Keino Hayle

04/02/2015
University Writing
Dr. Meghan Rand
Is America becoming a police state?

Imagine a corporation with over a billion in revenue. A publicly traded company on the
New York Stock Exchange, this corporations achievements dont end with its fortune and
revenue. With global aspirations it does have the ability to expand, although due to
reorganization, its global ambitions must be placed on hold. Regardless, this organization is
praised by both the United States federal and state governments. A few congress men and women
along with state senators agree, as a result of this corporations existence Americans are able to
substantially pay lower taxes for a dilemma where few have had adequate solutions. Obviously
an incredibly successful company, this profitable legal business operates through government
contracts and subsidies. Providing revenue for states by purchasing unwanted land and
converting neglected buildings into sources of profit.
Correctional Corporation of America (CCA) established in January 1983; one of its three
founders Republican Senator Tom Beasley hopes to solve the prison problem and make a lot of
money at the same time. The market is limitless (Cells for Sale by Harmon L Wray, Jr). Beasley
along with Doctor Robert Crants and T Don Hutto set out to privatize the prison industry. Not
merely for profit, but to bring cost saving design, technological innovations and business agility
to government. Promising transparency and accountability in way similar to the correctional
facilities operated by the state and federal government (CCA Story: Our Company History

www.cca.com/our-history). The privatization of prisons in America is not a new issue. For

decades Americans have been plagued with inadequate facilities to hold prisoners. With the cost
of detaining an inmate for the duration of their sentence rising each year, CCA lobbies states
offering to purchase their prisons as a remedy for state budgets that are in crisis. The state
benefits from a one-time infusion of cash in exchange for management contracts along with the
assurance the prison would remain 90% full (Private prison corporation offers cash in exchange
for state prisons by Chris Kirkham Huffington Post). Since we are in a capitalistic society its
clear this transition was inevitable.
Incapable of funding the exponential growth congress became concerned with providing
adequate space for the newly incarcerated inmates without jeopardizing the security of the
average citizen, prison staff, and existing inmates. Today we have a better understanding of the
financial results produced by privatizing prisons. A study conducted by the Bureau of Justice
discovered that rather than saving the projected 20%, the average saving from privatization
would be anywhere from 1% to 15% (Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons U.S Dept. of
Justice). Although professionals close to this issue are in disagreement, there is a small group
that believes the cost reduction in privatized prisons are due to substantial decreases in personnel
who are primarily interested in results that are pleasing to shareholders. The reduction in prison
guards are generally accepted due to new technologies allowing far more inmates to be
supervisors by fewer security personnel. Privatized prisons such as Correctional Corporation of
America also includes profits from the Federal Prison Industry Program as part of their cost
saving methods.
Originally designed as an opportunity to rehabilitate inmates in preparation for their
release back into society, the Federal Prison Industry Program provides inmates the opportunity

to gain real work experience where many only have a criminal background. These skills may be
used for employment upon their release from prison thereby removing them from the cycle of
being a repeat offender. After recent changes in law and policy weve seen a dramatic decrease in
the Federal Prison Industry Programs availability due to its similarities to modern slavery.
Inmates consistently complain of exploitation. Most are inconclusive, never the less inmates
complain they are forced to preform labor when ill. On occasion inmates are not paid for their
work. Instead they are provided additional free-time, or vouchers that may be used for food,
toiletries and phone calls. All at inflated prices. When compensation is provided in the form of
cash, the typical wage is $1.00 an hour. Federal Prison Industry Programs are volunteer based
and federal employees and inmates alike praise the program as a way to feel productive and
contribute (Using jailed migrants as a pool of cheap labor by Ian Urbina the New York Times).
With a surge in crime during the late 1970s into the early 1980s prison population nearly
tripled with an increase from 750,000 inmates in 1985 to more than 1.7 million inmates in 1997,
to over 2 million today (U.S Dept. of Justice Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons). This drastic
increase in prison population during the 1980s were a result of swift reforms implemented to
curb Americans addiction to illicit drugs. The presidency of Ronald Regan expanded on his
predecessor Richard Nixons increase in the size and ambitions of drug control agencies. After
addressing the nation on September 14, 1986 President Ronald Reagan and his wife First Lady
Nancy Reagan made clear their intentions to unify federal law enforcement agencies as well as
triple the spending for drug enforcement agencies. Creating an outspoken policy towards drugs
use. President Reagan boasted of the progress in restricting the use of illegal drugs. Especially
the increase in seizing illegal drugs, the conviction of over 10,000 drug criminals, and
confiscation of nearly $250 million dollars in criminals assets (President Reagans Address to the

