Pledging
These are the original issues in this subcategory
- RECIDIVISM
- INMATE HEALTH
- PRISON PRIVATIZATION
Our criminal justice system now detains about 2.3 million people in state, local, federal, juvenile and immigrant detention facilities, among others. Privately-run for-profit prisons were created in 1984. By 2017, this $4.8 billion/year industry was detaining 8.2%, or 121,420 of all US inmates. In 2013, private prison industry profits totaled about $630 million. The annual salaries of guards at private prisons is about $32,000 while our 800,000 federal prison guards average about $78,000. A 2016 Justice Dept. study found private prisons had a 28% higher rate of inmate-on-inmate assaults and more than twice as many inmate-on-staff assaults compared to federal prisons. Other studies in 2010 and 2011 found that it costs more to hold prisoners in private facilities than public ones.
Supporters claim privatized prisons are cheaper and more efficient than prisons operated by our government. They claim these jails can be built quickly, are equipped with the latest technology, are less crowded, and provide jobs for local communities.
Opponents believe that allowing the profit motive into the prison equation does not save money - it only encourages these companies to provide low-paying dangerous jobs and few, if any, economic benefits to local communities. Private prisons are expensive for inmates too, with families paying up to $24.95 for a 15-minute phone call and commissary vendors that bring in $1.6 billion a year. Critics say privatizing prisons has given these corporations and their unions an incentive to lobby against reducing prison populations, saying this industry is often the loudest voice for increased incarceration and longer prison terms.
In a recent executive order, President Biden has decided not to renew Justice Department contracts with private prisons, except for those facilities which detain undocumented immigrants. This action will end the use of private prisons when these contracts expire unless a future president rescinds Biden’s order, or until a law is passed making this change permanent.
Pending Legislation: H.R.3612 - End For-Profit Prisons Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
Status: House Committee on the Judiciary
Chair: Rep. Jim Jordan (OH)
Supporters claim privatized prisons are cheaper and more efficient than prisons operated by our government. They claim these jails can be built quickly, are equipped with the latest technology, are less crowded, and provide jobs for local communities.
Opponents believe that allowing the profit motive into the prison equation does not save money - it only encourages these companies to provide low-paying dangerous jobs and few, if any, economic benefits to local communities. Private prisons are expensive for inmates too, with families paying up to $24.95 for a 15-minute phone call and commissary vendors that bring in $1.6 billion a year. Critics say privatizing prisons has given these corporations and their unions an incentive to lobby against reducing prison populations, saying this industry is often the loudest voice for increased incarceration and longer prison terms.
In a recent executive order, President Biden has decided not to renew Justice Department contracts with private prisons, except for those facilities which detain undocumented immigrants. This action will end the use of private prisons when these contracts expire unless a future president rescinds Biden’s order, or until a law is passed making this change permanent.
Pending Legislation: H.R.3612 - End For-Profit Prisons Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
Status: House Committee on the Judiciary
Chair: Rep. Jim Jordan (OH)
- I oppose reforming current prison privatization policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Speaker Mike Johnson (LA).
- I support stopping the federal government from using private companies to run prisons and detention centers, requiring that core correctional services be handled by federal employees instead, marking a move to phase out for-profit incarceration at the federal level by: 1.) Restricting the Attorney General from contracting with private entities for federal correctional or community confinement facilities. 2.) Mandating that all core tasks within federal prisons must be performed by federal government employees. 3.) Setting a future date (6 years after enactment) for these changes to take full effect for federal facilities (8 years after enactment for for-profit entities for community confinement facilities). 4.) Requiring the Bureau of Prisons to provide released prisoners with counseling on expunging records, overcoming employment barriers, and applying for public assistance (e.g., Medicaid, Social Security. 5.) Mandates annual inspections of U.S. Marshals Service facilities by the Marshals Service to ensure they meet federal safety and constitutional standards. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Jim Jordan (OH) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.
- I support stopping the federal government from using private companies to run prisons and detention centers, requiring that core correctional services be handled by federal employees instead, marking a move to phase out for-profit incarceration at the federal level by:
1.) Restricting the Attorney General from contracting with private entities for federal correctional or community confinement facilities.
2.) Mandating that all core tasks within federal prisons must be performed by federal government employees.
3.) Setting a future date (6 years after enactment) for these changes to take full effect for federal facilities (8 years after enactment for for-profit entities for community confinement facilities).
4.) Requiring the Bureau of Prisons to provide released prisoners with counseling on expunging records, overcoming employment barriers, and applying for public assistance (e.g., Medicaid, Social Security.
5.) Mandates annual inspections of U.S. Marshals Service facilities by the Marshals Service to ensure they meet federal safety and constitutional standards.
And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. Jim Jordan (OH) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.
You May Pledge Your Support For This Issue With A Monetary
Donation And By Writing A Letter To Your Representatives
Donation And By Writing A Letter To Your Representatives
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Pledge Period - Opening Date
March 2, 2026 @00:01 Universal Coordinated Time (UTC)
Pledge Period - Closing Date
March 8, 2026 @23:59 Universal Coordinated Time (UTC)
Trustee Election - Begins
March 9, 2026