Private prisons are an easy scapegoat to a much larger problem. In my opinion ending private prisons just removes a tool that politicians can use to avoid resp

Private prisons are an easy scapegoat to a much larger problem. In my opinion ending private prisons just removes a tool that politicians can use to avoid responsibility, so in that way, ending their practice is net good. There are 2 problems with prisons in the United States: 1) There are way too many people in US prisons. We have the highest prison population in the world by percentage and total numbers of any country. That is a metric you don't want to win at. 2) The conditions are absolutely horrifying. To solve the first problem, you need to do obvious things like eliminate mandatory minimums. But you also need to do less obvious things like reduce overall sentencing across all crimes. You also need to reduce or eliminate prison sentences for most non-violent offenders. We also need to put in place better negotiating power for accused people so that the innocent don't have to take plea bargains (basically we need more fair trials). The second problem can be solved in a number of ways, but the big thing that is missing is oversight from groups unrelated to the prison who are responsible for metrics. Imagine you have centralized offices where people watch video in prisons remotely and bring charges against people on this inside or implement policies. Those people would have to be completely isolated from the guards/wardens etc. of those prisons. Imagine they sit in a central office in Houston or whatever and watch prisons in Montana, California etc. What prisons need is a set of eyes that can be truly impartial. It is great that the discussion are becoming mainstream, but we have so far to go in this country. Its truly astounding.