DOJ 'Reveals' Prison Sexual Abuse Rates, Ignores Profits
Newsweek kindly informs us that prisons are rife with sexual abuse, citing the DOJ's data. One might almost believe this is a shocking exposé, rather than a symptom of a carceral state where 'corrections' often mean a cycle of violence and trauma. What they conveniently omit, of course, is the thriving industry behind these institutions. Private prison corporations like CoreCivic (formerly
Corrections Corporation of America) and GEO Group consistently rake in billions, with their stock prices often benefiting from harsher sentencing policies and increased incarceration rates. For instance, CoreCivic reported over $1.9 billion in revenue in 2022. GEO Group pulled in $2.3 billion. So, the DOJ 'reveals' what activists and incarcerated people have been screaming about for decades.
Meanwhile, the titans of the prison-industrial complex continue to lobby for policies that ensure a steady supply of bodies, and thus, profits. One might wonder if these 'revelations' are truly about holding anyone accountable, or simply about performing concern while the money keeps flowing. How many reports do we need before the 'problem' is recognized as the 'profit model'?