Private Prisons

Way back in 2000, the USCCB questioned the effectiveness of private prisons:

“We bishops question whether private, for-profit corporations can effectively run prisons. The profit motive may lead to reduced efforts to change behaviors, treat substance abuse, and offer skills necessary for reintegration into the community.”

Since then the role of private for-profit prisons in America has changed, so I want to do a little update and learn about private prisons in general. 

Since 2000, there has been a 5% increase in the number of incarcerated people in private prisons. In 2022, 8% of the total American prison population (about 90,000 people) were incarcerated in private prisons. Private prisons play a large role in the CJS and their reach is only on the rise. 

Prisons are a means of civil punishment. According to the Catechism, the purpose of civil punishment is to protect society at large, repair the damage done by the crime, and rehabilitate the guilty. A private prison could, in theory, meet these goals like any other prison. The USCCB questioned them 20 years ago, and I question their place in the CJS now, because they have consistently done a worse job at meeting these goals than public prisons.

Private prisons often lack the oversight public prisons are subject to. Unlike public prisons, they function to make a profit like any other capitalist business. What follows from these circumstances is cost-cutting measures in medical care, prison conditions, and safety measures such as fire protection, that do not put the staff, prisoners, or safety first. The conditions in private prisons make it harder for offenders to heal, fueling more mental health struggles and instances of violence (For more info on all this stuff, I recommend this webpage). 

Private prisons being on the rise seems to be a destructive trend for the prison system. I urge Americans and lawmakers to be more aware of the conditions of private prisons to pay attention to whether or not prisons, both private and public, are fulfilling the heavy responsibility they have of treating their prisoners and workers with human dignity and creating an environment for reconciliation and rehabilitation.

P.S. There has been a problem with our newsletter feature. I am pausing the weekly email feature until the problem is solved. I will update when I figure it out!