Osler's Razor

There are many cases where wise social policy is just a market failure. Then it is time to bring in the rent seekers.
 

Can I go for not defend? Not because I have anything against the prison kitchen staff or the army of prison guards and their lobbying constituency, but just because for-profit prisons sound as bad an idea as for profit healthcare. The ramifications and side effects can be potentially devastating…the only difference between the two being that one wants people to fill in (prison) beds and the other kicks people out of (hospital) beds, one can exploit people for cheap labor and the other can disable people to work.
 

They were trying to privatize prisons in Florida last year via legislative action and I believe it failed. The communities did not want it as it brought job uncertainty, etc... The State wanted to do it as it stripped them of responsibility for benefits.

It was a bad idea and I am glad it didn't pass.
 

My publisher must be following Marta's, Christine's and all of the insight expressed by the creative and talented women who contribute to your blog-as they want me to finish earlier my next book about God sending his Daughter to earth - as the world indeed needs a 'woman's touch' now more than ever! Well said, both of you...

The article on 'For Profit Prisons' seems like it could be a companion piece to your papers on the market-place profit forces at work as regards to crack cocaine - and the outrageously out of balance minimum sentencing standards for certain drug use.

Seeing the profit potential from the 'seemingly endless supply' of future inmates, why not create a business model that provides the needed housing and 'hospitality staff' for their 'guests?'

I'm sure they do the math - a steady taxpayer revenue source offers not only income from the intended operation, but opportunities to outsource staff for joint operations like those at the Arizona high school - Does specialized law enforcement training really matter when often 'masses of asses' are all that is requested during a 'lock-down' search.

Never know how many new 'guests' may be identified during 'lock-down' sweeps that can fill vacant beds - or better yet, add to the waiting lists that are often the first step in building expansion plans.

Capitalism at its finest, when opportunitiy exists to help create your own 'For Profit' demand. . .
 

New Christine, the business model you describe sounds great and I believe it was already perfected in China to great success. Even though I have to say that inmate “re-education” in labor camps is not nearly as brilliant as your “guest” hospitality operation model. It certainly adds a new, fun spin to my pet peeve at the recent trend of calling customers or patrons “guests”...every time I'm called at the register to pay after being called “next guest” I want to know whatever happened to basic manners where you never make your guests pay!! I guess this “guest” model has tremendous potential.
 

I have no case to make for private prisons. Some things the government should do: defense, justice, policing, corrections, etc.

However, in terms of incarceration, we have over-incarcerated for several decades now--not because it is profitable to do so--or because some corporate lobby is pushing for it. We have done it because it makes us all safer. In a world in which our education system (public and social and moral) is broken--and our economy is not geared to absorbing unskilled and/or unmotivated labor--we are warehousing an underclass with a propensity for violence because it is practical in the most utilitarian sense. Not fair. Not keeping with our highest American ideals. Not very Christian. But we have a lot of violent folks with little to lose locked up in prisons, which means they are not on our streets committing violent crime. Out of desperation and frustration and sheer terror we have opted for an ugly but somewhat effective remedy.
 

AWF - I am sure there are statistics to support your "because it makes us safer" observation. And more often than not, the violent crimes committed here in Minneapolis / St. Paul are against rival gang members.

Although my heart goes out to those like the young woman's plight, months ago described in the StarTrib, who had dropped out of college, began dating a young man a few years older than she who happened to be a small time drug dealer (pot I believe).

She had no previous record, though was given a twenty-five year sentence for being the 'driver' when her boyfriend was arrested for 'intent to sell.' His conviction, another on a long list, saw him given a shorter sentence for being able to cop a plea for information provided about his supplier.

In her interview, the young woman admitted to her complicity in the 'crime' and accepted some punishment was due - twenty-five years?

Am I safer today knowing she is off the streets, or am I less safe knowing a young woman's life-time potential has possibly been drastically diminished because she is spending the most important formatve years of her life behind bars for a bad 'dating' choice (who hasn't made many of those) and giving a ride to a 'bad boy'.

Lindsay Lohan should thank her lucky stars. . .
 

Yes. There are statistics that show a drastic drop in crime corresponding to the period of our massive prison buildup. Correlative or Causative? Who knows.

New Christine, you offer a powerfully tragic and heart-rending anecdote. I hear that story a lot. I believe it is true. I believe it is just awful. And I believe it is part of the moral price we are paying for our "perceived" increased security. Of course, as I say, there is a fear that we would pay a price for a new direction of increased systemic leniency.
 

In our government run prisons there are rules. The employees are accountable to parameters of how the system 'should' work. They are accountable to the Federal, State and local governments that incarcerate people and the people in their communities. I dare say some of the system is flawed and could run in a more economically efficient manner.

I just don't see how business rules (very different) like lets make a deal and how do we maximize shareholder profit, have a place in this system. Seriously, should corporate profit be a motive behind housing criminals?
 

AWF- With compassion you frame your reflections and you are indeed correct.

Often, where are our voices, our example, our discipline and our council as 'compassionate citizens', friends and family members when those we know (like the two teenagers killed near Little Falls, MN) fall into patterns of destructive behavior?

The young woman, if police reports are correct, had recently had 19 run-ins with the law (minor traffic, to what? - all was not revealed during the ongoing investigation) I can not believe someone close enough to her (and him) did not come forward and intervene - She was her parent's child, someone's loved one, a friend - as was the young man. Shame on all of them!!!!

We pay a price whenever we are silent - in word or action. . .

Thank you for respectfully 'fishing' emotional hearts like mine from the 'sea of compassion' I seem to often find myself emersed within with your thoughtful words to reflect upon!!!
 

Personal + Open-Letter Note for New Christine: thank you for your civility and your humanity. Your personality and bent toward open-mindedness and conciliation always adds much to our discussions. I have been meaning to say this for some time: Thank You.