why for profit prisons should be illegal

[beast1989]

not defending the judges, or any one else, but how can a child's parents not know that they had a right to seek a lawyer. I think i learned that in 3rd grade.

not everyone has legal savvy, I blame the judge and prison builders solely.

 

[nich018]

I am glad they caught the ***

 

[tRidiot]

I want to know who is going to prison from the prison company.... this type of thing will NOT stop until you punish those involved on both sides of the aisle... how about voiding the state's contract with the prison? In addition, of course, to imprisoning those directly responsible.

 

[Grendel]

How exactly does a company make a profit running a prison? And why do we as a society think that making a profit off of the criminal justice system should be okay? What's next--for profit police and court systems? Not everything in this country should be privatized, and criminal justice is one of those things.

 

[Soothsayer]

I'll blame for-profit prisons for it. The more you read the harder it gets to do anything but.

The prison-industrial complex is not some green party fairy tale, it's a real thing and it's disgusting.

Right on!

 

[Gideon]

I detest the CONCEPT of the private prison, because at upper levels there is a greater possibility of corruption, but in PRACTICE I am all for it.

Private prisons are cheaper to operate due to the efficiency advantage of a business over a bureaucracy. That's where the profit comes from.

It costs the state about $55 a day to house an inmate, the average cost for private facilities is around $40-$45. Private prisons pay employees less (hence my crappy paycheck, I only make about 2/3 what state officers do), and don't have all the benefits of the state retirement system. Private prisons contract with the government to take on so many prisoners at a certain cost per inmate.

Perhaps if the state altered the way their DOC facilities operated, they wouldn't have the budget shortfalls that force them to use private institutions. Either way, I work at one of the safest med-security facilities in the state (for inmates and officers alike), and we are VERY good at what we do.

 

[RidgeHunter]

What's next--for profit police and court systems?

Dude, we've had both for a long time. And I'm not being a smartass or hyperbolic. Crime is big business.

I detest the CONCEPT of the private prison, because at upper levels there is a greater possibility of corruption, but in PRACTICE I am all for it.

The whole potential for corruption kinda outweighs the cheaper "on paper" costs of housing an inmate, is kinda the point I'm getting at. It's even been touted as economic stimulation and job creation (quite often) and that's just plain scary. There's a difference between a prison and a Wal-Mart. Maybe not much of one, lawl, but there is a difference.

Perhaps if the state altered the way their DOC facilities operated, they wouldn't have the budget shortfalls that force them to use private institutions.

I'm of the opinion that it's not budget issues propagating expansion of private prisons; it's planned this way. I am also pretty crazy, so TIFWIW.

We have a representative government. They represent the folks with big money very well.

 

[TKNO1015s]

We dont have to look any farther than our own Capitol building a decade ago to see this type of corruption in action. Kathy Keating, wife of former Gov. Frank Keating, was a huge proponent (and stockholder) of private prisons. As a result, we say several privates pop up here in Okla. We are still paying these companies to house out inmates when we could have paid for several new prisons by now. Makes a lot of sense, huh?

Keeting put us into this mess, lining his own pockets at the same time while our own state institutions are falling down with some having extremely unsafe working conditions.

I detest the CONCEPT of the private prison, because at upper levels there is a greater possibility of corruption, but in PRACTICE I am all for it.

Private prisons are cheaper to operate due to the efficiency advantage of a business over a bureaucracy. That's where the profit comes from.

It costs the state about $55 a day to house an inmate, the average cost for private facilities is around $40-$45. Private prisons pay employees less (hence my crappy paycheck, I only make about 2/3 what state officers do), and don't have all the benefits of the state retirement system. Private prisons contract with the government to take on so many prisoners at a certain cost per inmate.

Perhaps if the state altered the way their DOC facilities operated, they wouldn't have the budget shortfalls that force them to use private institutions. Either way, I work at one of the safest med-security facilities in the state (for inmates and officers alike), and we are VERY good at what we do.

Private prisons are NOT cheaper to operate. You are correct as to your figures, "about $55 a day to house an inmate, the average cost for private facilities is around $40-$45" BUT what was not told to the citizens of the state of Oklahoma or is publicized is that the daily cost of housing an inmate as you stated DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF MEDICAL CARE which means if an inmate gets sick, the state foots the bill for medication. If the inmates gets hurt, stuck or otherwise and after the private prison takes him to the hospital the private prison then sends the bill to DOC. If there is an escape from a private institution (and yes there has been from both medium and minimum/community security levels) then DOC gets the call, private prisons do not have a response team to capture escapees. If there is a "disturbance" at a private prison in this state then a team from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections responds (as they have had to do). Several times a year, private institutions in this state are "Locked Down" due to lack of staffing, unstable atmosphere and looking at an inmate as a "dollar sign" instead of dealing with them as an inmate and managing them. Cost on paper is great but when you add in the "hidden costs" that are shoved under the table private prisons are not cost effective in any way.

This even gets worse in two more ways; as you stated, " Private prisons contract with the government to take on so many prisoners at a certain cost per inmate". Your statement can be no truer but what is not told is that the state has to pay for those beds whether or not their is an inmate in it or not so if the state inmate population dips, we pay for the bed until it is filled, more wasted money.

Now then your statement; "Perhaps if the state altered the way their DOC facilities operated, they wouldn't have the budget shortfalls that force them to use private institutions."
Sorry, but this is BS!. If the state DOC did not have to pay for the private prison bill, they would not have a budget shortfall. Fact is, the legislature does not give the DOC enough money to pay for private prisons and furthermore the state DOC has NOTHING to say in regards to how many beds are contracted for. This is done from the individual private prison corporation to the legislature, so how much PAC money do ya think passes for these contracts? I guess if the countys sheriff's in our own state had the PAC money of the private prison industry, they could house inmates at the same rate instead of having to settle for about half. Yea, it's sad that the legislature doesn't even give our own counties what they pay to private prisons. I don't even want to discuss the fact that if an inmate has a behavior issue at a private prison then they are just returned to a state facility.

Finally, the only ones making money out of the private prisons are either the investors or Wardens and other upper administration that get there bonuses for saving the corporation money. If you want that other 1/3 of a paycheck and the benefits that the state officers are earning then the state is hiring. There are at least two institutions in this state where the officers are working 40 to 50 hours a month in OVERTIME.

I can assure you that I'd work with any of those officers at any state prison because they are not just very good at what they do, THEY ARE THE BEST IN THE STATE!

Sorry if this ruffles a few feathers, but there is documentation for everything that I have stated.
PS: After 23 years, at 46 years old I am enjoying my state retirement.