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Arkansas has announced plans to build a 3,000-bed mega prison in Charleston, AR. This $1 billion expansion to the prison system marks a major step backward for Northwest Arkansas and the state at large. Together we demand #NotOneMoreCell
Why this mega-prison is bad for Arkansas
Out of Control Spending
$2.95 million taxpayer dollars spent to purchase 815-acre property in Charleston, AR
Vanir Construction Management Company (Sacramento, CA) awarded a $16.5 million contract to oversee construction.
$77 million taxpayer dollars per year to house 3,000 people in prison (the entire tax base for the city of Fayetteville)
Estimated $1 billion taxpayer dollars to build the prison. In 2021, $1.08 billion was allocated for the construction of two prisons in Alabama, but rising costs meant that just one 4,000-bed prison would cost more than $1.3 billon.
Loss of Property Value
Research shows that property values decrease over time in proximity to prisons and jails.
The prison sit is less than ten miles from Charleston Elementary School.
Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) hiring will compete with local business labor force.
ADC hiring will strain the local Sheriff's office labor force.
More than doubling the number of residents in Charleston, the new prison will likely increase local property taxes to increase funding to the Fire Department, City Water and Waste Management, and require significant local investment in new road construction.
Environmental Concerns
The prison is planned for a property that has two existing ponds. Prisons frequently use open-air ponds for human waste processing. These existing ponds both have overflow in Onion Creek, and a severe flood could mean a devastating contamination of local waterways.
This area was also included in a study by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in partnership with the AR Game and Fish and Natural Heritage commisions. It was found to be a high risk area of development of wind energy due to the potential presence of federally listed species, migratory birds such as waterfowl, bald eagles, and golden eagles, state wildlife action plan terrestial species, and at-risk plant species.
Arkansas has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with roughly 900 people incarcerated for every 100,000 residents.
In 2023, Arkansas spent $392,168,896 of taxpayer money on prisons.
3,000 new beds will have an operation cost of $76,836,150 or a 20% increase to the Arkansas Department of Correct (ADC) budget that has yet to be addressed.
Prisons in Arkansas are consistently understaffed year after year and have not utilized all taxpayer-funded beds today due to this staff shortage. According to the Shared Services Board Report by the Department of Corrections, in July 2024, there was a 43.80% vacancy across all correctional facility positions.
Some additional information on the prison expansion
What Has Occurred With Arkansas Prison Expansion
What's been set aside to date
Where is this additional funding coming from?
In the News
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