And when it's not private companies, at publicly-operated prisons the money goes into the pockets of prison guards, who are well paid, and whose unions are some of the biggest organizations lobbying for more crimes and longer sentences (California's three-strikes law was strongly pushed by its prison-guard union).
Maybe I'm missing it, but I'm surprised that prison-guard unions aren't more front-and-center in the controversy over public-employee unions. I hear a lot about generic bureaucrats (e.g. in Wisconsin), and about teachers' unions (e.g. in CA), but not that much about prison guards. But when it comes to people getting angry about unions of employees who are supposed to be working on the public's behalf engaged in lobbying in support of their own private interests, I can't think of a more clear-cut case of immorality than a prison-guard union lobbying for more prisoners.
> I'm surprised that prison-guard unions aren't more front-and-center
If they are smart they won't be, they would hide beyond a couple of layers of lobbyists and front groups, as it would be pretty clear what their motivations would be -- "We need more people in jail" is a little tough political sell. Definitely not in the same league as "we need better educated children" What the prison industry should do is lobby for "tougher" laws, then they can hide behind the "tough on crime" crowd. That works well usually.
Maybe I'm missing it, but I'm surprised that prison-guard unions aren't more front-and-center in the controversy over public-employee unions. I hear a lot about generic bureaucrats (e.g. in Wisconsin), and about teachers' unions (e.g. in CA), but not that much about prison guards. But when it comes to people getting angry about unions of employees who are supposed to be working on the public's behalf engaged in lobbying in support of their own private interests, I can't think of a more clear-cut case of immorality than a prison-guard union lobbying for more prisoners.