Illinois law currently bars the privatization of prisons in the state. But this law does not bar private companies from building detention centers used to house immigrants. Illinois understands that jailing people is a "uniquely governmental function," and that bringing profit motives into detention leads to mismanagement and abuse. Corrections Corporation of America ("CCA") is currently trying to build a detention center in the Chicago-land area and this is NOT covered by existing law.
That's why I created a petition to the Illinois State House, the Illinois State Senate, and Governor Pat Quinn asking that current law be extended to bar the privatization of civil dentention centers.
Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://signon.org/sign/stop-private-detention?source=c.em.mt&r_by=340639
Thanks!
Elaine T.
Enter the for-profit privately owned prison. Instead of 3 meals, they get 2. Next, put them to work in a privately run business operated within the prison owned by the same folks in charge. Next, keep it filled to overflowing capacity with all sorts of lawless criminals who deserve to be in jail. Criminals such as indigent moms and dads who cannot pay their hospital bills, the homeless, peaceful protesters, pot smokers, kids dissing their teachers on a myspace page. After all, we gotta get tough on crime. Here is what happened to over 5000 kids in Ohio under the " private prison system" http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/23/pennsylvania.corrupt.judges/ .."children would be placed in private detention centers, under contract with the court, to increase the head count. In exchange, the two judges would receive kickbacks.." Of course there is no incentive to rehabilitate. There is no money in that. On the other hand there will be incentives to jail even more people and a lot more corruption. In Illinois it was necessary to pass a law because courts were routinely jailing debtors at the request of creditors' attorneys. http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/illinois-law-limits-debtors-prison/article_422369fc-d76a-11e1-8d07-001a4bcf6878.html Bad idea.