Immigrants are Cash Cows for Private Prisons

[dixiegrrrrl]

The U.S. detains 400,000 immigrants each year, some of whom end up becoming legal permanent residents. Holding all those people is expected to cost taxpayers $2 billion this year.

The number of immigrants has largely outgrown the beds available in government owned prisons so many end up in private facilities.

Snip....

Immigration advocates think there's a link between the donations and anti-immigrant policies.

Private prisons gave heavily to the Republican Party and congressional leaders who in some way support stronger immigration policies and higher detention rates, according to Associated Press. They also strongly against new legal policies that would require them to comply with open records requirements.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/03/tagblogsfindlawcom2012-lawandlife-idUS8273219520120803

[PDJane]

1. Yes, I knew that.

The thing is they make money per prisoner, so they can lobby for harsher laws and longer sentences, which means they make more money, so they can do more lobbying for harsher laws and longer sentences, so that............

[xchrom]

2. Tax payer subsidized profits for private corporations.

They've discovered a Magic, Ever Renewing Well of Money.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. and a plus factor:

Latinos and Afr/americans being locked up on record numbers, thanks to capacity of private prisons.
Is it not strange that while states are saying they cannot afford to run prisons, somehow money is being found for institutionalized racism?

[midnight]

11. Strange indeed, that this affordability factor, seems to be greatly dissipated with

segments of our population....

[freshwest]

4. Wasn't that found to be the case in AZ with Brewer? Anyone remember that one?

There should be NO profit in managing social needs, be they education, healthcare, social services and that includes incarceration.

The only example that might prove worthy, although it galls me to say so, is the Goldman Sachs - Riker experiment. From the thread I read, if they fail to help the inmates not commit crimes when they leave, per recidivism rate, they get screwed. No money for them, which would be an incentive.

I am very doubtful of the ethics of any of these things having seen how for-profit abuse those in their care in social service contracts.

The range of abuse goes from emotional torture, religious, financial, denial of needed medical care, isolation, staff beating clients, staff allowing clients to rape others, feeding and drugging them to make them docile, to starvation, use by sexual predators for money and death. I cannot express how much I hate privatization.

[xchrom]

5. They will hedge their investment.

These people won't invest w/out a hedge.

We just don't know what the hedge fund is yet.

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. Are you lost?

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Obviously a volunteer to test out the Mirt team.

And they did their usual sterling job.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. Is it a full moon?

[marmar]

10. k/r