JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK APPLAUDS PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR SIGNING EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PHASE OUT FOR-PROFIT PRISONS THAT OPERATE AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE

Justice Action Network’s Holly Harris: “For years, these companies have profited off of human misery, and used these profits to fund lobbying and political giving that feeds a cycle of failure. It’s just common sense: we can’t make real progress toward ending mass incarceration in this country while the companies getting rich from it can turn around and give millions of dollars to the elected officials who write our criminal laws.” 

(Washington, D.C.) -- Today, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at phasing out the use of for-profit prisons that operate at taxpayer expense. Holly Harris, President and Executive Director of Justice Action Network, the country’s largest organization focused on bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation and advocacy at the federal and state level, issued the following statement: 

“For years, these companies have profited off of human misery, and used these profits to fund lobbying and political giving that feeds a cycle of failure. It’s just common sense: we can’t make real progress toward ending mass incarceration in this country while the companies getting rich from it can turn around and give millions of dollars to the elected officials who write our criminal laws. Will this cure all that ails our broken justice system? Of course not. Is it a critical step in the right direction? Absolutely.

We applaud this first step, and urge the Biden Administration to do more to address America’s incarceration crisis, and work with both sides of the aisle to safely reduce incarceration, especially during a global pandemic in which prisons are ground zero for the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to work with the Biden Administration and Congress on bipartisan measures that will save lives and precious taxpayer dollars, and make our justice system fairer and more effective. 

Recent polling from Justice Action Network and Change Research showed broad bipartisan opposition to the use of for-profit prisons, even in conservative Kentucky, particularly when voters were reminded that these facilities operate at taxpayer expense. In the Bluegrass State 72% of voters disapproved of a plan to reopen for-profit prisons, and voters were deeply concerned about the history of corruption, abuse, and misconduct inside these for-profit facilities.”