The purpose of for-profit prisons is to make money, and many contracts with states stipulate that if the prison population goes below a certain number, the state which contracted with the prison company must pay the difference.
Since that figure is high, it becomes important that states fill the cells by any means necessary.
Many years ago when I lived in a Western state, one major city which had one of the county jails received money from the county according to its population on a specific number of days. As a result, on Thursdays, beginning in the afternoon, anyone with a warrant was gathered up, and the number of arrests for questionable reasons increased, and many were guilty of nothing more than some minor infraction, homelessness (sleeping on a beach could constitute loitering), or simply looking suspicious.
Granted, some people in the jail were there for serious infractions, and the population was divided so that one wing of the building housed those who were there for actual crimes, while the other was just those waiting until Monday or Tuesday, depending on how swiftly the court proceedings went.
Each person was worth $45 per day while they were in the jail, and as the food they were given was extremely basic (Breakfast was a cup of coffee and a donut, lunch a bowl of beans, a piece of bread, and a cup of juice, and supper a hotdog, a piece of bread, a cup of juice, and a piece of cake)most o I went o he city as profit.
The following Monday all those brought in were adjudicated with most receiving a judgment of “time served” and released.
Each “weekender” garnered close to $200 for the city.
Although slavery has been unconstitutional for quite a few years, some prisons hire out their inmates to do certain types of jobs (some being the ones that used to be done by slaves) for extremely low wages which on one level gives the prisoners something to do besides walking in large circles in the prison yard, and on another allows companies to keep more of the money charged to those who hired them as little goes to the wages of the workers.
Obviously, it is imperative to keep the prisons filled, not because of the purpose of rehabilitation and re-education for a better future, but for monetary reasons.
And at this Christmas season let us not forget this conversation from A Christmas Carol:
“At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,” said the gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”
“Are there no prisons?” asked Scrooge.
“Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.
“And the Union workhouses?” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
“They are. Still,” returned the gentleman, “ I wish I could say they were not.”
“The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” said Scrooge.
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“Both very busy, sir.”
“Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m very glad to hear it.”
“Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,” returned the gentleman, “a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?”
“Nothing!” Scrooge replied.
“You wish to be anonymous?”
“I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides — excuse me — I don’t know that.”
“But you might know it,” observed the gentleman.
“It’s not my business,” Scrooge returned. “It’s enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people’s. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!”
Need that last minute electronic stocking stuffer?
Well, here it is.
