Exploring the Prison Industrial Complex: 9 Facts About Mass Incarceration
I have heard this term thrown around a lot and while I do have some experience working within the prison system I wanted to learn more about what this particular term means and who benefits from it. Boy did that send me down a rabbit hole!
What is the Prison Industrial Complex?
Fact #1 — The prison industrial complex (PIC) is a term used to describe the intersection of government and private industry that profits from the mass incarceration of individuals.
The prison industrial complex (PIC) is a term used to describe the overlapping interests of government and private industry that use surveillance, policing, and imprisonment as solutions to social, economic, and political problems. It is made up of a network of people, policies, institutions, and ideologies that work together to create the current system. This includes police officers who patrol neighborhoods; prosecutors who decide what charges are filed; judges who determine sentences; lawmakers who pass laws creating new offenses and setting sentencing guidelines; corporations that build prisons or supply goods for them; corrections officers who monitor prisoners’ activities in jails or prisons; parole boards which decide when an individual can be released from custody before their sentence has expired; probation officers tasked with supervising individuals on probation; and private security companies that provide services such as transportation of prisoners or electronic monitoring.
The prison industrial complex is an economic system in which government and private companies make money off of the mass incarceration of people.
Private companies benefit from this system because they are contracted by governments to build, manage, and maintain prisons.
Governments also benefit financially by charging inmates for their stay in prison, as well as collecting fines and fees associated with criminal offenses.
Thus creating a cycle that encourages more people to be arrested and imprisoned so that both public institutions and private corporations can profit from it.
In addition to the financial aspects of the PIC, there are also racial implications at play here. Studies have shown that African Americans are disproportionately represented in our nation’s prisons due to systemic racism within law enforcement agencies as well as within the criminal justice system in general. This means that African American individuals are more likely to get arrested, convicted, and sentenced for longer periods of time than their white counterparts.
Ultimately, the PIC is an unjust system that has a negative impact on our society. It creates financial incentives for companies to incarcerate more people while simultaneously limiting opportunities for those who have been detained by making it harder to find jobs or housing after they’ve served their sentence. Additionally, this system perpetuates racial disparities in our criminal justice system.
How many people are incarcerated in the U.S.?
Fact #2 — The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with over 2 million people currently incarcerated in jails and prisons.
The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, meaning more people are locked up in jails and prisons here than anywhere else. This means that a vast number of people — over 2 million — are living behind bars right now. That’s almost one out of every 100 adults in America currently incarcerated! This is an incredibly high number, especially considering that most of these inmates have not been convicted or sentenced yet. Many remain in prison simply because they can’t afford to post bail, while others may be waiting for their trial dates or sentencing hearings due to overcrowding and delays at courtrooms across the country.
This all adds up to an American justice system where people are often locked up for months or even years before they ever get their day in court. Most inmates are from communities of color and low-income backgrounds — groups that have long been marginalized by our criminal justice system (Source: ACLU).
The high incarceration rate in the United States also has far-reaching effects on society since it means more money is being spent on prisons than schools and other social services. And this often leads to an increase in recidivism (when someone commits another crime after being released from jail) and further entrenches poverty within specific communities.
The amount of money spent on prisons versus schools in the United States varies by state, but overall, more is spent on prisons than on schools. According to a 2020 report from The Education Trust and American Institutes for Research, the average state spends 2.5 times as much on corrections as it does on higher education. This means that conditions are spending an average of $182 per student for K-12 education compared to $459 per inmate in prison or jail. Furthermore, since 1979 there has been an increase of 590% in U.S. prison spending while school funding has decreased by 13%. This has led to inequality between public school systems due to unequal funding sources and racial disparities within criminal justice systems which have caused a disproportionate number of people from minority backgrounds to end up in prison.
Prisons are a business model in some cases.
Fact #3 — Private companies, such as for-profit prisons, provide services to the government in exchange for profit.
Private companies, such as for-profit prisons, provide services to the government in exchange for money. For example, a for-profit prison is a privately owned and operated facility that contracts with the government to house inmates or prisoners. The company earns money from taxpayers by charging fees to incarcerate individuals convicted of crimes. These fees can include costs associated with housing, feeding, clothing, and providing medical care to the prisoners (Investopedia).
