A film crew for controversial documentarian Michael Moore was in Wilkes-Barre, PA last week, conducting interviews for what is presumed to be his upcoming, untitled documentary. The crew were interviewing people who were involved in the recent Luzerne County Courthouse scandal involving county judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. accepting $2.6 million from two privately owned juvenile detention centers in exchange for helping secure county contracts worth $30 million.
Moore was not present during the shooting.
Up until now, all we knew about Moore’s film was that it was to be “a look at the global financial crisis and the U.S. economy during the transition between the incoming Obama Administration and the outgoing Bush Administration,” as its IMDb logline puts it.
It is understandable that the scandal, which made national news when it broke earlier this year, is something that Moore would be interested. Private prisons have certainly been a growing business over the last ten years, thanks in part to the ongoing Republican drive to pare down the size of government, outsourcing certain services to the private sector.
Ciaveralla and another Luzerne County judge, Michael Conahan, are currently awaiting trial after admitting that they convicted hundreds of juvenile defendants and sentancing them to privately run detention facilities in exchange for kickbacks. The two are currently facing up to seven years in prison, while a class action law suit is being organized on behalf of the children falsely convicted.
Privately run prisons have come under fire in recent years over their treatment of prisoners. One such company, the Geo Group, has come under fire for inmate deaths at several of its facilities.
Thanks to FBOL contributor John Gibbon for the tip on this story. Additional source material from the Hazleton (Pa) Standard Speaker.
April 30th, 2009 at 10:22 am
A “SINGLE VOICE PROJECT” is the official name of the petition sponsored by: The National Public Service Council To Abolish Private Prisons (NPSCTAPP)
THIS PETITION SEEKS TO ABOLISH ALL PRIVATE PRISONS IN THE UNITED STATES, (or any place subject to its jurisdiction)
The National Public Service Council To Abolish Private Prisons (NPSCTAPP) is a grass roots organization driven by a single objective. We want the United States government to reclaim sole authority for state and federal prisons on US soil.
We want the United States Congress to immediately rescind all state and federal contracts that permit private prisons “for profit” to exist in the United States, or any place subject to its jurisdiction. We understand that the problems that currently plague our government, its criminal justice system and in particular, the state & federal bureau of prisons (and most correctional and rehabilitation facilities) are massive. However, it is our solemn belief that the solutions for prison reform will remain unattainable and virtually impossible as long as private prisons for profit are permitted to operate in America.
Prior to the past month, and the fiasco of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman Brothers, and now the “Big Three” American Automobile manufacturers, the NPSCTAPP has always felt compelled to highlight the “moral Bottom line” when it comes to corrections and privatization. Although, we remain confounded by the reality that our government has allowed our justice system to be operated by private interests. The NPSCTAPP philosophy has always been “justice” should not be for sale at any price. It is our belief that the inherent and most fundamental responsibility of the criminal justice system should not be shirked, or “jobbed-out.” This is not the same as privatizing the post office or some trash pick up service in the community. There has to be a loss of meaning and purpose when an inmate looks at a guard’s uniform and instead of seeing an emblem that reads State Department of Corrections or Federal Bureau of Prisons, he sees one that says: “Atlas Prison Corporation.”
Let’s assume that the real danger of privatization is not some innate inhumanity on the part of its practitioners but rather the added financial incentives that reward inhumanity. The same logic that motivates companies to operate prisons more efficiently also encourages them to cut corners at the expense of workers, prisoners and the public. Every penny they do not spend on food, medical care or training for guards is a dime they can pocket. What happens when the pennies pocketed are not enough for the shareholders? Who will bailout the private prison industry when they hold the government and the American people hostage with the threat of financial failure…“bankruptcy?” What was unimaginable a month ago merits serious consideration today. State and Federal prison programs originate from government design, and therefore, need to be maintained by the government. It’s time to restore the principles and the vacated promise of our judicial system.
John F. Kennedy said, “The time to repair the roof is while the sun is shinning”. Well the sun may not be shinning but, it’s not a bad time to begin repair on a dangerous roof that is certain to fall…. because, “Incarcerating people for profit is, in a word WRONG”
There is an urgent need for the good people of this country to emerge from the shadows of cynicism, indifference, apathy and those other dark places that we migrate to when we are overwhelmed by frustration and the loss of hope.
It is our hope that you will support the NPSCTAPP with a show of solidarity by signing our petition. We intend to assemble a collection of one million signatures, which will subsequently be attached to a proposition for consideration. This proposition will be presented to both, the Speaker Of The House Of Representatives (Nancy Pelosi) and the United States Congress.
