE
GEO GROUP, TO RUN IT. IT'S A LOW SECURITY LOCKUP CONTRACTED SINCE 2006
TO HOLD FEDERAL INMATES AND IT'S WHERE 32 YEAR OLD DETAINEE JESUS
GALINDO SPENT THE LAST YEAR OF HIS LIFE.
WOMAN
We are here in memory of Jesus Manuel Galindo who died here one year ago on Dec. 12th, 2008
while in solitary confinement, because this is what happens when someone seeks medical care in
this facility. They are put in solitary confinement. They don't receive medicine, they don't
receive medical attention.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
GALINDO, WAS, LIKE MANY OF HIS FELLOW INMATES, SERVING TIME FOR BEING
IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH IS NOT IN DISPUTE.
HE'D SUFFERED AN EPILEPTIC SEIZURE. THE QUESTION IS WHY A CONDITION
THAT IS TREATABLE PROVED FATAL? THE BUREAU OF PRISONS ISN'T TALKING.
NEITHER IS THE GEO GROUP... ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST PRIVATE PRISON
COMPANIES.
CROWD PARTICIPANTS
"What do we want? Medical care! When do we want it? Now!"
WOMAN
GEO, we are watching! People continue to die for lack of medical care. That is unacceptable
and un-American.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE...UN-KNOWN. THAT'S BECAUSE PRIVATELY
OPERATED DETENTION CENTERS LIKE REEVES AREN'T REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE
HOW THEY OPERATE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT U.S. TAXPAYERS ARE FOOTING
THE BILL. AN EXAMPLE; REEVES CAN HOUSE OVER THREE THOUSAND FIVE
HUNDRED INMATES. SO, HOW MANY GUARDS ARE THERE? ARE THERE ENOUGH?
TOO MANY? ONLY THOSE WHO RUN THE PRISON KNOW, AND IF YOU ASK, THEY
LIKELY WONT TELL YOU. IN THE BUSINESS OF PRIVATE PRISONS IT MAY BE
CONSIDERED A TRADE SECRET. WHAT ABOUT MEDICAL CARE? IS THERE
ENOUGH QUALIFIED STAFF TO TREAT THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS? THAT TOO...
UNKNOWN.
TOM BARRY, CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY
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For the last couple of years I’ve been on a quest, a quest for information…
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
IN LATE JANUARY, A GROUP OF EXPERTS WHO'VE BEEN STUDYING PRIVATE
PRISONS WAS INVITED TO CAPITAL HILL TO BRIEF CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS.
BARRY
And there’s no information, public information, about the deaths, the medical care…
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
THE GENERAL MOOD WAS ONE OF FRUSTRATION.
JUDY GREENE, JUSTICE STRATEGIES
The bottom line is, we cannot find out whether these companies are actually lawfully operating
the facilities that they are contracting with the federal government to operate in states…
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
CONGRESS HAS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT PRIVATE PRISONS FOR A WHILE. IN
2007, IT ASKED THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE TO FIGURE OUT
WHETHER PRIVATE PRISONS WERE COST EFFECTIVE. THE GAO CAME BACK AND
SAID THEY COULDN'T EVEN ANSWER THE QUESTION BECAUSE THE PRIVATE
PRISON COMPANIES DIDN'T HAVE TO SUPPLY THAT KIND OF DATA.
ALEX FRIEDMAN, PRIVATE CORRECTIONS INSTITUTE
If the Bureau of Prisons, the federal prison system arm, does not gather data from private prisons
that they contract with then they can’t provide it to the public.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
THIS BRIEFING IS PART OF AN ATTEMPT BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO CHANGE
THE LAW, WHICH WOULD FORCE PRIVATE PRISON COMPANIES TO BECOME
MORE TRANSPARENT.
DAVID SHAPIRO, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
Sometimes you’ll see a report that was generated by a private corrections company about a
particular death. Sometimes you won’t.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
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DAVID SHAPIRO IS AN ATTORNEY AT THE ACLU NATIONAL PRISON PROJECT,
AND FOR YEARS THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM BEHIND
THE PRIVATE PRISON WALLS BY USING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
BUT THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM...
SHAPIRO
They're not subject to the Freedom of Information Act like other federal prisons. And the
Freedom of Information Act is a lifeline of-- of-- an information lifeline that lets us know what's
going on behind the prison walls. It's not easy to-- to enter a prison. And so the Freedom of
Information Act is-- is really an absolutely critical source of information. And it's one that just
doesn't apply to-- to private prisons.
