Sanders' plan to end private prisons

[poweRob]

Absolutely! Whenever there is a profit incentive for something, expect to see more of it. In the case of private prisons, expect to see more to be jailed because there is a profit motive to jail more people.

Bernie Sanders Unveils Ambitious Plan To End Private Prisons

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is officially taking on the country’s private prison industry. By introducing a bill that would ban government contracts with private prisons, the presidential contender is quickly becoming the loudest advocate for criminal justice reform among his competitors.

The Justice is Not For Sale Act, co-sponsored by Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), would prohibit the federal government from entering contracts with private prison corporations within two years of the bill’s enactment. Instead, state and local government will be solely responsible for overseeing state and local correctional facilities.

“Study after study after study has shown private prisons are not cheaper, they are not safer, and they do not provide better outcomes for either the prisoners or the state,” Sanders said at a press conference Thursday.​

 

[ecofarm]

Absolutely! Whenever there is a profit incentive for something, expect to see more of it. In the case of private prisons, expect to see more to be jailed because there is a profit motive to jail more people.

They're guaranteed to get a certain number that would otherwise be held in state facilities, so as to guarantee a profit.

1. It's overflow from state facilities, which can operate with less or no prisoners to make the quota.
2. There is no connection between the private prison and the courts.

Your claim is disconnected in a number of ways.

 

[Jetboogieman]

They're guaranteed to get a certain number that would otherwise be held in state facilities, so as to guarantee a profit.

1. It's overflow from state facilities, which can operate with less or no prisoners to make the quota.
2. There is no connection between the private prison and the courts.

Your claim is disconnected in a number of ways.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_for_cash_scandal

The "kids for cash" scandal unfolded in 2008 over judicial kickbacks at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Two judges, President Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan, were accused (and were eventually convicted) of accepting money from Robert Mericle, builder of two private, for-profit youth centers for the detention of juveniles, in return for contracting with the facilities and imposing harsh adjudications on juveniles brought before their courts to increase the number of residents in the centers.[1][2]

 

[ecofarm]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_for_cash_scandal

There are criminals in any system, they cannot be used to indict the system itself. I'm not claiming it's perfect, I'm claiming there's no inherent cause and effect.

Regarding the prison system, state facilities hold enough prisoners to render any extra convictions irrelevant. In the event a quota is in jeopardy, state prisons can serve less prisoners and transfer those needed.

 

[SlevinKelevra]

the notion that in the "greatest nation ever" there is a single "profit" based prison is patently offensive and absurd.

insert chainsaws up their sphincters and rotate.

 

[Captain Adverse]

If you REALLY want to eliminate private prisons? Simply reduce the number of people being incarcerated.

Step 1. Decriminalize drug possession and use.

Step 2. Provide the proper support for the Public Defender system so defendants can truly get a fair trial.

Step 3. Take steps geared toward preventing recidivism. (Rehabilitation programs, Education programs, job training programs, creating employment opportunities, laws preventing discrimination against convicted felons.)


Fewer people in prison means no need for "overflow" systems provided by private companies.

 

[blaxshep]

Another Crony Capitalism scheme that is simply Social Capitalism. The true enemy is once again the rich and powerful, unlimited wealth gone amok. Exploit and enslave the true face of unlimited wealth. Privatized government.

 

[RabidAlpaca]

They're guaranteed to get a certain number that would otherwise be held in state facilities, so as to guarantee a profit.

1. It's overflow from state facilities, which can operate with less or no prisoners to make the quota.
2. There is no connection between the private prison and the courts.

Your claim is disconnected in a number of ways.

Except that little thing called the prison lobby that actively lobbies for harsher, longer prison sentences and is involved both at the federal and state level in law making. Are you really trying to say this is the one area our politicians are incorruptible in?

The idea that corporations are making billions of dollars off locking Americans in cages is despicable and has no place in a free society.

 

[VanceMack]

yay. Shut down private prisons, put prison guards back on the state payroll (including healthcare and retirement benefits and bloster the prison guard unions.

Cuz...how could that be a bad thing?

"Democrats are surprisingly among the loudest voices calling for tougher sentencing laws lest they be called-out for being soft on crime.

Enter the California Correction Peace Officer's Association, CCPOA, better known as the prison guards union.

Thanks to the mandatory dues paid by its members, the union raises about $23 million a year, and spends about $8 million of it on lobbying. According to Joan Petersilia, a longtime observer of California's correctional institutions, CCPOA's lobbying goal is simple: "more prisoners lead to more prisons; more prisons require more guards; more guards means more dues-paying members and fund-raising capability; and fund-raising, of course, translates into political influence."

And what does that influence lead to? Outrageous paychecks, for one thing. The average annual salary for prison guards nationally is about $45,000. California's prison guards, however, pocket a cool $72,400 — 60% above the national average. But that doesn't even take overtime pay into account. Once that's factored in, California prison guards often make more than $100,000 per year. California's governors routinely push these pay increases through an obliging legislature.

The union has been one of the leading backers of tougher sentencing laws. It spent over $100,000 to pass the original Three Strikes law. It dropped another $1 million to defeat Prop 5, which would have reduced sentences for nonviolent crimes and allocated more resources to treating drug addiction. It spent over $1 million to beat Prop 66, which would have reduced the number of crimes that carry mandatory life sentences. Politicians are also on the menu. CCPOA spent nearly $2 million supporting Jerry Brown's gubernatorial campaign. The legislature is a special beneficiary: operating on the principle that the surest way to win a race is to bet on all the horses, in the past 10 years the union has contributed campaign funds to every current state senator in California"
Union Of the Snake: How California's Prison Guards Subvert Democracy - Mic

But all you hear are people bleating on about teh eeeeeevil private prisons.

