Like most Americans, I too hardly think about the prison system as much as I should. For most it easy to block out the troubles at prisons, but when 1% of the adult population is incarcerated we shouldn’t ignore any problem with our prisons. Our prison system could be facing a problem of company’s now owning prisons. Sure this could possible allow a tax break and save the government some money but the risks out way the benefits. Privatized prisons unwanted risks include, the mistreatment of inmates, and the corruption of officials.

Yes, prisons are not the most clean and pretty place but when the food is contaminated with maggots there is maybe a problem of sanitary. Aramark a private company that provides food to prisons has been caught two times in Ohio serving maggots according Columbus Dispatch. That’s not all what Aramark, according to Cleveland.com they have found 4 kitchens that infected with maggots. If you think it just only effects the food well think again. In Arizona they have privatized all prison healthcare. Well they saved 30 million dollars but in the first 8 months after they privatized there has been 50 deaths compare that to the past 2 years with a total of 37 deaths according to Aljazeera. Another tragic accident that resulted from Arizona privatizing is the case of Reagan Clarine. Regan was inmate at Perryville State Prison where she had C-section. Instead of you know stitching up the big gaping wound the doctors decided to close the wound with butterfly bandages. Lori Clarine, Regan’s mother, recounts in an interview with Aljazeera her daughter’s treatment of her wound, “She would cry because it scared her so much to be able to look inside her body was just freaking her out.” The wound would later get infected and Reagan was sent to the hospital where they didn’t give her any antibiotics. Reagan’s story gets worse, when she came back from the hospital the wound was still little bit open so the doctors instead of using medicine to help close it, they used sugar. Not some kind of medical sugar no they use kitchen sugar, specifically ones donated form McDonalds and Burger King. The use sugar to help close wounds hasn’t been used since world war one. If that doesn’t concern you then maybe judges taking bribes from private prison corps and then jailing more kids.

In 2009 two former judges according to CNN received kickbacks from private juvenile facilities in return they had to increase the “head count” at these facilities. They received upwards to around 2.6 million dollars from these private facilities.  With this bribe the Judges punished kids heavily for minor offenses. This corruption also effected the police force, where according to Kids for Cash documentary the police would tell suspects that bringing in lawyers would make the charges worse and sometimes got the suspects so sign off their rights to have an attorney.

Sentencing kids for long periods of time has had a mental effected on the teenagers. According to an interview with Ed Kenzakoski mother from the Kids for Cash documentary after being sentence at age 17 by Judge Ciavarella, one of the judges charged, committed suicide.

We, as American citizens we should consider the risks and benefits of private prisons and make an informed decision. Also being an American citizen we have the right to vote and put electives who support ideas. If you the reader want something done vote for electives, and also call your officials and have a conversation with them. Maybe you can convince them not to support private prisons.

Bibliography
• Leonard, Abigail, and Adam May. "Arizona's Privatized Prison Health Care under Fire after Deaths | Al Jazeera America." Arizona's Privatized Prison Health Care under Fire after Deaths | Al Jazeera America. Aljazeera, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 22 May 2015.
• Goodman, Amy. "Kids For Cash: Inside One of the Nation." Democracy Now! Democracy Now, 04 Feb. 2014. Web. 22 May 2015.
• Pelzer, Northeast Ohio Media Group, Jeremy. "Maggots Found in Four Ohio Prison Kitchens; Officials Launch Statewide Investigation." Maggots Found in Four Ohio Prison Kitchens; Officials Launch Statewide Investigation. Cleveland.com, 11 July 2014. Web. 22 May 2015.
• Johnson, Alan. "Maggots Found in Food at Two Ohio Prisons." The Columbus Dispatch. Columbus Dispatch, 8 July 2014. Web. 22 May 2015.