Private companies also often provide other services related to criminal justice, including probation supervision and electronic monitoring systems (National Institute of Justice).
Do private prisons get paid even if all beds are not full?
Yes, private prisons typically get paid regardless of whether all the beds are full. This is because they enter into contracts with governments that guarantee them a certain amount of money per prisoner per day, regardless of how many inmates are housed in their facility (Source: The Sentencing Project).
For example, if a prison has an agreement with the government to receive $50 for each inmate per day and there are only ten inmates in the jail on any given day, then the jail will still receive $500 from the government for those ten inmates.
Fact #4 — The PIC disproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income individuals.
Unfortunately, this system disproportionately affects communities of color and those with low incomes. Those from these backgrounds have fewer resources available to them when paying bail or legal fees, which can lead to harsher sentences than wealthier offenders (ACLU). Additionally, people in these communities often lack access to quality education which can lead them down paths toward criminal activity. This creates an unjust cycle of poverty and inequality as marginalized populations face higher incarceration rates than the rest of society.
Fact #5 — The growth of the prison industrial complex has led to the militarization of police forces and the criminalization of more and more behaviors.
The prison industrial complex has increased the militarization of police forces, which means they use more military-style equipment, such as armored vehicles or assault rifles, when responding to civilian situations. This has caused concern among communities who feel their neighborhoods are treated like a warzone rather than a place for peaceful protests or demonstrations. It has also resulted in the criminalization of more behaviors as police officers have become increasingly focused on enforcing laws rather than maintaining public safety. For example, activities such as loitering or disorderly conduct can now lead to arrests instead of warnings from law enforcement. This has led to increased arrests for minor offenses and a rise in the prison population, which can have long-term consequences for those incarcerated. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), this type of criminalization disproportionately affects people of color due to systemic racism and bias within law enforcement. This means that people from certain racial or ethnic groups are more likely to be arrested than others, even when committing similar offenses (Source: ACLU).
Fact #6 — The prison industrial complex has a financial incentive to maintain high levels of incarceration, creating a conflict of interest for those who benefit from it.
The PIC has the incentive to keep as many people incarcerated as possible. For example, some companies provide food or medical care for prisoners at a profit — they make more money if more prisoners need their services. Additionally, private prisons house inmates for profit, so these businesses also want to ensure high levels of incarceration since this is how they make money. On top of this, politicians can get votes from people who fear crime and want harsher sentences for criminals. This encourages them to pass laws that result in more people being incarcerated, even if this isn’t necessarily the best solution for society. All of these factors combine to create a prison industrial complex with an incentive to keep high levels of incarceration, which is why reform efforts are so important (Source: Wampler, Brian. “What Is the Prison Industrial Complex?” ThoughtCo., 18 Sept. 2020).
Fact #7 — The conditions in many prisons are inhumane, with issues such as overcrowding, violence, and lack of access to healthcare and education.
The conditions in many prisons are inhumane, with issues such as overcrowding, violence, and lack of access to healthcare and education. Overcrowding is a significant issue in many prisons; it often leads to decreased inmate safety due to inadequate staff ratios and resources. Inmates may also have limited or no access to programs designed for rehabilitation or educational opportunities (American Civil Liberties Union). This means prisoners do not have the fundamental human rights they deserve while incarcerated.
Violence is another common problem faced by inmates inside prison walls. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), there were 845 violent incidents per 1,000 state and federal prisoners in 2018 alone (Bureau of Justice Statistics). This number has been steadily increasing over the last decade, leading to an increased risk of physical and mental harm for prisoners. In addition, inmates often lack access to essential healthcare services. Inmates may have limited or no access to medical care due to inadequate staff ratios and financial barriers (American Civil Liberties Union). As a result, many inmates suffer from preventable illnesses and health complications that could be treated with proper medical attention.
Finally, educational opportunities are often minimal or nonexistent for incarcerated prisoners. According to the most recent data from the BJS, only 5 percent of state and federal prisons offer college-level courses (Bureau of Justice Statistics). Additionally, fewer than half provide vocational training courses, and only one-third offer primary adult education. This lack of educational opportunities can have long-term effects on inmates’ ability to reintegrate into society after being released.