RATHER
And the federal government has increasingly been contracting with the private prisons.
SHAPIRO
That's absolutely right. There's been-- an explosive growth in the level of contracts between the
federal government and-- and private prisons and the number of prisoners that are being held in
these facilities.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
THE OFFICIAL COUNT OF FEDERAL INMATES HOUSED IN PRIVATE PRISONS HAS
MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2000. AND THE BUREAU OF PRISONS SAYS IT HAS
SPENT 2.2 BILLION DOLLARS ON PRIVATE PRISON CONTRACTS WITHIN THE LAST
FOUR YEARS ALONE.
RATHER
That's a lot of taxpayer money.
SHAPIRO
It-- it is a lot of taxpayer money. And-- and-- and-- and these private prisons are-- are clearly
making-- en-- enormous profits.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
SHAPIRO SAYS THAT WHAT GETS LOST IN THE BUSINESS DECISIONS, THE
BUSINESS OF MAKIN MONEY, IS THE MOST BASIC CARE OF THE INMATES.
SHAPIRO
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There's a tension between a private prison's bottom line, to-- to make money, and the important
governmental task that they're executing, which is to hold people in detention. And that can lead
to-- cutting corners on a broad-- array of-- of issues.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
AND THAT BRINGS US BACK TO THE SANDS OF WEST TEXAS AND THE
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF JESUS GALINDO, THE EPILEPTIC WHO DIED IN
SOLITARY. HIS PARENTS, JESUS AND GRACIELA AND YOUNGER BROTHER
DAVID, ARE LEGAL RESIDENTS. HIS FATHER’S A FARMER. GRACIELA'S A
HOMEMAKER. THEY LIVE JUST OUTSIDE EL PASO TEXAS. THE SAGA OF THEIR
SON HAS CONSUMED THEIR LIVES. JESUS JUNIOR WAS THEIR ELDEST SON. HIS
FAMILY CALLED HIM "CHUY". HE WAS THE FATHER OF FOUR CHILDREN. HIS
PARENTS SAY THAT AFTER COMING FROM MEXICO, HE WORKED HARD IN THIS
COUNTRY FOR 20 YEARS...FROM THE MEATPACKING PLANTS OF NEBRASKA TO
THE OIL FIELDS OF TEXAS.
GRACIELA GALINDO (TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH)
Well, for me he was a very good son. Very nice, he had a very nice character. He had a big heart
for everyone. He liked to help; he liked to have friends…
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
ONE DAY, WHILE OUT SHOPPING, HE SUFFERED AN EPILEPTIC SEIZURE. THE
POLICE WERE CALLED. THEY DISCOVERED HE WAS ILLEGAL... AND HE WAS
SOON SENTENCED TO DETENTION, ENDING UP IN REEVES COUNTY. JESUS SPENT
MORE THAN A YEAR AT THE DETENTION CENTER. AND HE SENT REGULAR
LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY IN WHICH HE WROTE THAT HIS PLEAS FOR MEDICAL
ATTENTION WERE FALLING ON DEAF EARS. THIS ONE WAS WRITTEN FROM
SOLITARY THE DAY BEFORE HE DIED. QUOTE: I TOLD THEM THAT I'VE ALREADY
BEEN IN HERE ALONE FOR A MONTH, AND THAT I AM GETTING SICK. THEY TELL
ME, “YES, YES!” BUT THEY HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING. I ASKED THAT THEY PUT
ME WITH SOMEONE, SO THAT I AM NOT ALONE. BUT THE DAYS PASS MOM, AND
NOTHING. " HIS MOTHER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HIM AND CALLED THE
FACILITY TO CHECK IN, THAT'S HOW SHE LEARNED HER ELDEST SON HAD DIED.
GRACIELA GALINDO (TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH)
They didn’t even have the decency to ask me if I was with someone, when they gave me the
news, “Mrs. Galindo, we are very sorry, we were unable to do anything to help Jesus.” How do
you think I felt in that moment? I felt like the floor was rising on me, I ran outside over here and
over there yelling, “No, no its cant be! I don’t want anything to happen to my son there. You will
be responsible!” And one of my neighbors heard me screaming on the phone. She ran to me and
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got in contact with him (points to her son) and with my daughter, and also with him (points to
her husband). That is all that I was told.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
HE DIED THERE, HIS FATHER SAYS, BECAUSE MEDICAL CARE WAS NOT ONLY
INADEQUATE, BUT INEPT. AND THE GALINDO FAMILY BELIEVES PLACING THEIR
SON IN ISOLATION WAS MEDICAL NEGLECT.
