Private Prison CEO Unconcerned About Hillary Clinton’s Pledge to End His Industry
Source: The intercept
Private prisons have received a great deal of criticism this election cycle, first with Bernie Sanders campaigning to end for-profit incarceration, followed by Clinton taking up a similar pledge.
After The Intercept revealed that the Clinton campaign had received campaign donations from private prison lobbyists, a number of activist groups confronted Clinton, leading her to announce that she would no longer accept the money and later declaring that we should end private prisons and private detention centers.
But Corrections Corporation is apparently not concerned. Asked about prospects under Trump or Clinton, Hininger argued that his company has prospered through political turnover by taking advantage of the governments quest for lower costs.
Read more: https://theintercept.com/2016/06/27/private-prison-trump-clinton/
bonemachine
(757 posts)The main argument in favor of private prisonsthat they save taxpayers moneyremains controversial. One study estimated that private prisons cost 15 percent less than public ones; another found that public prisons were 14 percent cheaper. After reviewing these competing claims, researchers concluded that the savings "appear minimal." CCA directed me to a 2013 reportfunded in part by the company and GEOthat claimed private prisons could save states as much as 59 percent over public prisons without sacrificing quality.
Private prisons' cost savings are "modest," according to one Justice Department study, and are achieved mostly through "moderate reductions in staffing patterns, fringe benefits, and other labor-related costs." Wages and benefits account for 59 percent of CCA's operating expenses. When I start at Winn, nonranking guards make $9 an hour, no matter how long they've worked there. The starting pay for guards at public state prisons comes out to $12.50 an hour. CCA told me that it "set[s] salaries based on the prevailing wages in local markets," adding that "the wages we provided in Winn Parish were competitive for that area."
Stevepol
(4,234 posts)The whole article I believe can still be read at motherjones.com/prison. Several very interesting videos are included.
It's a pretty chilling expose of private prisons, the Winn facility in particular. Shane Bauer applied to work there and his report makes great reading.
How to they achieve their lower costs?
1. The lowest possible wages
2. Cutting back on guards wherever possible
3. Cutting out all amenities
4. Understaffing, not nearly enough doctors or mental health personnel e.g.
5. Cutting back on job training
6. Refusing to let prisoners leave even after their time is up unless they can dot every i and cross every t, so they can keep getting the state money for as long as possible (the money comes for each body at the prison, so they keep them there as long as possible).
7. Refusing to do any kind of health intervention even when it's absolutely required
8. Making inmates pay for toilet paper and toothpaste, etc.
And that's just a few of the obvious cost cuts to effect "savings" for the state.
seabeckind
(1,957 posts)Good for him.
Bad for us.
Funny thing about contracts.... sometimes they aren't as iron clad as they seem.
Auggie
(31,169 posts)how does one regulate state-run private prisons without federal legislation? I wouldn't count on industry-owned Republicans to support an end. No wonder this dude isn't concerned.
Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)Lucky Luciano
(11,256 posts)Take an unambiguous stand against this parasite and his ilk.
840high
(17,196 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)Human101948
(3,457 posts)If he had taken private prison contributions he might have been able to compromise with them.
840high
(17,196 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)Human101948
(3,457 posts)Certainly not connected in any way to the realities.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)You are alienating voters still. Get over yourself.
MADem
(135,425 posts)That state is rather well known for exporting their prison population to Michigan--it has been heavily covered in the news.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Don't you have something better to do now? Like trying to help Hillary win? Or are you trying to divide people still and ensure a loss?
MADem
(135,425 posts)going out of your way to be uncivil.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)You are doing exactly what you accuse others of doing. And trying to indirectly attack Bernie is passé now. Time to work for all Democrats now.
MADem
(135,425 posts)bluestateguy
(44,173 posts)I think that's why.
Response to DemMomma4Sanders (Original post)
Post removed
bonemachine
(757 posts)n/t
Stryder
(450 posts)It might be helpful to know what's in some of these
"Post Removed." And yes, I've read the new edicts. But it's all
very subjective. As it is I guess I'll just have to tip toe
around and... Ohhh, I see.
bonemachine
(757 posts)that once the election is over, we will see that these campaign promises are worth just exactly the same as what campaign promises always are.