Inmates should not be deprived of their fundamental human rights while incarcerated, including access to healthcare services, educational opportunities, and a safe environment free from violence. Without these resources, prisoners may struggle to reenter society upon release due to inadequate rehabilitation programs or lack of skills needed for employment (American Civil Liberties Union).
Fact #8 — Activists and organizations are working to reform the criminal justice system and reduce the power and influence of the prison industrial complex.
Activists and organizations around the country are working to reform the criminal justice system and reduce the power of the PIC. This includes advocating for bail reform, eliminating mandatory minimum sentences, expanding access to alternatives to incarceration such as diversion programs or community service, increasing funding for rehabilitation services instead of punishment-based policies, and providing more resources in communities that have been disproportionately targeted by law enforcement. By changing laws and shifting public opinion about crime and punishment, these efforts aim to create a fairer system that is less reliant on mass incarceration (The Sentencing Project).
Fact #9 — Alternatives to incarceration, such as restorative justice and community-based solutions, are being explored as more just and practical approaches to crime and punishment.
These alternatives seek to reduce the number of people in prisons while also providing an opportunity for those who have committed a crime to make amends with their communities.
Restorative justice is a type of criminal justice system that focuses on repairing the harm done by crimes through meaningful dialogue between victims, offenders, and other stakeholders in the community. This approach often involves restitution or service projects performed by the offender which can help restore trust within communities affected by crime.
Community-based solutions address social issues underlying criminality, such as poverty, substance abuse, mental health problems, education deficits, and lack of access to services. These approaches often rely on the involvement of community members and stakeholders to reduce recidivism rates through job training, substance abuse treatment, mentorship programs, education initiatives, or other activities that can help individuals become productive citizens in their communities.
In addition to restorative justice and community-based solutions, there are several other alternatives to incarceration being explored, including probation/parole supervision; intensive supervision programming; day reporting centers; electronic monitoring (e.g., GPS); home confinement; drug courts; veterans’ courts; diversionary programs for juveniles and young adults such as teen court and youth offender panels (YOPs); transitional housing with social services support for formerly incarcerated people reentering society (National Institute of Corrections, 2018).
Overall, these alternatives to incarceration seek to provide an opportunity for those who have committed a crime to make amends with their communities and help reduce recidivism rates. By focusing on repairing the harm done by crimes and addressing underlying social issues such as poverty, substance abuse, mental health problems, education deficits, and lack of access to services — these approaches can lead to more successful outcomes for individuals affected by crime, while also helping communities become safer places.
TL;DR (Too Long, didn't read)
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with over 2 million people currently incarcerated in jails and prisons. The prison industrial complex is an economic system in which government and private companies make money off of the mass incarceration of people, resulting in high levels of surveillance, policing, and imprisonment as solutions to social, economic, and political problems. This system disproportionately affects communities of color and those with low incomes due to systemic racism within law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. Activists are working to reform this unjust system by advocating for bail reform, eliminating mandatory minimum sentences, and expanding access to alternatives such as restorative justice or community-based solutions that address underlying social issues.
Sources:
American Civil Liberties Union. “The Cruel and Unusual Reality of Life Behind Bars in America.” ACLU, 16 Nov. 2017, www.aclu.org/issues/prisoners-rights/cruel-and-unusual-reality-life-behind-bars-america#overview1.
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). “Prisoners in 2018” U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics., Dec 2019, https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6457
(Source:National Institute of Corrections, 2018).
The Sentencing Project. https://www.sentencingproject.org/criminal-justice-facts/prison-industrial-complex/#:~:text=The%20prison%20industrial%20complex%2C
Wampler, Brian. “What Is the Prison Industrial Complex?” ThoughtCo., 18 Sept. 2020
About the author:
Jamie is a former addiction counselor who now writes fiction about substance abuse and mental health issues. She has authored two short novels in her Memoirs of a Black Sheep series and a series she co-authors, The Borderline Chronicles, on Amazon Kindle Vella. Jamie has also formed her own small publishing company, Flawed By Design Publishing LLC, where she produces her published works and offers other writing and media services.
Flawed by Design is a woman-owned, veteran-owned business for those who seek a writing coach, editor, or proofreader.