Brown Ends CEC Contract at Jail

Northampton County has ended a controversial program intended to treat jail inmates like human beings instead of animals. The goal was to reduce the number of people returning to jail, But it would cost as much as $5.5 million over the next five years.

This contract was one of the last things that John Stoffa pushed through Council before leaving office.  He argued the contract could be canceled if unsatisfactory to the incoming Council. Lamont McClure was the sole dissenter. But this year, he managed to turn the entire council around o n the basis of an audit that showed the program was not as effective as it had been represented to be.

This program was also unpopular with corrections officers, although i unfamiliar with all of their objections.

Council jumped at the opportunity to cut this line item from the budget in 2015. Inmates, and their needs, are pretty low priority to most members of council. By being assholes to these unfortunates, most of whom are victims themselves, Council members can portray themselves as tough and fiscally responsible and all that good stuff.

When Council decided to eliminate these treatments programs from the budget in a 6-3 vote with only Ferraro, Benol and Geissinger opposed], they inserted nothing to take their place. Now, instead of there being some treatment that may be less effective than represented, there'll be none.

John Brown had no strong objections to getting rid of CEC. His only concern was putting something else in place, but Council would rather have the money.

The Executive has sent a memo to President Judge Baratta advising him of the contract's termination, effective January 16. Though a mental health court is in the works, the caseload proposed for that is much smaller than what was being provided by CEC.

CEC also provided treatment for female inmates.

Council members seem to think there's a vast pool of volunteers just pining away to spend their time the jail. But they're wrong. What is out there are predators, wolves in sheep's clothing who will strip away anything that's left of these inmates after their release. I've seen it and so have some of my readers.

This was a bipartisan mistake. This elimination was opposed by Peg Ferraro, Glenn Geissinger and Mat Benol.  But nobody gives a shit about inmates until it's someone you know or love.

Post Script: Executive John Brown could use a few courses in the proper way to address a judge. Instead of firing off a memo to Stephen G. Baratta, P.J., the proper way to refer to a jurist is as Hon. Stephen G. Baratta, President Judge..Considering what the taxpayers are spending for public relations, you'd think he'd at least try to get it right. If Baratta were to write to Brown, you can rest assured that he would refer to him as Hon. John Brown. His office deserves that form of respect, and Judge Baratta knows that much. John Brown should never send any form of correspondence to a judge, the District Attorney and even the Controller, without an indication of respect for the office.

This is a small matter, but this is one reason why his Administration needs more educated people than high school grads.

Updated 12/24, 12:16 am.