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>In the DOJ’s world, this means anyone under 18 who reads a Hearst newspaper online could hypothetically face jail time Jail time? What is it with this America

>In the DOJ’s world, this means anyone under 18 who reads a Hearst newspaper online could hypothetically face jail time Jail time? What is it with this American propensity for locking up more or less everybody? As seen from the other site of the pond, it does at times sort of beggar belief.

cr0sh 9y ago
Many prisons in the US are privately operated (Corrections Corporation of America is one of the large companies that run private prisons). These companies then sell certain services to the public - such as telemarketing (seriously). In other words, that person you're talking to in a telemarketing context may very well be a prisoner in a CCA owned facility! Now - prisoners aren't forced (?) to participate in these activities, but they are highly encouraged; it gives them a bit of money for the commissary (very small bit) and other things, plus gives them "job skills" for the outside, and probably also a mark on their records for later parole review purposes ("hey, she participated in this, and became a model "employee" as a telemarketer - let's factor that into her record for an early release"). So - there is a strong incentive to participate in these programs. They aren't limited to telemarketing either: If you can think of something which can be done by low-skilled workers who are a "captive audience" so to speak, it is probably sold as a service by these private prison companies to other businesses. For instance, another big one is "product assembly" (putting furniture together, or electronics, or other similar work). So - these companies - the private prisons - need more employees, right? You know, to sell their services. These employees are very cheap (and easy to coerce to work - after all, they are also prisoners!): Just pay lowest-bidder for food and housing, then get 'em inside. Best way to do that is to lobby for more restrictive laws, make more things felonies, etc... Right? Understand? Kinda sounds like a form of indentured servitude, or corporate prison slavery, right? Maybe because it is...? Because that's how it really is here in the "Land of the Free! (tm)(c)(r)". /USA! USA!, MAGA!, and all that crap...
- scaryspooky 9y ago
  Private prisons have 7% state and 18% federal of the total population. Blaming private prisons for the problems of US corrections as a whole is disingenuous. https://www.aclu.org/issues/mass-incarceration/privatization-criminal-justice/private-prisons https://www.aclu.org/issues/mass-incarceration/privatization...
- sambull 9y ago
  To the point we had state judges taking bribes from these for profit institutions, handing over our children for nothing [0]. Sick people, perverse incentives, and a systemic problem. [0] http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44105072/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/pennsylvania-judge-gets-years-kids-cash-case/ http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44105072/ns/us_news-crime_and_cour...

cr0sh 9y ago

Many prisons in the US are privately operated (Corrections Corporation of America is one of the large companies that run private prisons). These companies then sell certain services to the public - such as telemarketing (seriously). In other words, that person you're talking to in a telemarketing context may very well be a prisoner in a CCA owned facility! Now - prisoners aren't forced (?) to participate in these activities, but they are highly encouraged; it gives them a bit of money for the commissary (very small bit) and other things, plus gives them "job skills" for the outside, and probably also a mark on their records for later parole review purposes ("hey, she participated in this, and became a model "employee" as a telemarketer - let's factor that into her record for an early release"). So - there is a strong incentive to participate in these programs. They aren't limited to telemarketing either: If you can think of something which can be done by low-skilled workers who are a "captive audience" so to speak, it is probably sold as a service by these private prison companies to other businesses. For instance, another big one is "product assembly" (putting furniture together, or electronics, or other similar work). So - these companies - the private prisons - need more employees, right? You know, to sell their services. These employees are very cheap (and easy to coerce to work - after all, they are also prisoners!): Just pay lowest-bidder for food and housing, then get 'em inside. Best way to do that is to lobby for more restrictive laws, make more things felonies, etc... Right? Understand? Kinda sounds like a form of indentured servitude, or corporate prison slavery, right? Maybe because it is...? Because that's how it really is here in the "Land of the Free! (tm)(c)(r)". /USA! USA!, MAGA!, and all that crap...

scaryspooky 9y ago
Private prisons have 7% state and 18% federal of the total population. Blaming private prisons for the problems of US corrections as a whole is disingenuous. https://www.aclu.org/issues/mass-incarceration/privatization-criminal-justice/private-prisons https://www.aclu.org/issues/mass-incarceration/privatization...
sambull 9y ago
To the point we had state judges taking bribes from these for profit institutions, handing over our children for nothing [0]. Sick people, perverse incentives, and a systemic problem. [0] http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44105072/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/pennsylvania-judge-gets-years-kids-cash-case/ http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44105072/ns/us_news-crime_and_cour...