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Privately run prisons have plenty of incentives to be monstrous, and only feel-good ones to do the right thing. Unfortunately, the private prisons cat is out of

Privately run prisons have plenty of incentives to be monstrous, and only feel-good ones to do the right thing. Unfortunately, the private prisons cat is out of the bag and over the horizon. Maybe we could pay them based on the recidivism rate?

nazgulnarsil 18y ago
easy. have prisons compete for prisoners. prisoners are allowed to choose which prison to go to. a natural equilibrium of supply and demand will develop.
- geekamongus 18y ago
  Yes...then the need for prison marketing teams would arise, and each prisoner would receive glossy booklets extolling the virtues of the respective prison, with celebrity endorsements from the likes of Michael Vick and Martha Stewart. The golfing retirement community meets the prison system.
- noonespecial 18y ago
  Whoa! I just flashed hard on school vouchers. (Prison vouchers!?) All of the arguments I can think of in favor of the one fit perfectly on the other. Scary. Nice concept. I now have the plotline for a wonderful dystopian movie percolating in my head.
  - nazgulnarsil 18y ago
    why dystopian? this would free up billions in taxpayer dollars.
  - dfranke 18y ago
    There's a clear distinction, though. Prisons are not designed for the benefit of the imprisoned. Compulsory schooling is, at least in theory, for the students' own good.
    - noonespecial 18y ago
      That would depend on if you believe the primary purpose of prison is punitive or rehabilitory.
    - ajmoir 18y ago
      'Compulsory schooling is, at least in theory, for the students' own good.' Rubbish. Schooling is for the good of society. Schooling != Education. Nothing in school benefits the student. Everything is about preparing the student for the workforce. The main subject taught in school is obedience. You should probably read John Gatto to get a clearer picture how and why schools came about. It most certainly was not to educate the working class.
      - dfranke 18y ago
        I'm quite familiar with Gatto's thesis, and, having been through the public school system myself, I consider it self-evident. The phrase "at least in theory" was meant to communicate my skepticism of the surrounding claim; sorry if that didn't come across. I mean that most members of society believe they are acting in children's best interest by requiring them to attend school, while the primary motivation for keeping prisoners in prison is to protect the safety of others. I agree with you that practical distinction between schools and prisons is much smaller than what most people delude themselves into believing it is.
jhancock 18y ago
We are not over the horizon. We can and should reverse the private prison trend. Putting people in prison is a hardship on society and should be. Turning prison into economic opportunity perverts the ability of society to "feel" and fix its problems.
jacquesm 18y ago
exactly. Some things simply can not and should not be privatized. The prison system is one of those.

nazgulnarsil 18y ago

easy. have prisons compete for prisoners. prisoners are allowed to choose which prison to go to. a natural equilibrium of supply and demand will develop.

geekamongus 18y ago
Yes...then the need for prison marketing teams would arise, and each prisoner would receive glossy booklets extolling the virtues of the respective prison, with celebrity endorsements from the likes of Michael Vick and Martha Stewart. The golfing retirement community meets the prison system.
noonespecial 18y ago
Whoa! I just flashed hard on school vouchers. (Prison vouchers!?) All of the arguments I can think of in favor of the one fit perfectly on the other. Scary. Nice concept. I now have the plotline for a wonderful dystopian movie percolating in my head.
- nazgulnarsil 18y ago
  why dystopian? this would free up billions in taxpayer dollars.
- dfranke 18y ago
  There's a clear distinction, though. Prisons are not designed for the benefit of the imprisoned. Compulsory schooling is, at least in theory, for the students' own good.
  - noonespecial 18y ago
    That would depend on if you believe the primary purpose of prison is punitive or rehabilitory.
  - ajmoir 18y ago
    'Compulsory schooling is, at least in theory, for the students' own good.' Rubbish. Schooling is for the good of society. Schooling != Education. Nothing in school benefits the student. Everything is about preparing the student for the workforce. The main subject taught in school is obedience. You should probably read John Gatto to get a clearer picture how and why schools came about. It most certainly was not to educate the working class.
    - dfranke 18y ago
      I'm quite familiar with Gatto's thesis, and, having been through the public school system myself, I consider it self-evident. The phrase "at least in theory" was meant to communicate my skepticism of the surrounding claim; sorry if that didn't come across. I mean that most members of society believe they are acting in children's best interest by requiring them to attend school, while the primary motivation for keeping prisoners in prison is to protect the safety of others. I agree with you that practical distinction between schools and prisons is much smaller than what most people delude themselves into believing it is.

jhancock 18y ago

We are not over the horizon. We can and should reverse the private prison trend. Putting people in prison is a hardship on society and should be. Turning prison into economic opportunity perverts the ability of society to "feel" and fix its problems.

jacquesm 18y ago

exactly. Some things simply can not and should not be privatized. The prison system is one of those.