In my opinion, Citizens United paved the way for the powers that lost some punch in the 1930s and 1960s to regain that punch. Those were our years of social revolution of sorts. Today we would replace the word Monarchy with Oligarchy or, in short, Ultra-Greedy Power Hungry Heartless, Ammoral, Free-Market Devotees (UGPHHAFDs)
The title question is offered as food for thought.
Perhaps my thinking process is colored by having recently read War and Peace by Tolstoy and Stendhal's The Red and the Black. And previously The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.
I think it is an important question. You can read up on the post-revolution, French Bourbon Restoration at Wikipedia, of course. This ended with more upheaval in 1830.
Compared to French history, where would you place where we, the majority of citizens, stand today in the USA?
I would be interested in your opinion. It's stories like these that make me wonder.
Harley Lappin's drunk driving conviction LOCKED IN his new job with Corrections Corporation Of America. Why? Because Harley Lappin, was the former DOJ Director of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons from 2003 - May, 2011.
Lappin retired from the DOJ in May, 2011 to become CCA's Corrections Director as of June, 2011 following his February 16, 2011 DUI arrest in Annapolis, Maryland where he resides and was allegedly wrecklessly riding around town at 4:00 AM. Nothing good happens on the road at 4:00AM!
Correct us if we are wrong, Mr. Lappin, but this sure sounds like influence peddling.
But long before Harley Lappin retired, he changed some important rules. In 2003 a new rule was passed making it mandatory that first-time, non-violent offenders go to prison, not halfway houses or treatment centers. This will help keep the prisons stocked.
USA TODAY initially sought to speak with Lappin, but questions were referred to firm's media relations office.
USA Today reports that Mr. Lappin sent a letter to 48 states in his new CCA capacity inviting them to sell their jails to CCA with the caveat of keeping the jails 90% full.
Federal law prohibits designated senior federal government executives from doing business with their former agencies for at least a year after leaving their posts.
Owen said Lappin's letter was not sent to his former agency. And Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Traci Billingsley said the agency has received no such proposal.
But the text of the company's offer does indicate that the purchase offer — known as the "corrections investment initiative" — includes the federal government.
"The program is a new opportunity for federal, state or local governments that are considering the benefits of partnership corrections," Lappin said in the proposal, adding that it could assist governments in managing "challenging corrections budgets."
Read USA Today's article here:
Private purchasing of prisons lock in occupancy rates
BEFORE CONTINUING, DID YOU KNOW
1. Privatized Prisons existed in the USA in the 1800s? After exposure of malnutrition, abuse, overcrowding, and worse, States were forced to switch to State-run prisons. The GOP and free-market devotees are taking the USA back to the 1800s. How DICKishSONIAN OF THEM.
2. CCA was founded in 1983 by the investors behind Kentucky Fried Chicken. Read From Crispy Strips to Prisons
It is easy to devolve the debate from the real issue, States guaranteeing CCA, a private-Wall-Street-traded prison industry leader, that the State will fulfill its obligation to keep CCA's prison 90% full if CCA gives the State Millions of Dollars up front, to an argument about Lappin's possible conflict of industry. I just did in this intro but you will see why at the end of the diary.
Lappins DUI could be the magic bullet that Ohio and other states can use to keep CCA's jails full. Follow the story to the end to see why.
It is both dismaying and relevant to note that the majority of states are
1. In financial trouble, if we are to believe their reports; and
2. Run by free-market fanatical GOP Governors and Legislatures, CCA might succeed; and are
3. Holding Public Education hostage, not the wages paid to Legislators, as well as other services that serve the middle to low income residents as an excuse to privatize prisons.
CCA did succeed in Ohio last fall:
Ohio sells state prison to private contractor for $73 million
The media isn't quite connecting all the dots. It's not that complicated to show how CCA will turn a very healthy profit caging our fellow Americans.
Let's use the Ohio case as an example. Do the math for the prison Ohio State sold to CCA, Lake Erie Correction Institution.
In August, 2011 Lake Erie had 100% occupancy.
There are 1,500 prisoners. The State of Ohio has contracted to pay CCA $44.25 per day per prisoner. Multiply that by 365:
1,500 x $44.25 x 365 = $23,131,875
$23 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR GROSS INCOME
CCA has a guaranteed Gross Income. A dream come true for any business owner.
