Louisiana renews private prison contracts, as federal government cuts them

[NWCorona]

Source: Nola

As the federal government was announcing it will phase out its use of private prisons , Louisiana was going in the opposite direction -- renewing its contracts with two private prison operators.

The state has renegotiated contracts over the past few weeks with privately run correctional facilities in Winn and Allen parishes. The Legislature's joint budget committee approved a new arrangement for the Allen Correctional Center on Aug. 18, a few hours after the federal government said it would be ramping down its use of private prisons significantly .

Under an arrangement approved by the committee, The GEO Group Inc. will continue to operate the Allen facility until June 30, 2020. The prison company, based in Florida, also runs private federal prisons the Obama administration announced last week it intends to shut down.

The federal government's move away from private prisons comes after a U.S. Department of Justice audit showed private facilities had more safety and security problems than their government-run counterparts.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/articles/19172786/louisiana_private_prisons.amp

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Some things shouldn't be privatized. Especially with minimum occupancy guarantees.

[rusty quoin]

1. Katrina sure changed Louisiana like Republicans hoped it would.

[yeoman6987]

2. How's that possible with a democratic governor?

[malthaussen]

3. How's what possible?

Every state has its own prison system, as every state has its own laws. Federal lawbreakers go to federal prisons, which are distinct from those of the states. Hence the old expression "You want to make a Federal case of it?" Federal jurisdiction applies only to violation of Federal statute or crimes which have an interstate breadth.

The federal administration can only regulate its own prison system, not that of any of the states.

-- Mal

[yeoman6987]

4. Oh gosh. I'm dumb. Thanks for the clarification

[Kingofalldems]

5. I think he was being sarcastic--sending snark towards a Democrat.

[malthaussen]

7. Especially since I misread "governor" as "government."

Ah, well, serves me right.

-- Mal

[Elwood P Dowd]

6. The Legislature's joint budget committee voted for that, not the Governor. (nm)

[Calista241]

12. If the Governor wanted to do something about this, he could have. n/t

[Igel]

8. Produce alternatives.

The courts aren't bound to sentence people to uphold a state minimum occupancy contract.

But the state is bound to provide incarceration facilities for those convicted and sentenced. Look at California--it was put in the awkward position of releasing those convicted (in other words, telling judges and juries that their verdicts were pointless).

Have tough laws, you need prisons. States can build them or they can outsource them. Or they can just sentence people and then tell them they're free. That's nice when it's somebody from your team, but when it's somebody that hurt your team it gets awfully infuriating awfully fast.

[NWCorona]

9. No the courts aren't bound but the results end up being the same.

It creates a self feeding loop when incarceration is moneterized. Especially when you factor in prison labor. More often then not. To qualify for "good time" you'll have to work. That incentive is too slippery for my taste.

I think this step by the Feds is a much needed step in the right direction.

[Aristus]

10. That almost sounds like Louisiana's state government is corrupt.

No, that can't be right...

[NWCorona]

11. Nope. Not at all...