Please Help Us. We Need Your Support. Help Us Spread The Word About This Monumental And Courageous Challenge To Create Positive Change. Place The Link To The Petition On Your Website! Pass It On!
The SINGLE VOICE PETITION and the effort to abolish private “for profit” prisons is the sole intent of NPSCTAPP. Our project does not contain any additional agendas. We have no solutions or suggestions regarding prison reform. However, we are unyielding in our belief that the answers to the many problems which currently plague this nation’s criminal justice system and its penal system in particular, cannot and will not be found within or assisted by the private “for profit” prison business. The private “for profit” prison business has a stranglehold on our criminal justice system. Its vice-like grip continues to choke the possibility of justice, fairness, and responsibility from both state and federal systems.
These new slave plantations are not the answer!
For more information please visit: http://www.npsctapp.blogsppot.com or email: williamthomas@exconciliation.com
To sign the petition please visit: http://www.petitiononline.com/gufree2/petition.html
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
William Thomas
National Community Outreach Facilitator
The National Public Service Council To Abolish Private Prisons
P.O. Box 156423
San Francisco, California 94115
May 1st, 2009 at 2:10 pm
The ignorance displayed by William Thomas saddens me.
Each and every person in a prison system, public or private, is there for profit, except maybe the pastor who just wants to see people get their lives straightened out. They would not work if they would not profit. Part of that profit may be seeing a student graduate with a GED, or complete their sentence and go back to their family a changed person. But in the end, the workers work because they get paid to do so. The workers in the government run prison systems are in it for the profit more than they are in the private systems. This is evidenced by the extreme hatred toward the private systems who do it better, and cheaper through consolidation, centralization, and outsourcing efficiency — not cutting corners.
If a government run prison system hires a private lawnmower to tend it’s front yard, that is privatization. If the doctor or dentist who serves the inmates is not a full time employee of the state, that is privatization of services dealing directly with the inmate. You can bet they are in it for the money! Wait, does that politician make more money than most private prison industry mangers and directors? Could it be that he is in it for the paycheck? And why not? The laborer is worthy of his wage (an ancient truth).
What if the prison hires maintenance workers inside prison walls who might interact with inmates? Now what about a security officer? Are they any less humane because of who writes their paycheck?
Why are people bitter at the profitable corporations that are saving the government and taxpayers money? Did you know profit drives efficiency?
Did you know that If private prisons cut corners, they don’t get paid, or pay heavy fines back to the government? It’s in most of the contracts I have viewed which, by the way, are a matter of public record, thus open to close scrutiny.
What are those corners you referred to? Oh, did you mean cutting inefficiency?
Didn’t you know that the government agency contracts for private prisons have more stringent and demanding standards than those in the government run facilities? There are more programs offered for inmates. The facilities are cleaner and newer. Maybe the inmates complain because they have less freedom… as is supposed to happen, but statistically they are more safe. They also are less likely to return to prison if they exited through private prison programs, most of which are unavailable in most government run facilities.
The bitterness of tone in your writing, William, makes it obvious that you are clouded by a passion for what you believe with blatant disregard for the facts.
What is in question is the level of privatization allowed, and the level of freedom given to the private industry. Capitalist freedom… I understand you want to take that away… so leave. Please leave our beautiful free trade country and go someplace where freedom and competition are not allowed — just for a year. See how corrupted the government agencies are when there is no competition to make them tow the line, no freedom of choice for states to pick the best provider of services, no freedom for employees to vote against oppressive unions… go there, and let us know what you think of your ideals for no privatization.
Maybe we should give up privatization, give all our money to the government, who is looking out for our best interest, and trust them to share fairly and evenly with everyone, and to give us good jobs working for them, jobs that benefit the common man.
Has anyone ever tried such a bold and benevolent idea? I think … that… just … might… work.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
William Thomas was speaking on behalf of a GROUP, The National Public Service Council To Abolish Private Prisons (NPSCTAPP), and not just as an individual. I take from your comments, David Cardinal, that you are also speaking for a group – the for-profit prison industry – although you don’t come out and say that (which is fairly typical for corporate disinformation spread on the Internet). Also, your comment:
“The bitterness of tone in your writing, William, makes it obvious that you are clouded by a passion for what you believe with blatant disregard for the facts.”
Is more easily applied to you – your passion for what you think of as “our beautiful free trade country.” This is a strange way of phrasing it – I hardly think either “beautiful” or “free trade” accurately describe the economic policies in place in America, and haven’t for quite some time. Is what happened in Luzerne County an example of either “the beautiful” or “free trade?” NO.
Thank you William for posting about your organization.