California bans private prisons (theguardian.com)

Article summary

California lawmakers have passed a bill banning private prisons from operating in the state, which will likely close four large immigration detention facilities. The move is seen as a major victory for criminal justice reform and removes the profit motive from incarceration. The bill must still be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, who has signaled his support. The ban will also affect contracts between the state's prison authority and private, for-profit prison companies.

Main themes

• private prisons
• criminal justice reform
• immigration detention
• profit motive
• California legislation

What commenters say

• The ban on private prisons is a significant step towards removing the profit motive from incarceration, but it does not address the entire prison industrial complex.
• The closure of private prisons may lead to the relocation of detainees to other states, rather than their release.
• Forced prison labor should also be outlawed, as it creates a perverse incentive and exploits prisoners.
• The private prison system creates a feedback loop that incentivizes harsher crime laws and unnecessary imprisonment.
• The war on drugs is a major driver of mass incarceration and should be re-focused on the rich and powerful who profit from it.
• Some argue that drug use enables organized crime and violence, while others contend that the violence is a result of prohibition, not the drug use itself.
• The ban on private prisons is a move in the right direction, but it is only one part of a larger effort to reform the criminal justice system.