this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2024
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A Boring Dystopia

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Across the United States, hundreds of jails have eliminated in-person family visits over the last decade. Why has this happened? The answer highlights a profound flaw in how decisions too often get made in our legal system: for-profit jail telecom companies realized that they could earn more profit from phone and video calls if jails eliminated free in-person visits for families. So the companies offered sheriffs and county jails across the country a deal: if you eliminate family visits, we'll give you a cut of the increased profits from the larger number of calls. This led to a wave across the country, as local jails sought to supplement their budgets with hundreds of millions of dollars in cash from some of the poorest families in our society.

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[–] [email protected] 105 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Prisoners shouldn't need to pay to talk with their families. We claim that our system is intended for rehabilitation. What could possibly lead to better outcomes than the ability to keep in touch with your family; to be made to feel human while serving your sentence? The US justice system is a fucking joke and for-profit prison shareholders are the only ones laughing.

Incarceration should have no profit motive, regardless of whether that profit motive benefits a for-profit company and its shareholders or the local Sheriff's department.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 4 months ago (4 children)

We claim that our system is intended for rehabilitation.

News to me, I did not know you guys claimed that.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 4 months ago (2 children)

The 13th amendment claims otherwise, in fact.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (4 children)

So crazy to think that slavery is still a thing in America but you're instantly blacklisted for even mentioning it

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It's what our politicians claim the system is for. It's obviously not, but that's the claim.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago

From an outsider view I did not even know that your politicians claimed that, I thought it was just a few more hopeful ones saying it should be that. I always assumed it was common knowledge that the system in the US was for punishment and whatnot first. Might just be me seeing the movie "Tank!" as a child.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

They only say so to those of us who are aghast at the cruelty and don’t take “but bad people” for an answer

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Yeah I forgot about that. Is anyone dumb enough to believe this?

[–] [email protected] 91 points 4 months ago (18 children)

The answer highlights a profound flaw in how decisions too often get made in our legal system

The fact that the author, despite them providing all of this evidence to the contrary, still thinks (or is at least reporting) that this is a bug, not a feature, is absolutely enraging.

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[–] [email protected] 68 points 4 months ago

Reminder that prisons are slavery with extra steps

[–] [email protected] 49 points 4 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 37 points 4 months ago

This country is just pure evil.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (14 children)

Wow, so when they enjoyed unlimited power, they.... Abused it!?

People now a days are really off the rails man. Back in the day, absolute power didn't corrupt. It only tickled. Slightly.

/s

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago

John brown might disagree.

Could use more in the abolition movement like him.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Breaking news: Making the correctional system a business venture was a bad idea. More at 8.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

its almost as if denationalization/privatization is almost always a bad idea.

Just look at whats happens to the Thames in London.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Lol America as usual.

What a joke of a country - so many horrible decisions in one place.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Yeah, just wait until our entire system inevitably folds in on itself and destroys the economies of the world in the process. Hopefully I outlast american entropy.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

I read about this in Cory Doctorow's The Bezzle. I'm surprised it didn't get more traction in the press.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

You are? Challenging the status quo isn’t really the press’ thing anymore—or, like, ever.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Indescribable pain to those responsible.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 4 months ago
[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 months ago (5 children)

I don’t believe in carceral justice but those who abuse prisoners deserve to join their victims.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 4 months ago

commodifying things that can't be made in a factory is always a mistake.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This came up in a John Oliver episode about prison labour, this episode I think: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjqaNQ018zU

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

this dude rock. he talk about social problem in the fun way.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

After Trevor Noah left The Daily Show and Colbert started pandering to liberal middle-aged white women after his move to CBS, I feel like Oliver is the only bearable talk show host on network television these days.

Honorable mention to Kimmel, though. He's not a revolutionary, but he's pretty funny.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago

Jpay.com is what I used when I went to jail.

A literal captive consumer. Capitalists wet dream come true. Just think of the returns if this model could be expanded! Disrupting the economy by disrupting your freedom.

They're not trying to build a prison for you and me, they already have.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (1 children)

All these profit farming scams for prisons should be criminal conduct. It's sickening how little the public cares about systemic abuse of prisoners.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (7 children)

I've already accepted there's never gonna be justice for me, so I'm just never gonna have kids. The best thing I can do for my kids is not make them have to live here. I've seen the system from the inside and the bottom and expect that voting works the same as this:

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