Privately Run Prisons?
The issue of privatizing the operation of prisons comes up every now and again. It came to me again today on some libertarian oriented Facebook pages. I'm not sure I understan libertarian opposition to this effort, although I've gotten the impession current Humboldt LP Chair, Tammy Newcomb, is opposed to privatizataion if only from some Favvbook posts she's made.
One concern I've seen voiced is privately run prisons offer financial motivation to imprison people. That might be true. I recall reading in the news of some judge who was sent to prison for accepting a bribe from a private institution to levy a harsh sentence on e juvenile some years ago. It would be hard to convince me similar things don't happen in government run prisons.
The motivation for keeping people in prisons likely exists in government prisions even more so than private ones. If memory serves me correct, the California Correctional Officers Union regularly opposes any sort of sentencing reform that would help reduce prison populations.
You have to wonder why that is? Maybe because the more full our prisons are the more we'll depend on them and the more money they can demand when it's time to negotiate such things?
Governor Gary Johnson privatized prisons in New Mexico because of pressure from the courts years ago. Here's his explanation of how it came about and worked. You'll note there was some criticism of the state sending prisoners to facilities out of state during that time, but keep in mind California has done the same thing until fairly recently with its mostly government run system of prisons.
As far as I'm concerned, if it works, and is less expensive, why not do it?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 12:39 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Calling for private corporations and private persons to be able to deprive fellow citizens of LIFE, LIBERTY & THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS sounds like it goes against the constitution. Its bad enough that government does it. Now you want private institutions doing it too? The government should be the only institution limiting freedoms and it should happen only when needed and as little as possible.
Bingo! Private does business for profit, not just reimbursed expenses.
Confirmation of the police state for profit.
Confirmation of slavery.
If anything, find an island to relocate the hard core criminals. (Escape - Ray Liota)
Light weight perps should be in public jails.
JLM5D
Privatization of Prisons is great for the Corporations that provide the services and paid for by the taxpayers. And, the more people imprisoned the more money they make. So f'n stupid that people actually believe this a good idea. America needs to get it's head out of it's ASS!!!
If they'd stop arresting people for victimless crimes, there'd be less need for more prisons.
The protestors in Oregon said that 96% of the jailed were victimless crimes. The right to a speedy trial is heavily ignored for hopes of plea bargains. The entire system is corrupt & needs to be overhauled back to the Framers original intent. No victim, no crime.
Meanwhile, ignorant officials don't know that robbery, rape, assault, and so forth have victims & keep releasing them. How anybody can be so stupid is beyond my scope of imagination.
Amen and hallelujah
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