Re:Justice Department says it will end use of private prisons
by jonlucc on Thursday August 18, 2016 @01:08PM
(#12314328)
> If we want prisons to work, we need the economics to work in favor of societal goals.
This is true, but we already ignore that for our prison population. Otherwise, our system would be less punitive and more aimed to reformation and building productive citizens.
Re:Justice Department says it will end use of private prisons
by themartorana on Thursday August 18, 2016 @01:13PM
(#12314380)
Proof that not only do individuals double down on beliefs in the face evidence against them, but so do groups/organizations/governments.
Re:Justice Department says it will end use of private prisons
by nkrisc on Thursday August 18, 2016 @05:05PM
(#12316317)
Yes, the economic burden but also the ethical burden of ensuring their sentence is administered fairly. Corporeal punishment at the hands of the guards is not a fair administration of the punishment.
My big complaint with private prisons, as they stand today, is that they tend to get paid based on heads and beds. As such, prisons are rewarded when prisoners behave badly (extending their stay), and when former prisoners reoffend (repeating their stay). There are no countervailing economic pressures.
If we want prisons to work, we need the economics to work in favor of societal goals. Everything else equal, a prison that generates low recidivism should get paid more than one that generates high recidivism, because they're eliminating future costs.