October 22, 2019

MYTH: Private prisons drive mass incarceration.

FACT: Only 8 percent of incarcerated people are cared for in contractor-operated facilities at the state and federal levels, a number that has been steadily declining for years.

The US spends approximately $80 billion per year on corrections at the federal, state, and local levels. Private sector profits from corrections services amount to just 0.5% of that total. In fact, the total government payroll for corrections employees is more than 100 times higher than the profits from private sector corrections service providers.

As Fordham University professor and criminal justice expert John Pfaff states: “It ultimately is the public sector, not the private, that is at the heart of mass incarceration.”

As Pfaff writes, most of the incarcerated people housed by private contractors are in five states, and “there is no real evidence that prison populations have grown faster in those states than elsewhere.”

D1A members – including CoreCivic, The GEO Group, and Management & Training Corporation – have long-standing, zero-tolerance policies against lobbying for or against policies, regulations, or legislation that impact the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention.

MYTH: The prison industry costs the United States $80.7 billion per year, and private prisons increase this burden on the taxpayer.

FACT: According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, privately-owned facilities spend $25.83 less for each inmate per day to provide the same services as their public counterparts. An industry-supported study conducted by Temple University economists and peer-reviewed by the Independent Institute found that privately operated corrections and detention facilities generate 12 to 58 percent in long-run taxpayer savings without sacrificing the quality of service. Additionally, the industry has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in rehabilitation and re-entry programs designed to combat recidivism.

MYTH: Private prisons operate in a black box with minimal oversight and government supervision.

FACT: Private contractors are subject to multiple levels of oversight, including regular review and audit processes and hundreds of onsite government employees serving as facility monitors to ensure accountability. Many facilities are also scrutinized by the independent American Correctional Association, which thoroughly audits facilities, staff, and services, as well as other independent accreditation entities. More information on ACA standards can be found here. Additionally, ICE-contracted processing centers are required to meet the federal government’s rigorous Performance-Based National Detention Standards.

MYTH: Private prisons fail to train correctional staff and employ unqualified personnel.

FACT: Training of correctional staff meets or exceeds all standards established by the American Correctional Association, as well as the stringent requirements of local jurisdictions. In many instances, employees complete training alongside their public-sector counterparts.

MYTH: Private prisons fail to prepare inmates for life after incarceration, increasing recidivism rates and driving up profits.

FACT: Through hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and with deep concern for the well-being of inmates, the private sector has become a national leader in developing comprehensive and successful re-entry programs aimed at reducing recidivism rates. For example, in 2018 the private facility operator CoreCivic helped:

• Graduate more than 1,653 inmates with High School Equivalency (HSE) certificates and award 4,712 Industry-Recognized Certificates (IRC);
• Strengthen addiction-treatment programs by providing treatment options at a 72 percent completion rate;
• Guide 996 inmates to complete victim-impact programs, bringing the total to 2,078; and
• Enroll 868 inmates in faith-based residential programs.

On a typical day, The GEO Group has 30,000 participants enrolled in offender rehabilitation programming, resulting in 6.7 million programming hours completed during 2018. For the year, GEO helped men and women in their care attain:

• 2,779 high school equivalency diplomas
• 9,131 vocational certificates
• 8,842 substance abuse treatment certificates
• 44,518 programming completions
• 32,419 behavioral program completions

MTC provides vital services to more than 28,000 incarcerated men and women and to approximately 2,700 individuals in detention. In the last year, MTC helped the men and women in their care achieve the following results:

• At least 20 hours of structured academic, vocational, and recreational activities per inmate per week
• 5,662 substance abuse certificates
• 1,536 vocational certificates
• 1,827 GEDs or equivalents

MYTH: Private prisons support legislation that hinders the ability of formerly incarcerated individuals to successfully transition back into the community.

FACT: D1A members – including CoreCivic, The GEO Group, and Management & Training Corporation – have long-standing, zero-tolerance policies against lobbying for or against policies, regulations, or legislation that impact the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention.

D1A members have played a significant role advocating for policies that will place individuals on a path to become productive members of society upon release. This commitment is demonstrated by not only the serious financial investments, but also the proven track record of support for legislation and policies that benefit the individuals re-entering society.

For example, CoreCivic was a major supporter of Ban the Box legislation, which allows former inmates to apply for jobs without disclosing their record of incarceration, expanding their employment opportunities. In fact, as of 2016, CoreCivic’s own application for employment no longer containted a “check the box” for applicants to disclose prior criminal history.

Additionally, D1A members supported the bipartisan First Step Act, a landmark prison reform and recidivism reduction bill, which was passed by Congress and signed into law in December 2018.

MYTH: Private prisons lobby for stricter immigration and harsher sentencing laws to protect their bottom line.

FACT: D1A members – including CoreCivic, The GEO Group, and Management & Training Corporation – have long-standing, zero-tolerance policies against lobbying for or against policies, regulations, or legislation that impact the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention.

D1A members do not enforce immigration laws or arrest anyone who may be in violation of immigration laws, and do not know the circumstances of people when they are placed in a facility or have any say whatsoever in the adjudication and disposition of their cases by the immigration courts and federal authorities.

D1A members have not, do not, and will not operate facilities for the purpose of housing unaccompanied migrant children.

By contrast, contractors such as CoreCivic and The GEO Group actually worked with the Obama Administration to establish and operate facilities specifically designed for migrant parents and their children to be cared for together, with health care, legal support, and education services provided.

MYTH: Private prisons operate border patrol facilities and shelters for unaccompanied minors.

FACT: D1A members do not operate facilities housing unaccompanied minors, or isolate children from their parents. By contrast, contractors such as CoreCivic and The GEO Group actually worked with the Obama Administration to establish and operate facilities specifically designed for migrant parents and their children to be cared for together, with health care, legal support, and education services provided.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for the care of unaccompanied minors and no member of D1A contracts with HHS to operate such facilities. D1A members do not operate any border patrol facilities.

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