No thought given to this topic at all. Un****ingbelievable. Except...SO ****ingbelievable.

 

[ecofarm]

Except that little thing called the prison lobby that actively lobbies for harsher, longer prison sentences and is involved both at the federal and state level in law making. Are you really trying to say this is the one area our politicians are incorruptible in?

I'm saying that's not necessary to satisfy any quota. The state prisons are overflowing, they've plenty of inmates to fill any quota and if there was any problem doing so they can operate at less than capacity.

The idea that corporations are making billions of dollars off locking Americans in cages is despicable and has no place in a free society.

It's a nonsense victimhood fantasy.

 

[RabidAlpaca]

I'm saying that's not necessary to satisfy any quota. The state prisons are overflowing, they've plenty of inmates to fill any quota and if there was any problem doing so they can operate at less than capacity.
It's a nonsense victimhood fantasy.

Except that the prisons are overflowing because lobbyists push harsher, longer sentences, especially for victimless crimes. We have the highest incarceration rate in the world, and the majority are for non-violent offenses. Are you really trying to say that the prison lobby complex isn't influencing our politics?

 

[blaxshep]

Anyone in a private business profiting over imprisonment should be in a prison. Period. The end.

 

[VanceMack]

I'm saying that's not necessary to satisfy any quota. The state prisons are overflowing, they've plenty of inmates to fill any quota and if there was any problem doing so they can operate at less than capacity.



It's a nonsense victimhood fantasy.

These guys are blathering on about evil private prisons for one reason. They have somehow had it planted in their brain that the private prisons are responsible for jailing drug users. This WHOLE ENTIRE anti private prison movement is over drug laws and incarceration of drug users. They completely and intentionally ignore absolute facts, even when those facts are placed before them.

One need look no further than California. If one is bothering to look at all.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Except that the prisons are overflowing because lobbyists push harsher, longer sentences, especially for victimless crimes. We have the highest incarceration rate in the world, and the majority are for non-violent offenses. Are you really trying to say that the prison lobby complex isn't influencing our politics?

If a reduction in lobbying is your goal then perhaps he chose the wrong industry.

https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/indus.php?id=H

 

[RabidAlpaca]

If a reduction in lobbying is your goal then perhaps he chose the wrong industry.

https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/indus.php?id=H

Not really, he talks about more than one issue, you know. That does however prove my point. Lobbying of our politicians is powerful and effective, it should be addressed.

Sanders calls for single-payer healthcare | TheHill
Stop Skyrocketing Drug Prices, Sanders Says - Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont
Bernie Sanders Calls Out Defense Contractors and Lobbyists | Governing Under the Influence

Frankly I'd like to see lobbying being made illegal. You shouldn't be able to buy our politicians like packs of cigarettes.

 

[fmw]

Absolutely! Whenever there is a profit incentive for something, expect to see more of it. In the case of private prisons, expect to see more to be jailed because there is a profit motive to jail more people.

What? Prisons don't determine who, when or how many people are imprisoned. The justice system does that. You are suggesting that private prison companies corrupt prosecutors and judges? If a prison is profitable then it is more efficient.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Not really, he talks about more than one issue, you know. That does however prove my point. Lobbying of our politicians is powerful and effective, it should be addressed.

Sanders calls for single-payer healthcare | TheHill
Stop Skyrocketing Drug Prices, Sanders Says - Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont
Bernie Sanders Calls Out Defense Contractors and Lobbyists | Governing Under the Influence

Frankly I'd like to see lobbying being made illegal. You shouldn't be able to buy our politicians like packs of cigarettes.

You shouldn't be able to force folks to patronize a "private" industry - on that point I will agree. That includes not forcing one to go to a private prison or to buy a private medical care insurance policy.

As far as lobbying goes that could be reduced considerably with less government control (micromanagement?) . As long as crony capitalism is the law of the land then lobbying will remain a major industry.

Speaking of packs of cigarettes, they are now taxed (at federal, state and local levels) at about 50% - is it any wonder that an industry would try to end (or at least control) such nonsense?

 

[ttwtt78640]

What? Prisons don't determine who, when or how many people are imprisoned. The justice system does that. You are suggesting that private prison companies corrupt prosecutors and judges? If a prison is profitable then it is more efficient.

You need not "corrupt" any prosecutors or judges - just lobby law makers for more get tough on crime laws and/or more (and longer) mandatory prison sentences and those prosecutors and judges then must do what the law requires. Prisons (both public and private) prefer to house more non-violent offenders for obvious reasons. BTW, public prison worker unions also lobby for the same thing.

 

[VanceMack]

You shouldn't be able to force folks to patronize a "private" industry - on that point I will agree. That includes not forcing one to go to a private prison or to buy a private medical care insurance policy.

As far as lobbying goes that could be reduced considerably with less government control (micromanagement?) . As long as crony capitalism is the law of the land then lobbying will remain a major industry.

Speaking of packs of cigarettes, they are now taxed (at federal, state and local levels) at about 50% - is it any wonder that an industry would try to end (or at least control) such nonsense?

Here's the kicker. Sanders is pro Union. His minions are pro Union. Sanders plan INCREASES prisons and unionized prison guards. And can you guess who is one of the BIGGEST lobby groups for increased sentences and more prisons? If you guessed prison guard unions, you guess correctly.

****ing these people over isn't even hard for Sanders. They provide the lubricant and pillows for HIS knees.