Prisons »
Obama Is Making Money On Privatized Prisons and Slave Labor
Since the advent of privatized prisons in 1984, America has witnessed the passage of laws that require zero tolerance and mandatory sentencing, without regard for any extenuating circumstances. These two factors walk hand in
Read More »
Five Offenses That Can Land Kids (But Not Adults) In Jail
Supporters of the U.S. criminal justice system often justify locking people up in jails and prisons by saying that this promotes public safety. Given how many prisoners are serving extraordinarily long sentences for non-violent
Read More »
The Town That Turned Poverty Into a Prison Sentence
Most states shut down their debtors’ prisons more than 100 years ago; in 2005, Harpersville, Alabama, opened one back up. At the single stoplight in Harpersville, Alabama, Debra Shoemaker Ford saw the police lights flash.
Read More »
Kids For Cash Scheme Exposes Horrors of For-Profit Prisons: Documentary
The fact that the United States leads the world in prison population is becoming common knowledge. Somewhat lesser known is the direct connection between corporate prisons and incarceration rates. There is no starker example
Read More »
Private Prison Company Sexually Abused Young
A pair of recent lawsuits against a private youth prison operator in Florida amplify claims that the company, Youth Services International, has frequently covered up reports that staff sexually abused young people held inside
Read More »
Pennsylvania Judge Sentenced For 28 Years For Selling Kids to the Prison System
Mark Ciavarella Jr, a 61-year old former judge in Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for literally selling young juveniles for cash. He was convicted of accepting money in exchange
Read More »
Video: Prison labor booms in US as low-cost inmates bring billions
US breeds a Chinese-style inmate labor scheme on its own soil. Both state and some of the biggest private companies are now enjoying the fruits of a cheap and readily available work force, with
Read More »