Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is offering to purchase state prisons in exchange for various considerations, including a controversial guarantee that the governments maintain a 90 percent occupancy rate for at least 20 years, according to articles in USA Today and The Associated Press.
The $250 million proposal, circulated to prison officials in 48 states, has been criticized by some state officials who suggest such a program could pressure criminal justice officials to seek harsher prison sentences to maintain the contractually required occupancy rates.
“You don’t want a prison system operating with the goal of maximizing profits,” said Texas state Sen. John Whitmire (D). “The only thing worse is that this seeks to take advantage of some states’ troubled financial position.”
Corrections Corporation spokesman Steve Owen defended the firm’s “investment initiative” as “an additional option” for cash-strapped states to consider.
The proposal seeks to build upon a deal reached last fall in which CCA purchased a 1,798-bed prison from the state of Ohio for $72.7 million.
Roger Werholtz, former Kansas secretary of corrections, said states may be tempted by the “quick infusion of cash” but he would recommend against such a deal.
“My concern would be that our state would be obligated to maintain occupancy rates and subtle pressure would be applied to make sentencing laws more severe with a clear intent to drive up the population.”