Prison break

There are certain things that shouldn't be run on a for-profit basis, and right on the top of the list is the corrections system. Myth that the private sector does everything better than the public sector aside, there are a number of excellent reasons why the profiteers shouldn't be responsible for prisons and jails.

One, of course, is that the temptation to wring every penny of profit out of the system is more than likely to result in prisoners being treated less than humanely. I don't imagine prison food under any circumstances is all that good, but my understanding is that in private prisons, it's even worse: cheaper, unhealthier, more  monotonous. 

Staffing in private prisons is decreased, so the prisons are more dangerous. Phone calls, books, anything that might provide some comfort and joy, are charged for at exortionary rates. Educational, support, and recreational opportunities are cut, which not only makes the prisoners more bored and restless - not good! - but doesn't help prepare them for reentry into society.

Prison's not meant to be a picnic, and, personally, I wouldn't want to hang out with most of the folks who find themselves there. But there's no reason to treat prisoners poorly, and every reason to make sure that, if and when they get released, they've got some chance of succeeding in the outside world: a better education, skills improvement, a greater ability to cope, relationships maintained with loved ones.

On top of not doing anything to improve recidivism rates, for-profit prisons don't actually save the taxpayers any money, either.

In fact, for the for-profit prison industry, the thirst for profit means expanding. There are two ways to expand, one limited, one limitless.

The limited one is getting more and more government entities to turn over corrections management to the profiteers. This is finite. Only so many states, counties, and cities. 

The limitless one is, of course, getting the Feds, and the states, counties, and cities, to incarcerate more and more people. Three strikes you're out! Caravans full of rapists! Wild in the streets! Just say no (at least to the drugs that POC consume)! We need us some more prisoners!

This is the exact opposite of what we want out of a prison system, which should be to reduce the number of people incarcerated. It's no accident that we have one of the world's largest carceral states. We have corporations running a good part of it, and they're after growth. 

So the news this week that President Biden will no longer allow the Federal prison system to sign or renew contracts giving over management of its facilities to for-profit companies is welcome, and long overdue.

Some are complaining that it doesn't go far enough. No new business isn't the same as getting rid of bad old business (which, contractually, isn't feasible). And its not clear if detention facilities for undocumented immigrants comes under the order.

But it's a start.

And you know how we know it's a good one? Once the news got out, stocks in prison management companies went down. 

Glad to see we're going to be making a prison break with this terrible way of doing what should be the government's business, not that of the profiteers whose incentive is to make a buck.

So, yay!