Nation on the Campaign Against Drug Abuse). This rhetoric was due to the obvious negative
connotations illicit drug use has on an individuals body, psyche, family, employment and overall
society. With the steady rise in crime it became apparent illicit drug use has carried over decades
into the 1980s. President Reagan reminded Americans of the correlation between illegal drugs
and crime rate through fear. Mr. and Mrs. Reagan both took turns advising Americans no one is
safe from the drug epidemic; not even our children can escape it grasp. Even addressing those
who feel as though drugs do not concern them, the Reagans advised the safety of all Americans
are in jeopardy due to individuals who may operate motor vehicles on the United States highway
or use heavy machinery while under the influence of narcotics.
It is surprising that in January 1984, two years before President Reagans address to the
nation on the campaign against drug abuse Correctional Corporation of American was
established. With American citizens being incarcerated at such an alarming rate its obvious the
federal government was not equipped to house the increase in prison population. It used to be in
the old days you would get 15 years, however you would probably serve about 3. Now in the
Federal system you get 15 years, you probably serve 13 of those according to Harley G. Lappin,
Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. To put this into perspective, as of 2003 the per capita
expenditure on the administration of justice was $638.00 for every person in the United States
population. This would purchase police protection, prosecution and adjudication of criminal
offenders, and incarceration of all those found guilty (The Cost of Crime: Understanding the
Financial and Human Impact of Criminal Activity by U.S Senate). With such a large required
investment to fight the war on drugs and criminals in general, we can easily understand why
CCA would cherish the United States war on drugs as well as mandatory sentence laws such as
the 3 strikes law, or even the more controversy the 2 strike law. According to the Institute on

Money in State Politics, private prison companies and their employees have contributed a total of
$1,125,598 in the 2000 election cycle alone to ensure the prison facilities remained full to
capacity (Corrections Corporation of America: A critical look at its First Twenty Years by Philip
Mattera, Mafruza Khan and Stephen Nathan).
With drugs and criminal activity plaguing American culture and society, I must touch on
the connotation of Presidents Reagan war on drugs. Exactly what did this mean to the average
American? The president called the war on drugs an epidemic allocating 3 billion to the
campaign of combatting and ridding American society of illicit drugs (President Reagans
Address to the Nation on the Campaign against Drug Abuse). By 1989 the President had
successfully convinced the average America of the necessity in fighting the war on drugs. In
1989 64% of Americas polled cited drugs as the nations most important problem. A 42%
increase in merely 3 years (Poll Finds Most in U.S. Back Bush Strategy on Drugs by Richard L.
Berke New York Times). This is largely due to the extensive media coverage after Presidents
Reagan speech as well as Presidents George H. W. Bush strategy on drugs. Syndicated television
reality shows like COPS are due diligence in the effort to compact drug use. With its arrival in
1989 Americans were offered a front row seat into the pursuit of inner city drug raids
orchestrated by the DEA. This infatuation didnt last long. In 1990 10% of Americans considered
drug abuse to be Americas most important issue (The Media, The President, and Public Opinion
by William J Gonzenbach).
America founded on the concept of freedom and the opportunity to pursue happiness at
all cost, its appalling that our civil liberties are constantly violated. Our leaders are so focused
on ensuring its citizens are controlled we have forgotten the importance in individualism. If I
choose to poison myself with narcotics the federal government should never think locking me in

a cell would prompt me to reevaluate my desire. Perhaps Im simply pursuing my happiness the
only way I know how. Illicit drugs in no way causes immediate harm to anyone other than the
user. When asking yourself whether or not America is becoming a police state, one must consider
the objections in incarcerating its citizens for using illegal drug. The Federal Government has
adopted tough mandatory sentencing policies in some cases without parole and states have
followed by instituting repeat offender laws. Thus we have a surge in the prison population
leading congress to privatize prisons to save tax payers money who dont agree that drug use is
even a national issue to be concerned with. Exactly who wins in this situation? With the
privatization of prison it has led to multiple cases of Americans civil liberties being denied. All
focus should be placed on the rehabilitation of its citizen rather than their incarceration so that
they may be used for free labor resulting in social inadequacies within our society that we are
still fighting today. It seems the winner is CCA. Profiting off Americans in a despicable way.