Stryder
(450 posts)No pointing out the blindingly obvious.
Got it.
Thanks.
Gene Debs
(582 posts)Stevepol
(4,234 posts)One day, I meet a man with no legs in a wheelchair. His name is Robert Scott. (He consented to having his real name used.) He's been at Winn 12 years. "I was walking when I got here," he tells me. "I was walking, had all my fingers." I notice he is wearing fingerless gloves with nothing poking out of them. "They took my legs off in January and my fingers in June. Gangrene don't play. I kept going to the infirmary, saying, 'My feet hurt. My feet hurt.' They said, 'Ain't nothin' wrong wicha. I don't see nothin' wrong wicha.' They didn't believe me, or they talk bad to me'I can't believe you comin' up here!'"
His medical records show that in the space of four months he made at least nine requests to see a doctor. He complained of sore spots on his feet, swelling, oozing pus, and pain so severe he couldn't sleep. When he visited the infirmary, medical staff offered him sole pads, corn removal strips, and Motrin. He says he once showed his swollen foot, dripping with pus, to the warden. On one of these occasions, Scott alleges in a federal lawsuit against CCA, a nurse told him, "Ain't nothing wrong with you. If you make another medical emergency you will receive a disciplinary write-up for malingering." He filed a written request to be taken to a hospital for a second opinion, but it was denied.
Eventually, numbness spread to his hands, but the infirmary refused to treat him. His fingertips and toes turned black and wept pus. Inmates began to fear his condition was contagious. When Scott's sleeplessness kept another inmate awake, the inmate threatened to kill him if he was not moved to another tier. A resulting altercation drew the attention of staff, who finally sent him to the local hospital.
"But when I got my legs cut off they didn't come back and say, 'Robert, I'm sorry.' I done taked my lickin'. Part of being locked up." He is now suing CCA for neglect, claiming that inmates are denied medical care because the company operates the prison "on a 'skeleton crew' for profitable gain."
From motherjones.com/prison
the article by Shane Bauer in the current issue of Mother Jones
DiverDave
(4,886 posts)From for profit prison companies
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/9191868.html
Of course they ain't worried, they have bought and paid for help.
I'll vote for her, but I will never trust her.
I'll bet anyone a hundred bucks she will continue the neoliberal agenda.
Same old, same old...I weep for my kids and the world they are getting
Now, delete this, ban me...prove you don't care about our country
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"ban me...prove you don't care about our country"
You seem to overstate your relevance in addition to a lack of knowledge in regards to what proof actually is.
DiverDave
(4,886 posts)Good to know, now you have anything useful to add? I gave my opinion and a link, which, of course, you discounted.
Facts are a bitch, ain't they?
Oh, and you should be happy I am even voting for your status quo candidate.
But disdain is the go-to response to anything but worshipful respect, no?
harun
(11,348 posts)alarimer
(16,245 posts)And a major story line on the new season of Orange is the New Black. Privatizing prisons results in overcrowding, poorer food, poorer quality personnel because of low wages (which aren't high to begin with).
We need to get rid of all private prisons. The federal government has limited authority over states, so that will be harder.
Hekate
(90,683 posts)He sounds like he's counting on voters to send the GOP back to Washington.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Each prisoner could sue for millions in damages, make 'for profit' prisons go bankrupt. Drag in any Corps who use the 25 cents an hour workers?
PersonNumber503602
(1,134 posts)Last edited Wed Jun 29, 2016, 01:38 AM - Edit history (1)
They are even more shameful when we take into account how much sway money has in our political process. "Here's a few million dollars in donations to ensure you don't enact any laws or programs that would decrease crime and reduce incarcerations"
MindPilot
(12,693 posts)Both state and federal governments have to produce enough convicted criminals to keep those private prisons full. The government is contractually obligated and financially incentivized to create crime.
"Shameful" doesn't begin to describe it.
Response to DemMomma4Sanders (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
MindPilot
(12,693 posts)Wasn't even on her radar until "...a number of activist groups confronted" her. And it will be off her radar as soon as the next contribution check clears.
Some of you more astute progressives may have noticed that Bernie didn't need to be confronted by numerous activists; he already knew it was a problem.