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The Prison-Industrial Complex

The Prison-Industrial Complex. Report by Shenin Mesdaghi Sources: Angela Davis, Eve Goldberg, and Linda Evans. Prison and Complexity?. Prison network = complex and dynamic system

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The Prison-Industrial Complex

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  1. The Prison-Industrial Complex Report by Shenin Mesdaghi Sources: Angela Davis, Eve Goldberg, and Linda Evans

  2. Prison and Complexity? • Prison network = complex and dynamic system • Involves multiple agents that interact with one other  over time, there is increasing complexity as prisons expand and become more corporate -- “Prison Industrial Complex” (PIC) • PIC involves different levels of interaction: • government / political system • economic system • social / cultural system

  3. General Info • After Cold War, shift from military spending (communist threat) to prison spending (war on drugs) • news/media and politicians depict crime as urgent problem  public votes for more crime control • justifies huge govt. spending on prisons w/out public complaint • more prisons = seen as “solution” to crime and other social problems

  4. General Info • Crime rate , while…. • dramatic increase in incarcerated pop (113% increase btw. 1985-1995 -- 1995 BJS Bulletin) and • major Federal, State, Local Prison expansion continues • Why this continuous expansion? • Prison = link public, business, and govt. interests of social control and profit • As capital and labor relations change, prison, as an emerging business, becomes central to US economy

  5. PIC: Corporate Nature of Prison Network • Building and maintaining prisons = “big business” • many companies/industries profit • some required to give portion of profits to govt. • Increasingly, inmates provide cheap labor market for many other companies • prisoners are paid below min. wages, companies profit • change labor market by hiring prisoners, and laying off others • sweatshop conditions at times • prisoners can’t complain to media or govt. b/ have no rights

  6. PIC: Corporate Nature of Prison Network • private prison corporations emerge and greatly increase -- contract with govt. to keep costs low • punishment industry for pure profit, not social concern • investors benefit from prison bonds and stocks • continue to vote for more prison space • Prison = leading rural growth industry • rural area = economic decline b/ traditional agriculture pushed out by agribusiness  unemployment • want prison facilities b/ source of secure jobs and revenues

  7. Socio-Political-Economic Nature of Prison Network • Inmates = raw material for this prison industry • Inmates = mostly unemployed, poor, illiterate minorities • blacks/latinos = fastest growing -- 70% of inmate pop • # of women also increasing • increasing arrests for non-violent crimes • mainly drugs and robbery due to economic need, poverty • PIC need continuous inmate-supply for expansion • relies on feedback mechanism and racism • Feedback Mechanism

  8. Socio-Political-Economic Nature of Prison Network • 1960s-80s -- govt. (CIA) secretly involved in foreign drug trade with Vietnam and Nicaragua dumped lots of drugs into US poor, black communities • 1970s-80s -- many manufacturing companies moved abroad for cheaper labor marketslots of black, semi-skilled workers lost jobs • unemployment  poverty, stealing, and drug use • mid-1980s -- Reagan’s “War on Drugs” • arrests/targets mainly poor urban black communities for criminals • though whites and blacks used ~ same amt. of drugs • also, arrest many foreign drug smugglers

  9. Socio-Political-Economic Nature of Prison Network • Prison: with capitalist interest, enforces structural racism and class bias • Increased prison spending cuts money for other social programs (ex. welfare), that originally aided poor urban areas • as a result, the poor have less work, school aid, and drug-treatment services available • resort to stealing, drug use, and other crimes • feedback mechanism that increases inmate pop.

  10. PIC -- Eventual Decline or Collapse? • Eventually threshold will be reached when can’t expand prisons any longer: signs…. • prison overcrowding • inmates rioting • lack of financial resources to manage private prisons • As prisons expand, more people and publications rally against PIC • might effect public opinion, votes?

  11. PIC -- Eventual Decline or Collapse? • Current large incarcerated pop means more inmates released later  more crime later? • According to L.A. Times, national crime rate increased by 1% from previous year, and in certain parts of states (like CA) by 12%, due to increase release of prisoners who again commit crimes • Since prison does not address/solve root causes of crime (poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, racism) especially with social service money cut b/ of it • only temporary holding, until released later

  12. That’s All Folks

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