What’s been ‘maximum’ about prison security?

EDITORIAL

By: Ruth Luse
   With the Aug. 30 escape of convicted murderer Terence Monroe Brewer from the Mercer County Correction Center near Titusville, the oft-discussed issue of housing maximum-security prisoners at the Route 29 facility again has become a major concern.
   Now that Mr. Brewer is back in custody, Mercer County officials can stop worrying about him and begin to address — very seriously and intensively — the various reasons why he was able to flee in the first place.
   Hopewell Valley residents will settle for nothing less than a complete investigation of the correction center, with a focus on security measures. We understand that both administrative and criminal investigations are under way. We hope the fact-finding can be done with complete objectivity and be kept out of this fall’s political arena — and that the findings will be released promptly.
   But we must ask: How could prison officials not pay attention to the whereabouts of a newly-convicted murderer who was sent to Hopewell Township? And how could county officials let the situation at the workhouse deteriorate to such a degree? And how well will area residents sleep at night, knowing what we now know about that facility and its operation?
   We have a much greater understanding of those who fought to keep maximum-security prisoners out of Hopewell Township. We realize that prison space is a dear commodity statewide. We know that its upkeep is expensive. That’s why we didn’t react too strongly when the move was made a few years ago to place them here. We believed the courts and law enforcement officials knew what they were doing.
   Now, we know better.
   We did not believe the government would place a convicted killer in a porous facility guarded by people who apparently can’t count.
   It did.
   When local officials said they didn’t want "maximum security" at the workhouse, this isn’t what they meant.
   Finding someone to blame for the Aug. 30 escape obviously is one major issue. Indeed, there must be accountability, no doubt at all levels. However, we are less concerned about the tarring-and-feathering of those responsible than we are about seeing county officials take all necessary measures to ensure the present and future security of the workhouse. Immediately. If that cannot be done, maximum-security inmates should be moved to another location and no others sent here.
   To those who say that’s not reasonable, that there are no options, we say the people of this area have tried being reasonable. That didn’t work. Now it’s time for our elected leaders at the county and state levels to create whatever options may be necessary to give our community a reasonable sense of safety.
   The "maximum security" of the people of this and surrounding communities is our only concern!