Private prisons only account for ~8% (and falling) of US prisoners[0]. Their incentives are bad, but public prisons have just as many self-interested groups wit

Private prisons only account for ~8% (and falling) of US prisoners[0]. Their incentives are bad, but public prisons have just as many self-interested groups with even more political power[1]. [0]: https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/private-prisons-united-states/ https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/private-priso... [1]: e.g. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/biggest-obstacle-prison-reform-labor-unions/ https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/biggest-obstacl...