4 ms·
It absolutely is a fundamental problem. Just because government-run prisons have some overlap in their human rights abuses with private-run doesn't excuse the b
by nrb 11y ago
It absolutely is a fundamental problem. Just because government-run prisons have some overlap in their human rights abuses with private-run doesn't excuse the business model of the latter.
When you are paid by the bed, it is in your best interest to lobby for stronger sentencing guidelines[1] to gain and keep as many inmates as you can, and bleed as much cash out of them as possible in the process. In some cases you even have detention centers bribing judges[2] to lock away children in exchange for cash.
1. http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/09/private-prisons-occupancy-quota-cca-crime http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/09/private-prisons-occu...
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_for_cash_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_for_cash_scandal
- crapshoot101 11y agoThis is a fair point, and I don't disagree, but the lobbying is by no means limited to private corporations. For the best example, look at California and the State prison guard unions, who have consistently argued for more mandatory sentencing guidelines and for more prisons, which enriching themselves in the process. I want to reiterate that I'm with you on private prisons, but the basic point remains that any group (public or private) will act in what it perceives as its best interests, whether those jibe with the platonic ideal or not. http://mic.com/articles/41531/union-of-the-snake-how-california-s-prison-guards-subvert-democracy http://mic.com/articles/41531/union-of-the-snake-how-califor...