I've wondered what Senator Sanders was talking about, ever since I heard him say this:
It is morally repugnant and a national tragedy that we have privatized prisons all over America. In my view, corporations should not be allowed to make a profit by building more jails and keeping more Americans behind bars. We have got to end the private-for-profit prison racket in America!
He again called for ending this system of "Private Corporations making Billions off of Jails" -- at the
Iowa State Fair today, to raucous applause.
This got me wondering, Who are these Corporations profiting off of captive Prison Labor?
and How are they allowed to profit from prisoners?
by Ricky Riley, atlantablackstar.com -- October 10, 2014
McDonald’s
McDonald’s uses inmates to produce frozen foods. Inmates process beef for patties. They may also process bread, milk and chicken products.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s has also been identified as relying on prison labor to reduce its cost of operations. Inmates also process beef for patties.
Starbucks
The company uses inmates to cut costs as well. Starbucks subcontractor Signature Packaging Solutions hired Washington state prisoners to package holiday coffees.
Wal-Mart ...
Sprint ...
Verizon ...
Victoria’s Secret ...
Fidelity Investments ...
J.C Penney and Kmart ...
American Airlines and Avis ...
That was back in 2014. I would suspect
many more Corporations have jumped on this highly profitable band-wagon, by now.
Afterall what could be better from a soulless Corporate-profiteer's point of view -- than a captive labor force, who can be compelled to work for next nothing.
[PS. That link attempts to answer the "HOW they are allowed to profit from prisoners" question posed earlier.]
It is the Corporate version of "Capitalist Nirvana," because as that previous link explains:
Prison Workers: "are not considered “employees” under the law, they have none of the protections that word implies."
What can be done to fix this "private-for-profit prison racket" in America?
Once again Senator Bernie Sanders has more than a few thoughts on the subject:
Criminal Justice
Bernie Sanders believes that the
United States squanders far too many resources on over-incarceration and misguided crime policies, and that
this money could be better spent providing education, training, and jobs to those who might otherwise get lost in the criminal justice system. Bernie also advocates for police reform through increased transparency and accountability, as well as the demilitarization of America’s police forces.
Mass Incarceration: The U.S. incarcerates far too many people, a disproportionate percentage of them are people of color. Rather than spending resources to incarcerate people who aren’t an inherent threat to society — such as nonviolent drug offenders — Bernie proposes we spend more on education, training, and jobs that will reduce crime.
Police Reform: Bernie believes police should be demilitarized and held accountable for abusive practices. Body cameras are necessary to ensure accountability, and we need to prioritize community policing over strategies that escalate to violence.
Changing the Nature of Incarceration: Bernie wants to abolish private prisons, and focus on rehabilitating those serving time through education and job training. These initiatives can set them up for success upon release and reduce recidivism.
Capital Punishment: Civilized nations should not execute criminals. In the case of an exceptionally heinous crime, Bernie favors life imprisonment over the death penalty, believing that a life sentence is a harsh enough punishment.
Violent Crime: These crimes are a national scourge Bernie believes can be addressed through more sensible gun control as well as investments in programs that promote better policing and prevent domestic and sexual violence.
[...]
Many Thanks to
FeelTheBern.org for taking and explaining so many stands, on what's right.
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