Governor Sarah Sanders and her Shadowy Mega-Prison
Sanders presses forward with mega-prison despite thumbs down from GOP
Photo Credit? Signs outside of proposed prison site in Charleston, AR. (Bill Gorman)
News came Friday, April 4 that the state prisons board has approved requesting general contractors’ proposals for building a new prison in Franklin County. This comes after the state Senate voted to refuse funding for the mega-prison, a shadowy top priority of Governor Sarah Sanders.
What does this tell us? That Gov. Sanders is determined to reintroduce a new prison funding bill before the close of the current legislative session. It’s an authoritarian effort that goes against the will of the citizens of Franklin County and their Republican representatives.
Gov. Sanders recently penned an op-ed titled "Finish the job," calling on legislators to approve $750 million for the highly controversial new 3,000-bed prison.
Sanders framed it as a necessary investment in public safety, pointing to bed shortages and the release of violent offenders due to lack of space in state facilities. But the governor’s case has serious holes—and the people of Franklin County are being left in the dark about a plan that will impact them directly. She also failed to mention that Arkansans will be stuck paying a shocking, ever-growing price tag.
Governor Sanders has provided Arkansans with countless examples of her disdain for transparency and accountability. The mysterious appearance of this proposed mega prison camp may unintentionally be the perfect example. It’s a clever campaign gimmick: Get Tough on Crime. But it lacks what real leadership demands: a public explanation of where this idea came from, data to show it’s truly needed, clarity on who benefits from the land sale and construction, and a serious analysis of the physical and financial realities of placing a massive project in this part of the state.
This is possibly the largest capital expenditure in Arkansas history. Yet the governor’s op-ed includes no financial breakdown or long-term budget analysis. That’s a red flag.
Photo Credit: Arkansas Department of Corrections sign outside of proposed prison site in Charleston, AR. (Bill Gorman)
Fortunately, the state Senate on April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rejected a $750 million prison appropriation bill. But this bill can still come back before the end of the legislative session, which Legislators anticipate will end by April 16.
Earlier, Republican State Senator Jimmy Hickey, who generally supports expansion, but not this process, proposed a $250 million contingency fund to cover likely overruns. His amendment failed. That tells us even backers know the numbers don’t add up. Based on similar prisons in other states, this one could easily cost over $1.5 billion to build and at least $75 million per year to operate.
More troubling is the lack of alternatives in Sanders’ argument. She paints the prison as the only option—which is misleading at best.
Republican State Senator Bryan King, who represents parts of Franklin County, offers more realistic options. He’s introduced bills to invest $100 million in crime prevention, parole reform, and reentry support to cut recidivism and reduce the prison population—solutions that address root causes. His recent bill (SB566) also includes grants for mental health services.
Photo Credit: Dr. Chris Jones meets with Charleston residents during site visit and town hall. (Bill Gorman)
New Problems for Franklin County
Franklin County has good reason to be skeptical. Local leaders were blindsided by the deal, finding out about the land purchase after it was finalized—on the news, the day before it was signed. In a surprise to many, Republican Senator Gary Stubblefield and I stood together at a town hall in Charleston to voice concerns. We heard directly from residents on the many problems this project would create.
Photo Credit: Dr. Chris Jones and Senator Gary Stubblefield (R) speak and hear from residents at Charleston Town Hall.
Residents have raised concerns about water quality, the fact that the land is on solid stone, the strain on their small volunteer fire department, the distance to the nearest hospital, the impact of importing 3,000 incarcerated people into a rural area with limited infrastructure, and the questionable land purchase process.
There’s also the issue of heritage: the Chickamauga Nation has identified the 815-acre property as a culturally significant archaeological site, potentially eligible for federal protection.
Photo Credit: Dr. Chris Jones and Charleston residents at gate of proposed mega-prison location during his site visit and town hall. Notice the rolling hills. (Bill Gorman)
These are serious concerns. Yet Governor Sanders and many Republican legislators are ignoring them. Notably, the Republican lawmakers who represent Franklin and surrounding counties are clear: they and their constituents do not want this prison.
Financing and Staffing Concerns
Even if the prison gets built, how will it function?
In 2022, nearly 46% of entry-level corrections officer positions went unfilled across the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Our state prisons already face severe staffing shortages, and the new prison would require about 800 staff. Governor Sanders hasn’t explained where these workers will come from—or how to pay them long-term.
This is also a political gamble. Sanders, who is a savvy political gambler, is pushing the prison as part of a “tough on crime” brand, which she is betting will garner law enforcement support. But the op-ed glosses over the fact that the state’s incarceration crisis isn’t driven solely by violent crime—it’s fueled by long sentences, harsh parole policies, and a lack of community-based alternatives.
Yes, we need consequences for criminal actions. But the governor’s emphasis on punishment ignores rehabilitation, even though she name-drops the “Pathway to Freedom” program without offering any plan to expand it.
Arkansas doesn’t need any more political gambling. What Arkansas needs is a realistic, transparent strategy that works before people end up behind bars.
A mega-prison in Franklin County won’t solve overcrowding—it will prop up the policies that caused it. It won’t improve public safety—it will shift resources away from schools, mental health care, and reentry programs that prevent crime. And for Franklin County, it means fewer answers, more traffic, strained infrastructure, and a facility they never asked for.
The governor says it’s time to “finish the job.” The better question is: Who asked for this job in the first place?
I'm from Arkansas and I know there's something everyone knows how to do and that's put up chicken wire to keep critters out of the chicken coop. Sarah is living a dream! Voting her as governor gives her permission to be the head coop erector for the masses, for profit and fame! Simple minds build 🧱 walls and prisons to keep people out and cage people within.
I am from Washington state, so while I am far removed from this, I still find it outrageous. In about 12 hours now I am publishing my take on this situation, based largely on information from this very insightful read. Looking to history, that has very much the look and feel of the creation of a modern labor camp, one that will consume the disenfranchised of Arkansas and convert them into a convenient source of labor to replace all those ICE has been deporting.