I'd prefer to see people change their actions, rather than their minds. They can think all the silly shit they like, it's unimportant to me. It's what they do...and despite all the promises (campaign or otherwise) thrown this way and that regarding this issue - everyone is demonstrably onboard. The industry rep wasn't blowing smoke up anyone's ass to get them to invest, on that count.

Hell, the justice department...even as they made the announcement linked in the OP...were renewing contracts for their preferred service providers, which were conveniently tied to impressive campaign contributions in the very party that -claims- they will shut them down. The same party that's been criticizing the practice for decades...even as they cash the checks, and authorize more and more facilities. Even as they effectively work as little more than couriers , carting industry crafted laws to the floor of state and federal government, on bills they sponsor.

Obviously, said contributors are confident that this promise actually means that they will shut down "the other guys"...you know, the ones that provide sub-par services and such. From where I stand, their confidence is well founded and overwhelmingly in evidence. I'll give the dems this, though...at least they have the decency to bullshit us about it,....which is a courtesy that we won't get from the republicans. They're pretty open about having a massive amount of human chattel for sale, downright giddy...looking to secure even more of it. Why not....it's been positively -fantastic- business.

One must precede the other.

As the headline from your OP story said:

Quote:Justice Department says it will end use of private prisons

First you have to decide they suck and then you have to decide to stop using them.

More of our regularly scheduled programming.

Fun fact, the incarcerated are not counted as unemployed.  Yet another service for-profit prisons provide.
(in case anyone was wondering why they exist..since they don't actually provide the -prison- service they sell)
http://www.bls.gov/cps/faq.htm

(already commented on that Min. They said it, I commend them for saying it, for taking that step. What they seem to be doing, however, is consolidating the market.)

(August 23, 2016 at 9:52 pm)Minimalist Wrote: It's silly to get hung up on that, Danny.  Why in 2014 alone 1,111 people were killed by the cops with out all that messy, costly and inconvenient trial stuff.

http://www.killedbypolice.net/kbp2014.html

Well that's a separate issue, but yes it perfectly illustrates my point about just how recessive the USA is in the context of the modern world. As for 'land of the free': "according to the 2014 Legatum Prosperity Index released in November [2014], in the measure of personal freedom, the United States has fallen from 9th place in 2010 to 21st worldwide" (Free Thought Project, link in 1st sentence). Australia ranked 3rd. The report laughably rates the USA's Health Prosperity as 1st, and Australia as 1st for Education, so I'd take those figures with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, things like locking OJ up for "33 years" (in reality the remainder of his natural life) for what amounted to a petty crime, and noting that OJ had no criminal history, to me proves there's a huge disparity between enforcement of the law and justice that clearly imposes itself upon the freedom of society. It also suggest to me that a key principle of free society and a human right ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat (presumption of innocence) is de facto ignored by the so-called 'justice system' in the USA.

You have a layered problem:

A deep problem of corruption at the political level
A deep problem of police brutality and violence at the law enforcement level
A deep problem of an unjust system at the legislative and court levels; leading to unjust convictions and exorbitant gaol terms
A deep problem of failing to rehabilitate and educate offenders at the state prison level

It should be noted that I am well aware that there are some prisons in the USA with a strong focus on getting prisoners rehabilitated, education, and help for addictions. Sadly though the underlying cause of criminal behaviour goes untreated in the majority of prisoners with a laissez-faire approach to prisoner well-being. This despite the fact that rehabilitating and releasing prisoners helps society by: reducing the cost of incarceration; reducing crime by preventing re-offending; and increasing prosperity by producing productive members of society. Hopefully one day Americans will wake up and realise they are the 'leaders of the world', and should look to other countries for inspiration to improve their tumultuous society.

Yep, that seems to be about right. Our exceptionality is showing again.

Quote:Well that's a separate issue,

I am not going to quibble.  I'm too infuriated at our hypocritical bullshittery in this country.

Wow, that's amazingly positive news. While the profit incentive is a good thing when it comes to stuff like manufacturing technology we all love, or building restaurants and stores, it shouldn't be part of prisons. We want to create more products and stores, not more prisoners.

(August 24, 2016 at 10:56 pm)Aractus Wrote: Hopefully one day Americans will wake up and realise they are the 'leaders of the world', and should look to other countries for inspiration to improve their tumultuous society.

No doubt you'll happily volunteer to school us bumpkins.

If he comes here I can definitely point him to some bumpkins. I'll bet you can too.

(August 25, 2016 at 11:26 pm)Whateverist Wrote: If he comes here I can definitely point him to some bumpkins.  I'll bet you can too.

Indeed. But even the rednecks around here, when you fish them into deeper waters, have a sophistication belied by their hillbilly English and mullets. Shallow waves run deep, and all that.

The boy's parroting a media picture he's been spoon-fed. Forgive me if I stand up and speak against such easy thoughts.