In order to turn a profit, CCA has many options available. A few that are being used here and there are:
1. Prison Labor programs.
2. Charge fees for families to visit inmates.
3. Price gouge at the prison commissary
4. Sell special priveleges
5. Contract with phone services for a kick back on jacked up phone costs
6. Understaff
7. Serve green, irredescent bologna sandwiches and other crappy food each day
8. Underserve medical needs.
9. Create gerbil-like plexi-glass enclosements/cells, install high tech monitoring system and cut the need for staff.
10. Charge a pay-to-stay per diem fee.
11. Get really creative, there must more pennies that can be squeezed from the lives of non-violent criminals.
Speaking of staff, again using Ohio Lake Erie Correctional Institute as an example, Google Search "Lake Erie Correctional Institution" for a full report written August, 2011 just prior to the sale of this prison to CCA. We could assume this analysis helped show CCA how CCA could make a profit from the LIVES OF PRISON INMATES.
From the Ohio Lake Erie Correctional Institute, August, 2011 Report:
The 1,500 inmates are 42% White 56% Black, and 2% other. 55% are gang members.
The 278 staff members are 90% White, 20% Black, and 7% other.
As of August, 2011 there were nine vacant staff positions:
Four correctional officers,
one CAD instructor,
one psychologist,
one buyer,
one maintenance technician, and
one librarian.
The report indicates that there is a major, on going critical concern:
Inmates relayed that the correctional officers are disrespectful and rude to them on a continual basis.
Both staff and inmates relayed that degrees of friction and stress exist among inmates in the living units due to age differences.
Staff indicated that the younger inmates entering the institution are „combative,‟ which creates interpersonal problems among inmates as well as staff.
Inmates relayed that staff respond to them by being verbally disrespectful.
Both staff and inmates relayed the need for improvement in interpersonal communication skills at all levels.
This is not unique to Lake Erie Correctional Institution; however, it is a problem that needs to be addressed. It was also a concern that was present during the 2009 CIIC inspection of the facility.
THE BURNING QUESTION:
Short of a loud, consistent public outcry with unrelenting pressure on politicians (which may not work in states that are hardened, ardent free market devotees), more states will probably sell their prisoners to CCA.
WHAT, IF ANY, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS ARE IN PLACE TO PROTECT PRISONERS FROM A PLETHORA OF PUTRID, POTENTIALLY HARMFUL DEPRIVATION, PRICE GOUGING, PRIVATE PRISON PROFIT SCHEMES?
That is the question we need answered before one of our loved ones ends up FODDER FOR FULL-FILLING the 90% ratio requirements at our new privatized Private State prisons. Is there an interstate commerce law flaw that could be exposed to take down CCA and the private State Prison industry? Anyone?
Perhaps the Ohio DUI sentencescan be improved to require prison sentences.
May I recommend the Connecticut DUI penalties to help fill CCA's jail:
I actually knew a business executive that spent 1 Year as a guest of a Connecticut prison system for a second DUI. He never damaged any property or hurt anyone. In the early nineties, Connecticut didn't mess around.
Back to Harley Lappin. He was arrested in Annapolis, Maryland in February, 2011 for a DUI which included several charges; however, I couldn't find out if he
A. Went to trial, as scheduled for June; and/or
B. Was sentenced
But imagine the irony if Maryland adopts Connecticut's DUI sentencing requirements and Mr. Lappin has an alcoholic relapse, gets caught, and ends up in a State prison owned by CCA for another DUI offense.
DO NOT DRIVE IF YOU HAVE BEEN DRINKING. You might be needed to fill an inmate quota for your state.
If you would like more information about the prison trends in Exceptional America, I highly recommend reading Bob Sloans diaries. Our fellow kossack is a nationally known and respected advocate for prison reform and trying to stop the trending towards privatized prisons.
FYI: Shortly after the 2/26/2011 DUI arrest, Harley Lappin testified before the US House of Representatives.
Here's is Lappin's report about the status of the Bureau of Prisons
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE AND RELATED AGENCIES MARCH 15, 2011
Harley Lappin was Director of Prisons for 8 years, a Bush appointee.
In 2001 Harley Lappin presided over the execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh while serving as the warden of the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indianna.
