911
submitted 7 months ago by tree@lemmy.ml to c/aboringdystopia@lemmy.world

Across the United States, hundreds of jails have eliminated in-person family visits over the last decade. Why has this happened? The answer highlights a profound flaw in how decisions too often get made in our legal system: for-profit jail telecom companies realized that they could earn more profit from phone and video calls if jails eliminated free in-person visits for families. So the companies offered sheriffs and county jails across the country a deal: if you eliminate family visits, we'll give you a cut of the increased profits from the larger number of calls. This led to a wave across the country, as local jails sought to supplement their budgets with hundreds of millions of dollars in cash from some of the poorest families in our society.

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[-] Vorticity@lemmy.world 100 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Prisoners shouldn't need to pay to talk with their families. We claim that our system is intended for rehabilitation. What could possibly lead to better outcomes than the ability to keep in touch with your family; to be made to feel human while serving your sentence? The US justice system is a fucking joke and for-profit prison shareholders are the only ones laughing.

Incarceration should have no profit motive, regardless of whether that profit motive benefits a for-profit company and its shareholders or the local Sheriff's department.

[-] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 54 points 7 months ago

We claim that our system is intended for rehabilitation.

News to me, I did not know you guys claimed that.

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 27 points 7 months ago

The 13th amendment claims otherwise, in fact.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

[-] PiratePanPan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 7 months ago

So crazy to think that slavery is still a thing in America but you're instantly blacklisted for even mentioning it

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[-] Vorticity@lemmy.world 13 points 7 months ago

It's what our politicians claim the system is for. It's obviously not, but that's the claim.

[-] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 14 points 7 months ago

From an outsider view I did not even know that your politicians claimed that, I thought it was just a few more hopeful ones saying it should be that. I always assumed it was common knowledge that the system in the US was for punishment and whatnot first. Might just be me seeing the movie "Tank!" as a child.

[-] melpomenesclevage@lemm.ee 5 points 7 months ago

Yeah I forgot about that. Is anyone dumb enough to believe this?

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 4 points 7 months ago

They only say so to those of us who are aghast at the cruelty and don’t take “but bad people” for an answer

[-] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 4 points 7 months ago

Yeah, the US has way to many "bad people" per capita for that to have ever made any sense.

[-] DessertStorms@kbin.social 90 points 7 months ago

The answer highlights a profound flaw in how decisions too often get made in our legal system

The fact that the author, despite them providing all of this evidence to the contrary, still thinks (or is at least reporting) that this is a bug, not a feature, is absolutely enraging.

[-] Uranium3006@kbin.social 64 points 7 months ago

Reminder that prisons are slavery with extra steps

[-] NotSpez@lemm.ee 47 points 7 months ago
[-] Suavevillain@lemmy.world 36 points 7 months ago

This country is just pure evil.

[-] DingoBilly@lemmy.world 28 points 7 months ago

Lol America as usual.

What a joke of a country - so many horrible decisions in one place.

[-] PresidentCamacho@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

Yeah, just wait until our entire system inevitably folds in on itself and destroys the economies of the world in the process. Hopefully I outlast american entropy.

[-] Chee_Koala@lemmy.world 27 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Wow, so when they enjoyed unlimited power, they.... Abused it!?

People now a days are really off the rails man. Back in the day, absolute power didn't corrupt. It only tickled. Slightly.

/s

[-] melpomenesclevage@lemm.ee 6 points 7 months ago

John brown might disagree.

Could use more in the abolition movement like him.

[-] shneancy@lemmy.world 4 points 7 months ago

back in the day? you mean the stone ages?

there is not a day in written history where we can't read about a person corrupted by power

[-] Chee_Koala@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago

Very true, shneancy. It was a sarcastic reaction, it seemed so obvious te me but the internet is ofc very versatile and casts a wide net.

[-] PiratePanPan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 7 months ago

Breaking news: Making the correctional system a business venture was a bad idea. More at 8.

[-] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

its almost as if denationalization/privatization is almost always a bad idea.

