Slaves to the Corporation The Private Prison System

Slaves to the corporation: An analysis of the private prison system Inhumane treatment of inmates and poor living conditions seem to be reoccurring issues within the private prison system. Oddly enough the United States government continues to allow the privatizing of prisons when as it stands private companies already owned and/or operate over more than half of the U.S correctional facilities (Mason , 2010). Privatization of prisons was initially expected not only relieve the overcrowding of prisons but also to house inmates for a lesser cost. Yet until this day there is no tangible evidence that private prisons have met these goals. It seems that time and time again private prison companies are costing society much more than they are helping while simultaneously exploiting inmates to make a greater profit. It is evident that the privatization of prisons has created a multi-billion dollar industry at the expense of taxpayers and with the enslavement of prisoners. What is a prison? The Webster dictionary defines it as an institution in which people are confined to, as punishment for a crime they were convicted of. So, it would be safe to say that their punishment is being imprisoned in the facility. It does not include however; being treated inhumanely or subjected to barbaric living conditions. Thus they are protected under the eighth amendment, against â€Å"cruel and unusual punishment†. â€Å"There’s a perception that the private sector is always going to do it moreShow MoreRelatedThe Prison Industrial Complex And Its Implications896 Words   |  4 Pagesinstitutional discrimination was demolished in 1865, however, the prison industrial complex and its implications has transformed slavery, making incarceration susceptible to people of color that reinforce racial oppression for profit.Private prisons thrive on the exploitation of enslaved bodies, for motives strictly leaned for profit and social control. The war on drugs, created and reinforced by the United States government, supplements the prison industry by imprisoning non-violent drug offenders, preferablyRead MoreThe African Of African Diaspora1329 Words   |  6 Pagesroute. According to PBS’ How Many Slaves Landed in the U.S.? â€Å"Between 1525 and 1866, in the entire history of the slave trade to the New World, according to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, 12.5 million Africans wer e shipped to the New World,† out of the 12..5 million who were taken, approximately 10 million survived the dreaded middle passage. These freshly chained slaves afoot on unknown terrain were then separated and sold to the highest bidder at a local slave auction. Upon being bought, AfricansRead MoreThe Prison Industrial Complex Is The Economic Interrelation Between Private Prisons And Various Public1748 Words   |  7 PagesThe prison-industrial complex is the economic interrelation between private prisons and various public and private job sectors that have become dependent on the expansion of the private prison system. A partial list of these sectors includes construction, pharmaceuticals, and law enforcement, including probation and parole. The prison-industrial complex also runs a cheap inmate labor force for various corporations. Approximately 2,266,800 adults are currently imprisoned in America. In addition toRead MoreThe Prison Industrial Complex ( Tabibi )965 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst to coin the term prison industrial complex, in his research of the California penal system in the 1990s. The prison industrial complex refers to the coinciding relationship between corporations, government, correctional communities, and their collective economic interest in prison expansion and high rates of incarceration (Davis, 2003a). That is, each of these components benefit economically from perpetuating the notion that increasing crime rates are the causation for prison expansion. HoweverRead MoreDisproportionate Incarceration of African Americans Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican Americans The disproportionate numbers of African Americans in the prison system is a very serious issue, which is not usually discussed in its totality. However, it is quite important to address the matter because it ultimately will have an effect on African Americans as a whole. Of the many tribulations that plague Americans today, the increase in the amount of African American men and women in prisons is unbelievable. It would be naà ¯ve to say that the increase is due to the factRead MoreIncarceration Of The United States1113 Words   |  5 Pages1990 - 2000 the prison population increased by 1,000,000. The main reason for incarceration as a punishment in this country is rehabilitation, or so we have been told. In recent years an industry has developed that revolves around high incarceration rates and lengthy sentences, needless to say business is booming. The for-profit prison industry now makes millions off the backs of American inmates their families and every American taxpayer. The two largest for-profit prison corporations today are theRead MoreAnalysis Of Angela Y Davis s The Black Panther Party1384 Words   |  6 PagesAfter the mass mobilization of the sixties that radically transformed society, a huge pushback as a response to political liber ation was the privatization of prisons which allowed corporations to set motives that increase the prison population, and normalize imprisonment as a way to solve social problems. For Instance, the Black Panther Party was a radical organization that challenged the status quo and a major response to pushback the work they were doing was to criminalize their behavior, in orderRead MoreThe Role Of Private Prisons During The United States901 Words   |  4 PagesIn our nation’s history, the use of private prisons has played a major role in domestic slave trading. The 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery in 1865. However, due to the plain language of the 13th Amendment, it is be interpreted in a way that allows slavery so long as it is used as criminal punishment. The 13th Amendment reads, â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United StatesRead MoreThe Prison Industrial Complex : How Do We Define It?1640 Words   |  7 PagesWhat if I told you that prisons in America aren t built for the main purpose of locking up â€Å"criminals† and making them better to re enter society and keeping other citizens safe but for some companies to make profit off of cheap labor? In essence that is the prison industrial complex. How do we define it? A few define it as a term that is used to explain rapid expansion of the US inmate population to the political influence of private prison companies and businesses that supply goods and servicesRead MoreSummary Of The Miniseries Of Roots By Tracie R. Porter987 Words   |  4 Pagesdialogue about the legacy of slavery that in sued thereafter. I remember very well that several of my fellow African-Americans touted that they could never be a slave, nor enslaved! Unfortunately, in a subtle way, legalized slavery is rearing its ugly head in the United States. After reading this article, by Tracie R. Po rter, â€Å"The school-to-Prison Pipeline: The Business Side of Incarcerating, Not Educating, Students in Public Schools,† She produced brilliant research and data as evidence of this issue