Exploring the Economic Dynamics of Private Immigration Detention
Centers
ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 28,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Negative Population
Growth, Inc. (NPG), a non-profit organization dedicated to
addressing the challenges of population growth, has released a new
Forum paper, The High Cost of Cheap Immigration Detention, authored
by Edwin S. Rubenstein. The
publication is the first in a series of three (to be released
consecutively) investigative works examining industries that have
historically benefited from illegal immigration in the United States.
Currently, the Department of Homeland
Security outsources over three-quarters of immigrant detainee
housing to private entities, signaling a profitable nexus between
private prison profits and high illegal immigration rates.
The paper puts a spotlight on the private prison industry,
noting its origins in the 1980s when government-run prisons were at
capacity. The private sector's role in perpetuating reliance on
for-profit incarceration is detailed, revealing insights into the
financial motives that underpin the system.
Rubenstein's research paints a stark picture of a sector too
embedded in the U.S. criminal justice fabric to fade without a
fight, leveraging its position for continued profitability. "The
Regan era was the Golden Age of privatization," the paper
highlights, signaling the marked shift toward private solutions for
communal problems, with imprisonment taking center stage.
Currently, the Department of Homeland Security outsources over
three-quarters of immigrant detainee housing to private entities,
signaling a profitable nexus between private prison profits and
high illegal immigration rates. The industry's revenue streams are
furthered by contracts for prison utilities like food and health
services, which, Rubenstein notes, often yield substandard
conditions and lawsuits.
With private prisons ingratiating themselves through political
contributions and an expanding footprint in detaining immigrants,
Rubenstein suggests a formidable challenge in efforts to curb their
influence. Under the Biden administration, there has been a noted
shift. The number of ICE detainees has significantly been reduced,
and alternative means of detention are increasingly favored.
NPG's latest publication invites readers to examine an industry
informed less by market dynamics and more by the ebb and flow of
public policy—a stark revelation that underscores NPG's ongoing
work.
Craig Lewis, NPG's Executive
Director said, "It is essential for policymakers and the public to
understand the deep-rooted consequences of the profitable alliance
between private prisons and the dire issue of immigration. NPG's
report draws necessary attention to the complexities of this
relationship and its impact on immigration policies and American
lives."
NPG encourages readers to reflect on the profound words
presented in the conclusion of the Forum paper:
"Expand or die. This truism applies to any industry where many
private firms compete for market share. The for-profit prison
business is not any industry, however. Demand for its services is
not driven by growth in personal income or market prices. Public
policies are the major determinant of a private prison company's
revenues, profits, and employment."
Since 1972, NPG has worked to educate both the public and policy
leaders about the impacts of overpopulation. With a steadfast
commitment to reducing population growth to achieve a sustainable
balance with our environmental resources, NPG continues to be a
leading voice of reason in a world often driven by the pursuit of
perpetual growth. NPG advocates the adoption of its Proposed
National Population Policy, with the goal of eventually stabilizing
U.S. population at a sustainable level – far lower than today's. We
do not simply identify the problems – we propose solutions. For
more information, visit our website at NPG.org, follow us on
Facebook @NegativePopulationGrowth or follow us on Twitter
@npg_org.
Media Contact
Craig Lewis, Negative Population
Growth, Inc, 703-370-9510, media@npg.org,
https://www.npg.org
Twitter
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SOURCE Negative Population Growth, Inc