Just look at whats happens to the Thames in London.

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[-] IvanOverdrive@lemm.ee 26 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I read about this in Cory Doctorow's The Bezzle. I'm surprised it didn't get more traction in the press.

[-] TheFriar@lemm.ee 6 points 7 months ago

You are? Challenging the status quo isn’t really the press’ thing anymore—or, like, ever.

[-] StineD@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 7 months ago

I'm reading it right now, and I honestly thought it was something he made up as a near-future dystopian plot point. Didn't realize that it was real..

[-] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 22 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Indescribable pain to those responsible.

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[-] quinkin@lemmy.world 21 points 7 months ago
[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 18 points 7 months ago

I don’t believe in carceral justice but those who abuse prisoners deserve to join their victims.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 16 points 7 months ago

commodifying things that can't be made in a factory is always a mistake.

[-] PolarisFx@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 7 months ago

This came up in a John Oliver episode about prison labour, this episode I think: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjqaNQ018zU

[-] hahattpro@lemmy.world 8 points 7 months ago

this dude rock. he talk about social problem in the fun way.

[-] PiratePanPan@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

After Trevor Noah left The Daily Show and Colbert started pandering to liberal middle-aged white women after his move to CBS, I feel like Oliver is the only bearable talk show host on network television these days.

Honorable mention to Kimmel, though. He's not a revolutionary, but he's pretty funny.

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[-] Ultragigagigantic@lemmy.world 13 points 7 months ago

Jpay.com is what I used when I went to jail.

A literal captive consumer. Capitalists wet dream come true. Just think of the returns if this model could be expanded! Disrupting the economy by disrupting your freedom.

They're not trying to build a prison for you and me, they already have.

[-] verdantbanana@lemmy.world 12 points 7 months ago

another article on more broken campaign promises by Biden and prosecutor Harris

even though the Democrats and Republicans both are responsible for this mess the Democrats are likely to blame Republicans and try to raise funds off it

works every time

[-] neatchee@lemmy.world 53 points 7 months ago

Please cite the campaign promise that applies here?

[-] zout@fedia.io 40 points 7 months ago

Looks to me like you're a republican trying to blame democrats.

[-] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 16 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

No point in fighting over it. Both major parties have contributed to the profit prison system, and Biden undeniably did by championing the regressive 94 Crime Bill.

[-] zout@fedia.io 8 points 7 months ago

I wasn't fighting over it, I was just name calling. You know, saying it like it is.

[-] YottaDren@lemmy.world 8 points 7 months ago

Yes, but seeing as they make so many mistakes, it's important to hold them to things they actually did. Not just make up stuff.

[-] DessertStorms@kbin.social 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Looks to me like you're so indoctrinated by to the two party system that you can't even fathom that someone might hate both parties (because they 100% serve the same people and goals), and hell, the system in its entirety.. 🙄

Gotta love an "enlightened" centrist lol

[-] Landmammals@lemmy.world 16 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Not really about an endorsement of the two-party system. When you go to the gas pump and see a picture of biden's face with an I did that sticker, it's a pretty safe bet that the person who put that up is a Republican.

Likewise, when you see someone criticizing the Biden administration for things that county jails are doing, safe bet it's a Republican.

But apparently your definition of enlightened centerists includes people who know what the executive branch actually controls.

Biden doesn't have a gas price dial on his desk, and doesn't set visitation policies for county jails.

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[-] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 7 points 7 months ago

Another worthless comment by a political troll.

[-] TheTimeKnife@lemmy.world 12 points 7 months ago

All these profit farming scams for prisons should be criminal conduct. It's sickening how little the public cares about systemic abuse of prisoners.

[-] in4aPenny@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago

Sickening but not suprising, considering the vast majority still think Captialism is the best method and profit farming is considered "clever business".

[-] Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee 5 points 7 months ago
[-] Wes_Dev@lemmy.ml 5 points 7 months ago

For-profit prisons.....

Evil

[-] gitgud@lemmy.ml 4 points 7 months ago
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this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2024
911 points (100.0% liked)

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