Those statistics are really interesting. And that's compounded by the fact that investors don't really care about the total value of a company. They're concerned about the growth potential of companies like Apple while the private prison industry is showing impressive and reliable growth. This creates a powerful incentive to bolster the industry.

There's something obscene about people's retirement funds depending on putting more people in private prisons. It further reinforces the division of society where the happiness of the rich is directly dependent on increasing other people's misery. It's not surprising that the industry has been caught on a few occasions bribing judges to increase sentencing.

Could a fine for private prisons every time an ex-offender is convicted help to rebalance their priorities?

Are prisoners put to tender like school meals are [in the UK]?

But aren't their lobbying expenses more akin to sales expenses since the government is their customer?

CCA spent $1 million per year. Apple spent $1.24 million in lobbying in three months. Facebook spent $2.44 million in three months. Microsoft spent $11 million on lobbying per year. Google spent $19 million on lobbying per year.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/04/22/apples-lobbying-co...

https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D00000011...

CCA spent over $3 million in both 2004 and 2005, they've leveled off at $1million for the past 7 years or so.

Also, that's pretty much what I said, isn't it? Apple is about $4 million/year and CCA is at about $1 million/year? Are you quibbling about 20 vs 25%, or trying to make some other point?