The Corrections Corporation of America and the Geo Group

Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) has locked up a big share of the private prison market. The company operates more than 60 correctional, detention, and juvenile facilities with a capacity of some 70,000 beds in about 20 states and Washington, DC. CCA contracts with federal, state, and local authorities to manage the facilities, about 40 of which are company-owned. CCA also owns three facilities that are managed by other companies. Federal correctional and detention authorities account for more than 35% of CCA's sales. The company provides rehabilitation programs for inmates of its facilities.

And what about our citizen social contract in which we agree that as a society we establish and enforce laws so that there is public oversight of our criminal justice and prison system, and public oversight of the administrative costs of privatizing out prison system? With prison for profit what incentives do those spooks who float back and forth between government jobs and private industry have to make prison more likely and more costly?

The increased numbers of people in prison, and the often absurd laws that imprison them make much more sense when you realize corporations are profiting from imprisoning people.