Salon: "The vital Bernie Sanders proposal that no one’s talking about"

[Attorney in Texas]

link; excerpt:

Bernie Sanders has made a pledge to abolish private prisons in the federal system a centerpiece of his criminal justice reform platform, expounding on it in speeches, tweets and a bill that he introduced in the Senate. “The profit motivation of private companies running prisons works at cross purposes with the goals of criminal justice,” Sanders said, according to USA Today. “Criminal justice and public safety are without a doubt the responsibility of the citizens of our country, not private corporations. They should be carried out by those who answer to voters, not those who answer to investors.”
...
Two key factors have driven prison population growth since the 1980s. One is the length of sentences, which where were increased by measures like the passage of harsh mandatory minimums for drug offenses a tough sentencing guidelines imposed on judges. Another is the percentage of those sentences that a prisoner actually serves, which the abolition of parole greatly extended. Inmates would thenceforth serve the near entirety of their sentence—a so-called determinate sentence—aside from a maximum of 15-percent reduced for good behavior.

Parole eligibility was abolished for all those convicted of committing a federal crime on or after November 1, 1987 as a result of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. The impact was swift and severe. Those entering prison in 1996 could expect to serve 87 percent of their sentences behind bars, compared with 58 percent a decade earlier,” according to a study by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

[floriduck]

1. If her focus groups buy-in,

so wil Hill. But with all that prison lobby money, she'll let it slide when it matters.

[lewebley3]

18. No cares about Sanders proposal, they go nowhere: He never get things done

[firebrand80]

2. The private prison issue isn't really that important

I don't like it, but it's more an issue of bad optics. It makes us "feel" uncomfortable, but there's no real proof that there's an effort to send more people to prison in exchange for making money for private prison companies.

I would rather see them abolished, but IMO it's low on the to-do list as far as criminal justice reform goes.

[arcane1]

3. Contractually mandated minimum occupancy rates are much more than just "optics"

[WillyT]

7. + 1,000,000,000 What You Said !!!

[Docreed2003]

26. +10000

[dreamnightwind]

4. Wow, strongly disagree

[Scuba]

8. "No real proof"? Really ...

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/09/24/this-judge-sold-children-to-private-prisons-for-cash-hes-going-down-for-28-years/

This Judge Sold Children To Private Prisons For Cash, He’s Going Down For 28 Years


So who was paying cash for these kids? Robert Mericle, builder of the PA and Western PA Child Care juvenile detention centers.

Mericle was handed a one year prison sentence and fines of $2m for his part in the scheme.

Here, get educated ...

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/09/private-prisons-occupancy-quota-cca-crime

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/6-shocking-revelations-about-how-private-prisons-make-their-money

[Bubzer]

31. +1

[Bubzer]

11. That "Fresh thinking" logo? Might want to take that as advice.

"no real proof"? - Really?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-yankovich/be-careful-private-prison_b_8144860.html

Absolutely no real proof?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashad-robinson/private-prisons-the-case-for-divestment_b_4675859.html

None at all?

https://represent.us/action/private-prisons-1/

You're certain of this?

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/1905:the-corrupt-corporate-incarceration-complex

Absolutely certain?

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/01/how_private_prisons_game_the_system/

Well, that's a relief.

http://thedailybanter.com/2013/09/stunning-chart-shows-corruption-and-inefficiency-of-private-prison-system-in-america/

For a second there, I thought there might be an epidemic.

http://www.correctionsproject.com/corrections/pris_priv.htm

That would be tragic.

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/6-shocking-revelations-about-how-private-prisons-make-their-money

Almost, civil-rights-violating kind of tragic.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/09/private-prisons-occupancy-quota-cca-crime

Good thing there's no "real proof".

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. Oh that hurts.

Facts really send them over the edge.

GREAT post!

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[Bubzer]

30. Glad to be of service!

I can only take so much intellectual dishonesty before my snarkiness bubbles to the surface and my patience evaporates.

