operate and mange Louisianans state prisons. Initially, these prisons were supposed to turn a profit for the state or at least pay for themselves. The private corporations promised to control the delinquents at no cost to the state. As the system spread, labor and businesses complained that using unpaid convict labor constituted “unfair ethical treatment”. While state officials remained indifferent or were bought off by prison interests, prisoners suffered malnourishment, frequent whippings, overwork and over crowdedness. Prison management companies and United States corporations are increasing the number they use as a ready low cost. Prison and prisoners have become big businesses which are keeping profits from convict labor. Unicore and Wackenhut are examples of corporations that have privately owned and contracted prisons. Patrick Cannan, director of corporate relations for Wackenhut argues on their behalf, “our only incentive is to show a progressive rehabilitation model…we want to rehabilitate them.” We should not forget to recognize that these companies gross approximately $12.78 million every year. And, without this cheap labor their company would not be as prosperous as it is. This is where the political electives in this country begin to enforce harsh sentences for non-violent drug offenders in order to ensure full prison and continue this trend of free labor. The majority of the African American population in the prison system consists of non-violent drug offenders. Thus, a highly overcrowded, largely African American, non-violent offence, prisoners that fill our prisons providing cheap labor for large corporations with private contracts. Businesses whose profit opportunities depend not only on efficient management, but also upon the number of prisoners in their cells benefit profoundly from this source of cheap and sometimes free labor. Another critical aspect of how the prison ...
