The owner of a recently privatized Ohio prison says new technology has helped thwart incidents of smuggling at the facility. The company rebuffs criticism that a recent rise in crime has jeopardized safety. Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America responded to calls for state help at the Lake Erie Correctional Institution in Conneaut by the American Civil Liberties Union and local officials. They say increased criminal activity near the facility is taxing local resources and worrying city residents. A CCA spokesperson calls the ACLU "close-minded" and says the group is unfairly criticizing the company. State and local officials met today to discuss what to do. The State Highway Patrol says it doesn't have jurisdiction to respond to incidents on non-prison property without being asked by local police. A September audit found dozens of safety, health and security issues at the prison.