[Betty Karlson]

34. That response was perfect.

One cannot help but wish it wasn't so long. For you to be able to make such a lengthy response is testaament to the magnitude of failure of the private prison policy.

[Live and Learn]

14. People, real people languishing in prison isn't important to you? Wow. nt

[Hiraeth]

15. !

[Juicy_Bellows]

19. It's only second to getting money out of politics for me.

Sweet Teet on Brother Pete your comment is messed up.

[winter is coming]

21. Wow, I totally disagree.

By making prisons for-profit, you create an incentive to fill them, and keep them full, and build even more. That's really bad news for the poor and minorities, who are disproportionately incarcerated.

[TIME TO PANIC]

27. Are you saying there is no profit incentive to send more people to prison?

The more inmates, the more prisons.

[senz]

5. K&R -- VERY important issue.

Thanks again, AiT.

[WillyT]

6. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[Scuba]

9. K and effing R Private prisons are yet another stain on America.

[Uncle Joe]

10. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Attorney in Texas.

[Nitram]

12. I totally agree with this proposal.

How will Bernie go about passing this?

[Live and Learn]

13. K&R nt

[valerief]

16. Oh, noes! Bernie can't get rid of slave labor in the U.S.! Rich people get richer from it. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Private prisons must be abolished

This is even more dangerous than the arms industry shilling for war. The very existence and profitability of the prison industry depends on a high incarceration rate, meaning a high crime rate. Here is an industry with a vested interest in social disorder and will likely lobby against enlightened legislation such as decriminalization or legalization of marijuana possession.

The private prison industry is guaranteed to be sociopathalogical. A healthy society should not tolerate it.

[Juicy_Bellows]

20. They need to go - pronto! KICK. nt.

[klook]

22. Privatized prisons are a blight on our society.

So is the private probation industry. Incarceration should never have been allowed to become a profitable enterprise.

[restorefreedom]

23. this blight needs to go.

shameful in 2015.

[Doctor_J]

24. our party's frontrunner is an employee of the profit prison industry

She is also the preferred candidate of the 1%, including big media. That's why there is a media blackout about Sanders plan.

[lovemydog]

25. I read yesterday that Hillary is no longer taking any donations

from the prison for profit industry. I'm sorry I don't have a link to it. I'm wondering if anyone here can provide proof or lack thereof.

I'd like good current information before casting my vote.

I applaud Black Lives Matter and others for bringing this important issue to the forefront. I also applaud Bernie Sanders for making it a significant priority in his policy agenda, not just in his campaign but also prior to even running for the democratic nomination for President.

I applaud Martin O'Malley for taking strong positions on this matter too.

If (and I say if because I do not know for certain) Hillary is also refusing to take money from the for profit prison industry, then I feel we also may be moving from progressive pressures toward genuine actions. I've also read that consensus may be building on this among conservatives / republicans as well, because of the tremendous costs associated with the failed and costly drug war, and the failed and costly private prison industry.

It's much more important to me to keep building consensus to end it than it is to argue the merits of each of our candidates. I know you may not agree with me here Doctor_J. But I feel that if we may be seeing some actuality toward ending for profit prisons, and truly building strong consensus for this to gain traction, then I'd like to know that it is gaining momentum.

[Bubzer]

32. I hope there's earnest traction in that direction on hillary's part. But I wont hold my breath.

I'd have a hard time accepting the idea that hillary stopped taking private prison money out of anything other than political expediency. She's shown a willingness to change her positions purely for political gain. Worse yet, it's taken overwhelming consensus to get her to "change" her views... rather than anything resembling actual leadership.

[Betty Karlson]

35. Maybe after ten polls and five focus groups, she reluctantly agreed

that the "slave labour by another name" had to be abandoned in the 21st century?

Clinton is a follower, not a leader.

[TIME TO PANIC]

29. Great post!

The whole idea of private industry profiting from people being sent to prison is sick!

[raouldukelives]

33. K&R nt