on private prisons.

In response to @RWWWB: "Gov run prisons are deplorable and cost way to much to run. We all for making money off bad guys instead of good guys."
found here: https://twitter.com/#!/RWWWB/statuses/141843705324781568


I concede that there are some government run prisons that are deplorable, and cost too much, but I don't think this is an "either or" situation. I don't think we MUST have privately-run prisons simply because it is an expensive endeavor to incarcerate people.
In fact, the New York Times has written as recently as May 2011, that private prisons aren't necessarily cheaper. citation: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19prisons.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

The answer to this is FIX the high costs -- Run them like a business where possible, while not actually being for-profit. I realise this is a bit of an oversimplification, but we need to be able to make tough decisions in cutting costs where appropriate, while treating the incarcerated humanely.

The second part of your argument, "we all for making money off bad guys", just seems ill-thought. Are you really saying that it's ok to profit off of the imprisonment of someone, as long as they are deemed "bad" by someone? Here's why I think that argument doesn't work, is unethical, and doesn't benefit the incarcerated:

I generally think making a profit for your hard work is not inherently a bad thing. Indeed, it's a good thing in many ways. I don't think this is a contested point. However, the motives for profit have to be examined when considering things like another human life. Not only do the motives have to be examined, but also whether a conflict of interest exists. In the case of private prisons there certainly is a conflict of interest and recent events have shown us this.

here's one such evidence of a conflict: A judge in California got caught up in the greed of it all and took bribes from private prison owners, if he would send people to their prison. (citation: http://www.ccpoa.org/news/entry/judge_guilty_of_taking_bribes_from_private_prison_sending_juveniles_to_for-/ )

The US already has a mindset problem with regard to prisons. We're focused too much on punishment and not nearly enough on rehabilitation. Adding profit to the mix only makes this problem worse. Privately run prisons make money off of head count, not on low recidivism. Let that sink in a moment. Rehabilitation of prisoners could actually be subverted for profits. If they were all rehabilitated and recidivism were low, the people who run these prisons lose money over time. They have no incentive to do this -- at least none that can override profit.

- @AnonyOps