LAST MINUTE PRISON CELLS

The only surprise in a Sundquist administration decision to divvy up prison
cells between East and West Tennessee is why it took so long.

Administration officials told the legislature's Corrections Oversight
Committee last week that they were scaling down the proposed 2,316 Weakley
County prison to 1,400 to 1,600 beds instead. Another 700 to 900 beds would
be added to the Bledsoe County site, according to the plan.

The proposal owes much to the committee's insistence over several months
that the state should spread around its prison beds. Legislators certainly
don't object to the jobs prisons bring to their communities, but the
practical aspect of allowing families access to prisoners was a factor, too.

Originally, administration officials had said Bledsoe County had an
insufficient workforce to staff additions. Finding sites for prisons also
was a problem, officials said, even though a couple of counties actively
sought prisons in their communities.

As it is, the state will be scrambling to have sufficient beds ready for a
growing prison population. The Weakley County prison is scheduled to be
completed in 2005.

Lawmakers have blamed the Sundquist administration's hesitancy in building
cells on its preference for more private prisons. Whatever the case, the
result of nearly six years of debate is that Tennessee is behind on space,
and a new governor will have to deal with the issue as best he can.

The administration hasn't given a great deal of thought to corrections. To
be sure, its more pressing worry has been funding of the state budget. Yet
opportunities have been missed. While other states are developing
alternative sentencing and rehabilitation programs, Tennessee is not. It's
building more cells instead of looking at ways to save money and perhaps lives.

While prisons were far down on Sundquist's agenda, they will have to be
near the top on the new governor's list.