I am just saying that rehabilitation should be the focus not the monetary cost-benefit. The latter seems to cause politicians to prioritize private prisons to "save money" while causing tons of damage in second order effects that aren't always $$$.

Rehabilitation seems to me to be the most economical solution. While there may be a higher up front cost, if we can be more successful on that path than just locking someone up, the productivity that person adds to society will be earned back.

So I argue that it is a cost benefit analysis, you just have to look in the long term.