They are part of a cycle of private wealth creation that includes, but is not limited to, the following elements: 1. Local politicians "save money" by outsourc

They are part of a cycle of private wealth creation that includes, but is not limited to, the following elements: 1. Local politicians "save money" by outsourcing management of prisons in their districts to private companies 2. Contracts awarded for services within these systems have kickbacks which direct money for services back to the municipalities 3. States award contracts to build new prisons in towns, who are told that jobs will be created for their towns, plus the aforementioned kickbacks 4. Now that the prisons are built, they have to be filled. So the local police departments get to work arresting people to fill them up. Judges, lawyers, sherrif's departments, etc justify their own existences by meeting arrest quotas, being "tough on crime," etc., get promoted up their respective ladders until they're in positions of power to keep the cycle going.