JESUS GALINDO, SR. (TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH)
A person who is sick, cannot be separated from people that could help him—the nurse that he
had. Why did they have separated? Why did they separate him and place him in a punishment
cell? He was not a criminal; my son was not a criminal.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
AT THE VIGIL COMMEMORATING JESUS GALINDO'S DEATH, WERE A COUPLE OF
FAMILY MEMBERS OF DETAINEES CURRENTLY BEING HELD AT REEVES.
MARIA REYNAGA
My brother was telling me that there's a lot of-- men that are committing suicide, because of the--
of the-- you know, the-- the way they treat them. And the-- the abuses and everything.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
MARIA REYNAGA SAYS HER BROTHER IS BEING HELD ON A DRUG CONVICTION.
HE TOLD HER HE'S EXPERIENCED THE BAD MEDICAL CARE FIRSTHAND.
REYNAGA
Well right now he suffers from gastritious, but it's a very bad ulcer that he has. He's had it since
he's been in jail because of the foods and everything. He doesn't get any medicine. He went and
asked for medicine, about- that's more than a month ago, and still he hasn't gotten it. So he says
it's very uncomfortable to be with the pain everyday.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
REYNAGA ALSO SAID THAT SHE'S HEARD THAT SICK PATIENTS ARE SENT TO
ISOLATION CELLS. JESUS GALINDO DIED IN ISOLATION AND IT'S AN ALLEGATION
THAT LISA GRAYBILL HAS HEARD OFTEN. GRAYBILL PROSECUTED PRISON
ABUSE CASES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR YEARS AND SHE'S NOW THE
TEXAS ACLU'S POINT PERSON INVESTIGATING MEDICAL CARE COMPLAINTS AT
REEVES.
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LISA GRAYBILL
And that, we believe, is part of why folks have died here... they've been denied adequate care.
Then removed from the general population, where at least their fellow inmates can watch out for
them. Placed in isolation, where they told us-- which is a single cell. Where they told us the
buzzers don't work. You can't get anybody's attention to bang on the door and bang on the door
and bang on the door to get a guard to walk by. So, you can see how easy it would be for an
inmate like Jesus Galindo, who was epileptic, had a seizure, and died on the floor by himself in
solitary.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
ACCORDING TO THE ACLU, AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE HAVE DIED AT THE REEVES
PRIVATE PRISON ALONE. AND WHILE IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR INMATES TO DIE
BEHIND BARS, WITHOUT ACCESS TO THEIR PRISON FILES, WHAT LED TO THEIR
DEATHS REMAINS UNTOLD.
GRAYBILL
And given the number of people that have died here, they're very afraid, I would say, that that's
something that's unique in this facility, among the many prison and jail facilities I've visited.
These guys are terrified that they're gonna die in here.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
BEFORE GALINDO'S DEATH NOBODY REALLY PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THIS
PLACE THAT'S MANY MILES FROM THE NEAREST BIG CITY. BUT ONLY HOURS
AFTER GALINDO'S BODY WAS FOUND, THE REEVES DETENTION CENTER
SUDDENLY MADE HEADLINES.
NEWS REPORT
The Reeves county sheriff’s office says the riots started about five o’clock Saturday. And
inmates have completed destroyed one section of the detention center.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SIX WEEKS, TWO RIOTS ROCKED REEVES.
INMATES WITH SMUGGLED CELL PHONES CALLED THE LOCAL MEDIA TO
PROTEST WHAT THEY SAID WAS POOR MEDICAL CARE.
INMATE PHONE CALL
Those three inmates sick and instead of them taking care of them, they put them in the hall, and
then they just had them with medication, which were, they were just putting them to sleep.
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RATHER (VOICE OVER)
THE SECOND RIOT ENDED WITH TWO BUILDINGS ON FIRE AND AN ESTIMATED 40
MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
RATHER (ON CAMERA)
THE GEO GROUP REFUSED OUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR COMMENT ON
THE RIOTS AND THE DEATH OF JESUS GALINDO... INSTEAD, THEY OFFERED US A
MEDIA STATEMENT THAT READS QUOTE - GEO IS PROUD OF ITS TRACK RECORD
OF MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS AS A HIGH QUALITY CORRECTIONAL AND
DETENTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROVIDER. NO LARGE SCALE
CORRECTIONAL OR DETENTION PROVIDER IN THE UNITED STATES IS IMMUNE
TO OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES THAT INCLUDE DISTURBANCES AND DEATHS IN
CUSTODY - UNQUOTE.
