Prisons used to be a non-profit business, too. And for good reason — who the hell wants to own a prison? By definition you’re going to have trouble with the tenants. But now prisons are big business. A company called the Corrections Corporation of America is on the New York Stock Exchange, which is convenient since that’s where all the real crime is happening anyway. The CCA and similar corporations actually lobby Congress for stiffer sentencing laws so they can lock more people up and make more money. That’s why America has the world’s largest prison population — because actually rehabilitating people would have a negative impact on the bottom line.
Bill Maher (via azspot) This has always infuriated me. (via asprettyasasong) (via mikehudack)
I feel really strongly about this. It’s one of the worst things about California, who imprisons practically as many people as Texas and whose prison guard union is one of the most powerful groups in Sacramento.
