When Profit Shouldn't Be the Motive, Part 2: Prisons

Art Imitates Life?

From time to time, Hollywood draws our attention to the American prison system with movies like Cool Hand Luke, Escape from Alcatraz, and The Shawshank Redemption. We've probably all wondered at some point if the terrible conditions portrayed are real. Are these films just exaggerating for effect and empathy, or are they accurate pictures of what can happen when prisoners are viewed as unworthy of humane treatment, or even worse, as commodities?

The history of our prison system is grim, with inmates often subjected to substandard housing conditions and food, long working hours at less than minimum wage, and bodily harm. Additionally, the current three-year reincarceration rate ranges from 18.5 - 58.5% and is equivalent to a revolving door in many states. Add a profit motive to this situation, and it's not hard to see how opportunists might take advantage of the system.

My mind goes back to yet another movie, Gone with the Wind, and the scene where Scarlett decides to use prison laborers at her lumber mill. The convicts' foreman asks for a free hand in how he treats the inmates, and Scarlett agrees as long as the mill is run efficiently. When her business partner objects to the abusive and cruel treatment, Scarlett's callous reply is that money is her priority, and the method used to obtain doesn't matter to her.

I don't believe any of us think that prison should be a place where people are fed Michelin star cuisine and allowed to sleep all day. What we have to keep in mind, though, is what the purpose of prison time should be: mainly to rehabilitate inmates, and in some cases to contain violent offenders. In every case, we must remember that no matter what they've done, prisoners are human beings and should be treated with basic respect.

When Prisons Turn Private

When a private company runs a prison as a business, the ethical baseline for how inmates should be treated can easily be shuttered down on the list of priorities. If the main concern is stockholder dividends, then the primary goal of rehabilitation is replaced by financial gain. A profit-driven model can then lead to negative outcomes that seriously impact the prisoners, their families, and the rest of us.

The focus on maximizing profits can and does result in cost-cutting measures that compromise the quality of food, housing, and medical services available to inmates. It can also provide incentives for recidivism—even for juveniles—and has actually played a role in corrupting judges. Companies like CoreCivic and The GEO Group have attractive and compelling websites, but their actual record paints a very different picture.

CoreCivic has a long history of complaints and violations that include inhumane living conditions, medical negligence, abuse, overcrowding, and understaffing. The number of cases are numerous, so I'll just point out the more recent ones in Tennessee, where the company runs multiple facilities. Since 2016, CoreCivic has been ordered to pay over $4.4 million for incidents ranging from various forms of abuse to wrongful death.

Last month, The GEO Group lost its bid for appeal before the Supreme Court. The case involved forcing detainees at an immigration center to work for a $1 dollar per day to supplement their apparently inadequate meals. To be clear, these detainees were not even US felons; they were marginalized people that the company felt it could take advantage of.

These corporations may pay out big settlements, but their massive financial assets (CoreCivic at 1.44 billion, The GEO Group at 2.02 billion) allow them to easily handle such amounts. In fact, the companies are currently doing better than ever. According to CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger, his company is experiencing the highest amount of activity in its 42 year history. This uptick is due to the new demand for ICE detention centers, facilities for which these corporations have already developed a very negative reputation.

Private Prisons and the Taxpayer

The humane treatment of prisoners is the obvious priority in this matter, but what about the effects of using private prisons on taxpayers?

The cost of incarceration in private prisons can often be higher than that of public facilities, despite the initial promise of reduced expenses. Some of the factors creating these costs are automatic contract price increases, high staff turnover rates, and additional monitoring and investigation by state agencies. This situation ultimately burdens taxpayers with higher costs related to contract terms and potential lawsuits.

A profit motive can lead to a shift in policy, where the incentive to maintain a higher occupancy rate can mean longer and sometimes unnecessary sentencing. Politicians are not immune to lobbying from these corporations, which spend millions of dollars annually to influence legislators. The impact of these contributions can be seen both in the generous contract terms these companies receive and other policies that favor their interests.

The lack of transparency and accountability in private prison operations can also lead to inefficiencies and mismanagement of funds. Taxpayers may find themselves supporting facilities that do not meet adequate standards of care or safety, which can lead to lawsuits and further financial liabilities for the state.

Two Models

Even though I've just scratched the surface on this issue, I think it's clear that profit has no place in our prison system. Not only does prioritizing profits end up costing the taxpayer more, it discourages the focus on rehabilitation as well. Private prisons are not the only reason the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, but they are a significant part of this embarrassing and, frankly, evil problem. Since we're focused here on the prison profit motive, let's turn to and learn from a country with a successful solution: Norway.

Norwegian prisons are exemplary because they have a fundamentally different approach to incarceration compared to the US and many other countries. The Norwegian correctional system is cited for its focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment, which is evident in the design of its facilities, the treatment of inmates, and the overall philosophy underpinning their system. As a result, Norway has one the lowest recidivism rates in the world, a huge turnaround from rates similar to the US in the 1990s before these different strategies were implemented.

In Norway, prisons are designed to resemble small communities rather than traditional correctional facilities. The staff-to-inmate ratio in Norwegian prisons is significantly higher than in many other nations, allowing for more attention and support for people serving time. The emphasis on vocational training, therapy, and education shows a commitment to reducing recidivism rates and helping former inmates successfully rejoin their communities. Not surprisingly, two other countries with superior systems are Norway's neighbors, Sweden and Denmark.

Image Credit: AIA New York

In the end, there are two competing models. The profit model seeks to run facilities as cheaply as possible and negotiate highly beneficial contracts in order to make the most money for shareholders. In this view, reincarceration is not only desirable but has been encouraged and, in some instances, paid for. Prisoners are easily viewed more as revenue generators, not as people who are there to turn their lives around.

The prison profit model puts a cruel sting to the phrase "captive clients" doesn't it? This is the antithesis of a Better Capitalism model.

The rehabilitation model's goal is to help inmates rejoin society as productive individuals. This perspective not only treats prisoners with dignity, it aims to restore families and prevent reincarceration, which lowers the taxpayers' bill. While still being efficient with resources, this view provides the support that enables inmates to begin a new life once they leave prison.

For everyone's sake, then, we should do what we can to step away from the prison profit model and encourage a better system. The following are some policies that would contribute to better prisons and better outcomes in our country:

• Publicly run prisons with strong oversight: Government management allows for greater transparency and prioritizes rehabilitation over profit.

• Investment in rehabilitation programs: Education, mental health services, and job training reduce recidivism and improve outcomes.

• Sentencing reform: Reducing incarceration rates through alternatives like community service or treatment programs helps ease overcrowding.

If you feel led to get involved in advocating for this issue, there are a number of groups to join, including The Sentencing Project, Equal Justice Initiative, and Prison Fellowship.

Ultimately, the effects of private prisons go way beyond financial implications; they also touch on deeper issues like the ethics of profiting from incarceration, the impact on community health, and the long-term consequences of a justice system that does not treat people with dignity. As taxpayers and citizens, we all need to be aware of how these facilities influence not only our wallets but also our country as a whole.

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. - Hebrews 13:3

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