GRAYBILL
Rioting is actually quite rare at prisons. It takes a lot-- really to provoke inmates into that kind of
action. And this is a nonviolent population. Most of the people-- all-- all people, to my
knowledge, that are in here, are here for nonviolent crimes.
MIKE TORRES
And they're asking for better medical. That's it. Okay? That's it. I mean, just the fundamentals
of what any of us should expect-- in-- for somebody that's incarcerated.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
MIKE TORRES IS AN EL PASO ATTORNEY WHO, WITH ANOTHER LAWYER, HAS
BEEN HIRED BY THE GALINDO FAMILY TO HELP THEM FIND ANSWERS . AND
BECAUSE LAWYERS, UNLIKE REPORTERS, HAVE THE POWER TO SUBPOENA
DOCUMENTS AND TAKE DEPOSITIONS, CASES LIKE THE ONE OF JESUS GALINDO
MAY FINALLY SHED LIGHT ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN PLACES LIKE REEVES. EVEN
SO, TORRES SAYS HE'S HAVING A HARD TIME PINNING DOWN WHERE THE
ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY LIES WHEN IT COMES TO PRIVATE PRISONS.
TORRES
There's a lot to tell about them, but one issue that I see is that they you know kind of exist in this
netherworld of you know nobody's really sure who has oversight over them.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
THE GALINDO FAMILY HAS YET TO FILE SUIT, AND PART OF THE PROBLEM IS
DECIDING WHO'S TO BLAME.
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TORRES
Some of the things that- that show that- the relationship between the county, GEO group, PNA…
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
BUT TORRES SAYS SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE TO ANSWER FOR THE DEATH OF A
YOUNG MAN IN CUSTODY.
TORRES
It looks like there's plenty of blame to spread to-- to different people. But I mean, there-- there's
some things that show-- problems-- some of the facts that we're seeing show problems than just
the-- the one-on-one supervision, obviously-- to kind of more systematic problems, like just the
general status of healthcare there. I mean, in the case of Jesus Galindo, where it's just such-- just
so grossly irresponsible, what they did to this man and his family, by allowing him to die and by
allowing him to die in the manner that he, that he did, where-- you know, I'm sure this man was
just, you know, gasping for-- for breath like a fish out of water in his last moments.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
GALINDO HAD BEEN MOVED TO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT JUST WEEKS BEFORE
HE DIED...WHY? ONLY GEO AND THE MEDICAL SUBCONTRACTOR KNOW AND
THEY ARE STONEWALLING. HERE'S ONE THING WE DO KNOW. ACCORDING TO
BLOOD TESTS FROM AN AUTOPSY REPORT, GALINDO HAD QUOTE - BELOW
THERAPEUTIC LEVELS - UNQUOTE OF ANTI-SEIZURE MEDICATION. AND
ATTORNEY TORRES SAYS THIS MEDICAL DOCUMENT HE GOT FROM THE
FACILITY PROVES HOW INDIFFERENT THE CARE WAS. HERE A DOCTOR
COMPLAINED ABOUT GALINDO'S QUOTE - ATTITUDE PROBLEM - AFTER AN
EXAMINATION. IN THE LETTER WRITTEN THE DAY BEFORE HIS DEATH,
GALINDO CONCLUDED BY SAYING...QUOTE - "I THINK OF YOU MOTHER AND
FATHER, AS WELL AS MY CHILDREN. I ASK GOD AND PRAY THAT HE GETS ME
OUT OF HERE." BY THE TIME GALINDO'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED IN THE CELL,
RIGOR MORTIS HAD SET IN.
TORRES
We have a responsibility to make sure they're treated decently. Nobody's talkin' about, you
know, Cadillac healthcare services or-- or anything like that. I-- I mean, we're just talking about-
- about basic, basic needs. Do they have shelter? Is it adequate shelter? Do they have-- ar-- are
they being fed adequately, okay? Are they receiving adequate medical care?
