Rise of the Prison Industrial Complex

"The fact is, we now have 2 million people who are locked up. We have by far the largest prison population per- capita of any country on earth." ~ President- to- be Barack Obama, 2008

Private prisons in the the US are the natural result of the very profitable "Prison Industrial Complex." A business that has grown substantially over the past few decades thanks, in part, to corporations lobbying congress to pass tougher, and unnecessary legislation in order to feed their bottom line. This is where you should be concerned: Their feeding trough is the American public.

The number of Americans imprisoned has risen with each passing president. Our society has more people locked up than any other in recorded history, think about that. As federal and state prisons fill, more private prisons are being built. And guess what? They need filling too.

Surely prisons are a necessity. There's no need to delve into the sicker side of human behavior, but that's why we have a public justice system. So why are we entrusting entities such as private corporations to control, and regulate criminals? These are businesses that thrive and depend on depriving people of freedom. Private corporations gobbling up our tax dollars, publicly trading human beings as stocks on Wall Street, banking on the punishment of others, most often the undeserved.

I am of the mind that those who commit the greater ills remain at large, managing to dodge their comeuppance. In short; it seems we're targeting and locking up the wrong people, and have been doing so at increasing rates for way too long now.

For Comparative Statistics by Country, Click Here

Anonymous Art of Revolution

Land of the Not- So- Free

The #'s According to the ACLU

The US Comprises Only 5% Of The World's Population, But 25% Of The World's Prison Population

Since 1970, Our Prison Population Has Increased A Starling 700%

1 In 99 Adults In Our Country Are Locked Up. This Marks The Highest Rate Of Imprisonment     In US History

1 In 31 Adults Are Under Some Form of Correctional Control, Including Prison, Jail, Probation, And Parole         


There are approximately 18 privately owned corporations that are contracted by state and government officials to build and manage correctional facilities in the US. Part of the appeal in states eyes' is that these companies offer cheaper and more efficient management compared to the state taking on the responsibility to run their own institutions. Not having to fuss with unions, private corporations are free to hire whom ever they like, regardless of qualification(s). As a result, non- union, inexperienced employees are hired to work these severely understaffed facilities, and "guard" the the people in them.

"The secret to low operating costs is having a minimal number of guards for the maximum number of prisoners" ~ Russel Boraas, Private Prison Administrator in Virginia  

While that business model may work in the eyes of these corporations, could the same philosophy be applied to other businesses? I think not. Just imagine how much your night would be ruined when you and the family go out for your weekly Applebees dinner only to find that half the servers called out sick. So now the place is packed, people are pissed, (including the unfortunate servers who didn't call out and now have to deal with the hungry- now- raucous Friday night crowd), and you leave without getting a table or some grub. Now imagine such a scenario in a caged, entirely more hostile and complex environment. What would be the results? Not good according to the litany of complaints coming out of private prisons.   

GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America, (CCA), are the largest, most profitable private prison companies in this country. Both corporations are based in the US, though GEO Group is a global entity so they make money off incarcerating a larger portion of the world's populace. However, with the US's penchant for punishment, it seems that GEO Group set up their offices where their market is most profitable.

Just like other private prison corporations, GEO has been subject to harsh criticism and subsequent investigations concerning human rights violations in their facilities. One recent scandal was exposed by a 2012 report put out by the US Department of Justice who had spent 2 years looking into Walnut Grove, a GEO managed correctional facility for juvenile males given adult sentences in Mississippi. As relayed by NPR , some of the abuses highlighted in the Justice Department's investigation included: 

• Prison staff engaging in sexual conduct with minors

• Poorly trained guards using excessive violence as a first response, in one instance beating a minor to a pulp 
• "Deliberately" allowing prison- made shanks used in gang assaults and rapes

• Guards not just passively allowing, but also inciting and taking part in violence amongst the detained

• Some of the prison's guards were found to be known gang members

This report was particularly heinous because it involved abuses against minors. Though a simple Google search will churn out dozens upon dozens of reports, articles, videos, etc. dealing with the utter lack of professionalism, dignity, care, and respect for human life exhibited in privately run institutions. The ACLU has been speaking out publicly against companies like GEO and CCA, and have taken a strong stance on basic human and civil rights violations on behalf of prisoners across America. By clicking the link above you can read more about their advocacy work, and how you can get involved.
WARNING: Contains Scenes of Violence.
 In this video uploaded by aclu videos we see the violent nature of prison life, the total disregard for humanity, and lack of accountability on part of CCA guards in one of their facilities in Idaho    

Influence of Shady Dealings, Special Interests, and Blind Capitalism on Mass Incarceration in the U-S- of- A

Examplarery of how influential these corporations can be in American politics and policy making is the case of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer who accepted significant campaign funding from CCA and GEO Group. Both companies have profited heavily from the incarceration of immigrants, a practice that the state of Arizona has practically perfected. Brewer, who just happens to have 2 former CCA lobbyists on payroll, helped to push the state's controversial SB 1070 bill into law. The bill came under fire upon arrival in 2010 due to unconstitutional  provisions held within. While the US Supreme Court scrapped certain aspects of the bill, they ultimately upheld its founding principle which is based on racial profiling- the requirement of local authorities to arrest citizens who police may "suspect" are undocumented. And off what evidence, other than skin color, would an officer deem a person to be suspicious? 
Either way, the passing of SB 1070 has boost business for CCA. The company currently operates 6 detention centers in Arizona, (make- up of the populations include immigrants and minor offenders from 4 different states), and they've recently been awarded with their first contract to run an AZ state prison. There has been, fortunately, an audible public outcry against the corrupt practices of CCA and their dealings with government. Hopefully our bumbling, buzzarding congress will tone down their crowing and listen for a change. Care to find out more?, Then check out "Cell- Out Arizona; CCA's Dirty 30."

Brewer's political and financial relationship with CCA and GEO sounds almost kosher when compared to other behind- the- scenes involvement and effect on policy- making. National Public Radio broke a story concerning the drafting of the anti- immigration bill and its original authors. Arizona state Senator Russel Pearce claims to be the authoritative voice behind SB 1070, but the bill was actually crafted by the semi- secretive group American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. Pearce is a member of ALEC along with other state legislators and representatives, powerful corporations like ExxonMobil, Corrections Corporation of America, and special interests groups such as the NRA. This group has a specific agenda apart from the needs of your average American citizen. They create "profit- driven, model legislation" on behalf of corporate America, not you, behind closed doors. Since the inception of SB 1070 in AZ, approximately 30 other states have adopted similar legislation.
 To learn more about the controversial group "you've never heard of", check out the special report, "The United States of ALEC", by esteemed journalist Bill Moyers. 

I find myself astonished at the lack of transparency and level of hypocrisy that any group, "secret" or not, other than the democratic public majority, would have any effect whatsoever on public policy. Instead of our elected officials serving the people, they're serving a cast of bigwigs with ulterior desires, motives, and incentives. 
Can you live with that?