Private Prisons have been a topic of debate since their rise in the 1970’s. These prisons are run through a third-party organization with the sole focus on amassing profits instead of the overall well-being of the offenders, including a successful reintegration after the offenders are released. This lack of compassion makes the ex-offenders lives difficult for they are often ill prepared for the world around them, whilst lacking educational outlets and meaningful trades that can help them succeed in life. Because of these difficulties and lack of care, these private institutions are raising the recidivism rate, almost forcing the ex-offenders to go right down the very path that led them to the institution. This paper will discuss a method to decrease the recidivism rate, along with bettering the lives of ex-offenders. The proposition of a bill to grant $60 million dollars that will be split (Roughly $1 million to each institution) and given to The Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) private prisons that will be exclusively used for educational programs for offenders. This will not only cover the costs for the educator’s salary, but also supplies such as lesson books, computers with limited access to the internet, and all necessary requirements to receive a General Education Diploma. Offenders that are eligible to utilize this new program will be offenders with roughly five years or less left on their sentence, so that upon release, they can be monitored on their progress post incarceration to see if they re-offend.

Ben Holtmann would like to thank their faculty sponsor Professor Kenya Brumfield-Young for their support of this project.