RATHER (ON CAMERA)
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WE WANTED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS AS WELL. WHEN WE
ASKED THE BUREAU OF PRISONS FOR AN INTERVIEW OR COMMENT, THEY
REFUSED AND TOLD US TO CONTACT REEVES COUNTY AND THE GEO GROUP,
THEY WOULDN’T COMMENT EITHER. WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE MEDICAL
PROVIDER, TEXAS-BASED PHYSICIANS NETWORK ASSOCIATION. THEY NEVER
RETURNED OUR MESSAGES.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
BUT WE DID LEARN SOME THINGS ABOUT REEVES FROM AUDIO RECORDINGS OF
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETINGS, LED BY COUNTY JUDGE SAM
CONTRERAS. FOR INSTANCE, WE LEARNED THAT THE BUILDINGS LACKED A
SPRINKLER SYSTEM IN CASE OF FIRE AND THAT THE FACILITY WAS
SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERSTAFFED ACCORDING TO A BUREAU OF PRISONS LETTER
THE COUNTY JUDGE READ TO COMMISSIONERS.
COUNTY JUDGE SAM CONTRERAS (COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING)
"On the second page it says, “Staffing at the institute has been operating below 60 percent on the
proposed (UNINTEL) . It is our opinion that your lack of staff, especially in the corrections
services, has led to performance problems….” That’s a big one right there."
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
AT ANOTHER MEETING THERE WAS DISCUSSION THAT THE RIOTS WERE IN FACT
CAUSED BY A LACK OF MEDICAL CARE AND THAT ILL INMATES WERE
ISOLATED, OR PUT IN THE SHU.
CONTRERAS
"That's what started the disturbance, 'cause they were being placed in the SHU when they didn't
do nothing wrong. They were just sick."
FATHER MIGUEL ANGEL SANCHEZ
The inmates were not being provided immediate-- services. They had to wait for long-- la-- days
sometimes, you know, just to be brought into the nursing offices and see. And then given a
checkup or see what th-- their need was.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
ONE PERSON WHO HAS SEEN REEVES FACILITIES FROM THE INSIDE IS FATHER
MIGUEL SANCHEZ, HE’S A CATHOLIC PRIEST WHOSE PARISH DUTIES IN PECOS
INCLUDED REGULARLY VISITING THE DETENTION CENTER. HE MINISTERED TO
THE WORKERS AS WELL AS THE INMATES.
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FATHER SANCHEZ
Some of the employees are also parishioners or of a-- of the Catholic church. And so-- yes, some
of them w-- will-- will agree with-- with what the inmates were saying. In terms for example for
the medical needs that yes they had to wait a long time, sometimes days you know to- to be taken
care of, so they were concerned. Because then-- for-- as employees-- they-- then the-- the
inmates will-- will get upset, will get angry. And they were the only ones that had to deal with
them, and-- and they were angry because of the needs that they were requesting were not being
met.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE STAFFING
SITUATION AT THE FACILITY.
FATHER SANCHEZ
One of the complaints they had is that they were overworked-- because they're-- they don't have
enough-- employees. They were always advertising for more and more employment. You know,
they were exhausted. Because they-- they had to work sometimes-- longer periods or even
double shifts.
RATHER (VOICE OVER)
SO WHAT'S THE PRIVATE PRISON COMPANY'S TAKE FROM THIS? GEO RECEIVES,
AFTER EXPENSES, A MONTHLY MANAGEMENT FEE OF OVER 400 HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT'S A YEARLY PROFIT OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS -
ALL PAID BY U.S. TAXPAYERS. AND THAT'S JUST THIS FACILITY. THERE
ARE NEARLY A DOZEN OTHERS LIKE THIS ONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND
THESE ARE JUST BUREAU OF PRISONS FACILITIES. THE U.S. MARSHALS AND THE
IMMIGRATION CUSTOMS AND ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ALSO HIRE PRIVATE
PRISONS TO HOUSE THEIR DETAINEES.
SHAPIRO
We know that abuses are occurring in private prisons. We know that people are dying
unnecessarily in private prison. But we don't have the full story about what's going on because
you can't get meaningful access to these private prisons.
RATHER
Well, what happened to the idea that the best disinfectant for corruption and abuse is sunlight?
SHAPIRO
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Government operates best when it doesn't operate in complete secrecy. Unfortunately, it-- that's
not a principle that the law currently extends to-- to private prisons.
RATHER
What's your greatest fear is going on in there?
SHAPIRO
My greatest fear is that there are far more examples-- than even the ones that we've been able to--
to uncover-- that are never gonna be uncovered if there continues to be a lack of transparency
about what's going on behind the walls of private prisons.