The View From Prospect Hill

Inviting a prison into the community is not a happy thought. Why would we ever want to house thousands of alleged criminals facing long stays during slow-moving and backlogged court proceedings?

The city has taken on so many initiatives to boost its image. More money is going toward school activities. Artwork is expected to help beautify our subway station. Roads are being redone and rezoning is preparing for a better city in the future. So how does building a new prison fit into all this?

Well, here’s the thing. Right now, the Somerville police building may or may not be a jeopardizing the health of police personnel. Some people will swear it is a sick building. Other people say that is yet to be proven. With a pending suit filed against the city, it is up to the courts. At the same time no one seems to argue that the police headquarters is dated and needs some work, maybe a new location altogether.

So somewhere along the way the idea of asking the state to pick up the tab for a new public safety center came into play. You want a jail, we want a police station, deal or no deal?

The jail that the Middlesex County sheriff’s office is envisioning for Somerville is expected to cost $135 million. So what is another $30 million on top of that for a police station?

Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola gives his O.K. to combining the project, and Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has even recommended a few sites.

Yet the mayor says this issue is backburner. Deciding to let a jail in the city is contingent upon a police station coming with it. However, no one has promised funding, and Curtatone still doesn’t know if it is a sweet enough deal for his city. There is nothing sweet about having a jail in town.

State Rep. Carl Sciortino says funding would be better spent on initiatives to combat crime rather than to build a place to house its spawns. He opposes seeing Somerville gain a jail no matter how sugarcoated of a deal is offered in the end.

Even if this issue is not one of the mayor’s top priorities, residents should start to think if this has any real benefit, if this is something they want in the city.

Watch out or soon there could be a new catch phrase hitting the streets. Don’t get caught or they’ll send you to Somerville.

Comments

[Democracy]

What a lame argument. So, why not have a plutonium recycling plant in Somerville, if it comes with a new Police Station?

[Manna from Heaven]

The last thing this city needs is a prison. Good work,Carl.

[Paulie]

so where do we put it? in Chelsea..maybe Brockton or Worcester?? how about Wellesley..maybe we should just let em' all out:>) has Carl suggested a solution to placing the convicts?? Just askin'

[Democracy]

Lexington? Brookline?

[JR]

A jail in one of the most densely populated cities in America is a big mistake. Why drop a prison in a place where you put the most number of people at immediate risk from escaped convicts and there are so many places to hide. They should consider placing it somewhere remote. Alcatraz is an example, albeit an extreme one, as to what is best for the location of a prison. Keep it as far way from people as possible. When did we forget this? This will also hurt the already struggling image of Somerville and could lead to a downward spiral. The mayor needs to take a look at the long term picture. The prison is not going to provide as much revenue as retail or other businesses. I heard a Soccer stadium might be in line for Somerville also. This will bring thousands of people on a regular basis and provide the local businesses as well as the city with new revenue. Then Somerville would raise enough money to build the police station on our own. Or perhaps the Krafts will throw in 30million to improve the police force in Somerville if they are building their stadium here. With the high international concentration in Somerville, it seems natural that a soccer/futbol stadium is a perfect fit. And do you think they'll give jobs to non-US citizens at the prison? I don't think so! So basically it will do nothing for may of the residents of this city. Somerville's future appears bright, but a prison would dash those hopes in a second.

[Go Figure]

Outstanding points, JR. Our local politicians might not have much competition this year, but if they put a jail in here, they'll be out on their rears in no time flat.

Existing jail sites sit on large parcels of land (Concord, Middleton, Billerica). Why not put this new jail next to an existing jail on the large tracts of unused land? It will save taxpayers money by using the currently owned land and they extend their current service and supply assets instead of adding completely new ones.

Thanks but no thanks Jim!

[Pilot]

How about a Convention Center instead? ... It could host meaningful events and international conferences at fees lower than the downtown ones (still very profitable), instead of stupid soccer games that only attract noisy drunk idiots with big SUVs.

[Jen]

Just to be clear, a "jail is not the same thing as a "prison." A jail houses pre-trial detainees held on bail, not those convicted of a crime.

[Just]

You mean that everybody in Billerica is waiting to be tried. If that is the case we don't another jail, in eleven more months and ten more days they are going to turn me loose.

[Creativity Needed]

When will our politicians actually use some creativity, instead of always worrying about lining their own pockets? How about asking the developers who are salivating over Assembly Square, Union Square, and Max-Pac sites to put up the $$ for the new police station? They stand to reap millions in profit, and give back NOTHING. Well, nothing to the city, anyway, I'm pretty sure that something will be exchanged privately....maybe a little 'walking around money'. Let's demand (like some past administrations did) something in return. You want to build in Somerville? Here's what you must provide in excahnge for the privilege. Rather than rolling over, re-zoning land, and otherwise making it even easier for them to make their huge profits, while we're left to deal with the traffic, etc. Let's get some pols who will stand up to the developers, not bow to them!

[Truth Fan]

Well, the Assembly Square developers did give the city a million dollars to pay for the legal bills that the mayor ran up to write and defend the zoning ordinance that was judged illegal. And of course, they raised the money that Mr. Curtatone needed to get elected the first time.

I doubt that we're going to see much more from them. They have their priorities, after all. So does the mayor.

[Another thing]

A real downside to having a jail in the neighborhood is the kind of visitors it attracts. Criminals tend to have other criminals as friends, and you can be sure that they'll be going down to the jail to post bail, for questioning, or whatever.

Several years ago I took part in a neighborhood clean-up that included Merriam Street next to our current police headquarters (aka the Public Safety Building). Aside from generally having the most garbage in its gutter of any street in the area, we found burglar tools and some syringes in the mix. Apparently these were disposed of by visitors before seeing their friends in the City jail there.