The creation of a prison-industrial complex is one the most disturbing trends of the New World Order. In 1980, the prison population of the United States was 495,000; a scant 15 years later the number was somewhere between 1.5 and 1.6 million, with legislators promising to double that figure within the next 10 years. As individual liberty languishes, the prison industry booms. Is this progress?
Corrections Corporation of America and Wackenhut, One and Two, respectively, in the private prison industry, know this explosive growth is the most progressive economic opportunity since forced labor.
It seems at least mildly contadictory for the U.S. to harangue China on the issue of slave labor -- while the United States is already imprisoning a large percentage of its population, and U.S. prisoners, often forced to pay for their own room, board and medical care, are making reservations for major airlines, building furniture, footwear and sundry other products for the private sector, or working on chain gangs for pennies a day. -- but, that's politics.
Sure, ultra right wing apologists will argue, "Prisoners in China are 'political'."
On the other hand, Louis Farrakan, and growing numbers on his right, would argue that the majority of U.S. prisoners are also "political," victims of a "War on Poverty."
There is no contradiction, however, between the facts that prisons are both hugely expensive and very profitable. Just like with military spending, the cost is public cost and the profits are private: it's
yet another way of funneling public money into the pockets of the few richest.
Still, not everyone seems to appreciate the actual price. With prisons, it used to be towns would say, "not around here." Things have changed, charmed by the idea of scarce JOBS, today many folks are vieing to have prisons within their town limits.
Are we mistaken, or is it sad to see humans stooping to trade Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for a job as a gulag screw?
In an effort to put all the pieces together, here is the beginning of our collection of Prison Privatization and Prison Labor documentation.
NOTE: This compilation of documents is in the most formative stage. We will supplement this archive as often as possible, toward the ultimate goal of complete information on the prison situation. We would appreciate assistance in archiving prison material, and encourage interested parties to forward appropriate information to us for inclusion on this page.
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.