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Last week, we challenged Damon Hininger, the head of Corrections Corporation of America - the world's largest for-profit incarceration company - to a debate on the merits of prison privatization. Today, Mother Jones reported that the company is shrinking from the challenge.
We invited Hininger to tell us, in a 90-minute public debate with equal time given to each side, why he thinks we're wrong to call for the elimination of for-profit incarceration. As we wrote to Hininger: "If you truly believe that private prisons are right for our country, we see no reason why you would be unwilling to defend that position in a public debate."
These are the views we invited CCA to refute in a public forum:
* Evidence that for-profit prisons save taxpayer money is mixed at best, and privatization cannot fix the nation's binge spending on incarceration. Indeed, the industry's business model depends on extracting as much public money as possible by locking up the maximum number of people.
* Private prisons have incentives to maximize profits by cutting comers at the expense of decent conditions and public safety. Empirical research supports the view that private prisons pay correctional officers lower wages, resulting in higher turnover and less experienced staff.
* New prisons, whether public or private, deliver few benefits to local communities.
And here from CCA to answer the challenge, debate these assertions, and expose them as bunk is . . .
Well, no one.
If you think you deserve to know the truth about what CCA is doing with your taxpayer dollars, go here and urge Hininger to accept our invitation.
Learn more about private prisons: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Last week, we challenged Damon Hininger, the head of Corrections Corporation of America - the world's largest for-profit incarceration company - to a debate on the merits of prison privatization. Today, Mother Jones reported that the company is shrinking from the challenge.
We invited Hininger to tell us, in a 90-minute public debate with equal time given to each side, why he thinks we're wrong to call for the elimination of for-profit incarceration. As we wrote to Hininger: "If you truly believe that private prisons are right for our country, we see no reason why you would be unwilling to defend that position in a public debate."
These are the views we invited CCA to refute in a public forum:
* Evidence that for-profit prisons save taxpayer money is mixed at best, and privatization cannot fix the nation's binge spending on incarceration. Indeed, the industry's business model depends on extracting as much public money as possible by locking up the maximum number of people.
* Private prisons have incentives to maximize profits by cutting comers at the expense of decent conditions and public safety. Empirical research supports the view that private prisons pay correctional officers lower wages, resulting in higher turnover and less experienced staff.
* New prisons, whether public or private, deliver few benefits to local communities.
And here from CCA to answer the challenge, debate these assertions, and expose them as bunk is . . .
Well, no one.
If you think you deserve to know the truth about what CCA is doing with your taxpayer dollars, go here and urge Hininger to accept our invitation.
Learn more about private prisons: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
Last week, we challenged Damon Hininger, the head of Corrections Corporation of America - the world's largest for-profit incarceration company - to a debate on the merits of prison privatization. Today, Mother Jones reported that the company is shrinking from the challenge.
We invited Hininger to tell us, in a 90-minute public debate with equal time given to each side, why he thinks we're wrong to call for the elimination of for-profit incarceration. As we wrote to Hininger: "If you truly believe that private prisons are right for our country, we see no reason why you would be unwilling to defend that position in a public debate."
These are the views we invited CCA to refute in a public forum:
* Evidence that for-profit prisons save taxpayer money is mixed at best, and privatization cannot fix the nation's binge spending on incarceration. Indeed, the industry's business model depends on extracting as much public money as possible by locking up the maximum number of people.
* Private prisons have incentives to maximize profits by cutting comers at the expense of decent conditions and public safety. Empirical research supports the view that private prisons pay correctional officers lower wages, resulting in higher turnover and less experienced staff.
* New prisons, whether public or private, deliver few benefits to local communities.
And here from CCA to answer the challenge, debate these assertions, and expose them as bunk is . . .
Well, no one.
If you think you deserve to know the truth about what CCA is doing with your taxpayer dollars, go here and urge Hininger to accept our invitation.
Learn more about private prisons: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.