Why 90%? Its simple, the private prison industry knows what it costs to run a prison, and if they are going to run it, clearly they are not going to do it at a LOSS, they are in business to make money and 90% occupancy is a break even point for them (likely they will make something though). So before putting on some wild thought, think business, thats the one that makes sense.10-11-2012 National:
From Daily Kos:
A recent ThinkProgress article documented the myriad failures of the first for-profit prison in the country to meet state standards. Mentioned in passing was Corrections Corporation of America's recent offer to outright buy state prisons, rather than merely take contracts to (mis)manage them, dangling short-term infusions of money in front of cash-strapped state legislatures.
They come with a catch, however -- guaranteed prison 'occupancy' rates of at least 90% for decades, insuring CCA's continued profitability.
But what happens if the government, having taken on such contracts with the CCA, puts pressure on its justice system to produce the requisite numbers of inmates for the prisons? What happens when the focus of the justice system changes from justice to manufacturing a human product that for-profit prisons demand to exploit?
It's bad enough that the ThinkProgress article cited so many failures to live up to state prison standards -- prison cells overcrowded with inmates sleeping on the floor, lack of required personal space, of cleaning, hygiene, medical care, lack of plans to release inmates in an emergency, in case of a fire. You'd think they would have a plan for something like that; roasting a few hundred inmates would really cut into their profit margin! And yet, it just gets worse.
Despite the many abuses discovered at private prisons all over the country, CCA and other industry giants have greatly benefited from cash-strapped states’ attempts to save money. However, recent studies show that private prisons actually cost more than state-owned ones. Undeterred, CCA has started offering states millions to buy state facilities like the Ohio prison. Ohio sold the prison to CCA last year to help balance the state’s 2012-2013 budget, and CCA recently offered to buy another one in exchange for the state’s guarantee of 90% occupancy for 20 or 30 years....continued... ...
