Merchandizing prisoners : who really pays for prison privatization?

Beginning in the mid 1980s, the privatization of jails and prisons burgeoned in the United States. Not only has there been a steady growth of private, for - profit operations of federal, state and county correctional facilities, but private firms have also become more involved in other aspects of the prison industry, such as the financing and construction of new prisons and the renovation of existing ones. Moreover, many of these private companies have gone public and are trading on the stock exchanges. Perhaps more than with other service industries in this country, the privatization of prisons has become a growth industry. Yet, prison privatization continues to be one of the most controversial issues in public policy. Although sold to the public as a cost-saving measure, the privatization of prisons has not only led to significant changes in policy making and the management of prisons, but it has also generated widespread concerns that incarceration has become a profit-making industry, which in turn strengthens calls for policies on mandatory minimum sentencing that keep the prison industry growing. After all, in order to be successful business enterprises, prisons will need occupants.*