Making Profits on the Captive Prison Market (2016)

https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/making-profits-on-the-captive-prison-market

by f-securus • 7 years ago

1 1 7 years ago

f-securus• 7 years ago

I just received a phone call from my mom who was disgruntled that the county jail now requires $20 to make a visitation appointment from home. The alternative is to drive almost an hour away to make an appointment for free at the facility, but not a same day appointment (so what previously took one evening, now takes two and a week of planning). For somebody with low income it has become difficult to do something that was traditionally done in one evening with no fee. Now they are charging a premium for 'convenience'. I am dumbfounded that this behavior is allowed. Anti consumer monopolies are totally allowed within jails.

The facilities that use these 3rd party services receive a percentage of the fees. So you create conflict of interest. Higher recidivism rate = more money for the jails.

Making Profits on the Captive Prison Market (2016)

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