North
Carolina Department of Correction
HYDE CORRECTIONAL CENTER
DEDICATION - MAY 2, 1997
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Our thanks to Governor
Jim Hunt, Senator Marc Basnight, county commissioners and
other officials who helped locate this new prison in a
county teeming with wildlife and rich in history.
Fortunately, according to 16 environmental assessments,
this prison will not have any significant impact on the
natural environment, while making a huge impact on the
local economy. We want to be good neighbors to the
citizens of Hyde County as well as to the bears, red
wolves, bald eagles and swans.
Hyde Correctional Center
will become home to 500 men in need of learning how to be
a good neighbor. We dedicate this prison today to help
stop crime and root out prisoners' criminal behavior.
The North Carolina
Department of Correction is doing its part in fulfilling
the vision and promises of Governor Hunt to the citizens
of North Carolina, citizens who were crying out to stop
the revolving prison door. Dedicating Hyde Correctional
Center today is one more successful effort to help slam
that door shut.
This prison would not be
here were it not for Governor Jim Hunt's leadership. In
1994, Gov. Hunt called for a special session of the
legislature to address crime issues. He pushed for
tougher sentences for violent criminals and to make
inmates work. As a result, paroles have dropped 54%, and
more than 19,000 inmates are working or training for
jobs.
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Under the new Structured
Sentencing Act, violent offenders are serving more time with no
parole while non-violent offenders are sent to community
punishment programs where they can get the help they need, work
to pay restitution to their victims and work for the community.
Now that the Department of
Correction has taken control of the prison system, and the crime
rate is down, Gov. Hunt has turned his focus on education.
More than 80% of state prisoners
test below a 12th grade education; 56% are below an 8th grade
level. No one can dispute that education, whether it be inside or
outside the prison gates, is a critical factor in living a
crime-free life. Here in Hyde County, students at Ocracoke High
School will have a chance at a better education following the $7
million in grants given to the county for school renovations and
new studies.
Governor Hunt's Smart Start
program will go a long way towards getting children squared away
with a solid foundation. New research shows that 85% of a child's
brain development happens in the first three years. Smart Start
ensures that ALL families can find good, affordable day care and
preventive health care so children can start school healthy and
ready to learn. That's why the governor wants Smart Start in
every county by the year 2000. He's also pushing the legislature
to pass the Excellent Schools Act where teachers' salaries would
increase along with accountability. Classrooms would be smaller
and safer. He needs our help to make sure both of these important
measures are passed and fully funded.
Governor Hunt wants each North
Carolina citizen to be the best he or she can be, and that
includes prisoners. That's why we will begin teaching character
education to our youthful offenders. We are the first in the
country to take this bold step. Our primary charge is to protect
our citizens from violent criminals, and second, to build
character and morals in the offender population.
Governor Jim Hunt has done more
for this state than any other governor in the state's history. We
welcome his latest push on education. We need it for all of our
children to be the best citizens for our great state. As it says
in Proverbs, "Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him
that hath it." (Prov. 16:22).
-pmc-
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