The Anger Blog, Privatization of Prisons

The belief that private, for-profit companies can handle any job better than the government and do it more economically is pervading America. As if corporations aren't running enough of the world, they are now getting a strong foothold in the prison industry. This privatization of the prison system has grown more than 350% in the last decade and a half. Since many states are suffering financially in the current (bad) economic times (partially brought on, coincidentally, by non-regulation of Wall Street), private businesses are taking advantage of this money crisis by offering to take over the operation of their prisons.

This move may initially seem to some of us to be a smart decision. The current prison system certainly has fallen short in its goal of rehabilitating our convict population. How will the private sector fare in the running of out prison system?

The first thing we may want to remember is that these are for-profit companies, which indicates that their primary concern is to make money. Rehabilitation is not one of their main goals, as evidenced by studies showing public prisons outperforming private ones in most positive categories. Social consequences do not seem to be taken into consideration.

Some interesting but alarming facts regarding this takeover should be addressed. Two companies are basically dominating the industry with the largest being the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). Incarceration is increasing faster in these private facilities than in those operated by the states. CCA buys prisons from states but only with the caveat that the state guarantee a certain number of prisoners to make it profitable and, in some cases, that an occupancy rate of 90% be maintained. Therefore, increased prison populations and longer sentences would boost profits for the private prisons. Do you think the extra money made by CCA and similar corporations is used for therapy and rehabilitation services for those incarcerated? Or is it simply pocketed by the companies?

Corrections Corporation of America officials have been involved in influential positions on task forces and in government where they promoted tougher sentencing, opposed decriminalization for drug users, and expanded enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants. CCA alone spent approximately 18 million dollars over the last ten years to lobby federal agencies as well as Congress. This influence peddling apparently wasn't enough for a Pennsylvania company who bribed two judges. These judges then ordered more youths to be incarcerated. The judges' greed and corporate conniving are enough to anger anyone, especially the families of incarcerated youths. As usual, minorities are hit hardest.

Other than saving the states some money and making a nice profit for these corporations, are the human, ethical, and social consequences worth it?

Related reading on this subject: Mindfulness practice while incarcerated reduces later substance use.