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Your analysis makes sense but I think it’s too simplistic. Specifically, I think the economic costs are borne by the taxpayers as opposed to people planning pri
by travmatt 9y ago
Your analysis makes sense but I think it’s too simplistic. Specifically, I think the economic costs are borne by the taxpayers as opposed to people planning prisons, and rather obliquely at that. I’m not sure a prison is motivated to be fiscally prudent above and beyond what’s required to stay within their operating budgets, whereas a private corporation would have that incentive. I’m envisioning someonething like the military, where the pain of wasteful spending is quite disconnected from the people making the decision.
- gumby 9y agoI was not clear: I agree with you. Selling off the prisoner's labor is a minor source of income for the private prison operators (basically bonus revenue); most of their revenue indeed comes from the state. I don't believe incarceration for labor is much of an arrest motivator any more. I think the primary motivation in the US is some sort of punitive cruelty. Historically the point of incarceration has changed with fashion (and technology of course).