ByWangXinyuan,GuSiyuandWangRuoxinTheprivatizationofprisons,includingimmigrationdetentioncentersandrelatedservices,haslargelygoneunnoticeduntilrecently,ascorruption,violenceandhumanrightsviolationscandalsconstantlyemerge,addingstainstotheUSgovernment’scommitmenttotheruleoflaw.CallshavebeenheardfrombothwithintheUSandacrosstheinternationalcommunitytocorrectthecurrentcriminaljusticesystemintheUS.Moreandmorequestionshavebeenraisedregardingtransparencyoftheindustry.Thereevenarevoicesforendingtheprivatefor-profitprisonsinthecountry.HereisabrieftimelineofthedevelopmentofAmerica’sprivateprisonindustrythatmaytellthewholestory.ConcernsofrelativeNGOsinternationalcommunityManyorganizationshavebeenestablishedinadvocationofreformingthecriminaljusticesystem,suchasAbolishPrivatePrisons(since2015),SentencingProject(since1986),PenalReformInternational(since1989),andtheInnocenceProject(since1992).Theseorganizationsuselegaldisputes,impactlitigationandadvocacyaswellaseducationaleventstoraisepublicawarenessofproblemswiththecriminaljusticesystemandpushstateandfederalgovernmentstowardreforms.Actionslike“SupporttheCOVID-19SaferDetentionAct"andthe"FirstStepImplementationAct”,“Signuptogetinvolvedinwrongconvictions”,“Theprivateprisonabolitionmovement”,andnumerousothersareongoing.ConcernsofhumanrightsexpertsSpecialRapporteursandindependentexpertshavebeenappointedbytheGeneva-basedUNHumanRightsCouncilinrecentyearstoexamineandreportbackonUScorrectionalfacilities.AgroupofUNindependenthumanrightsexpertsonFeb.4,2021urgedtheUSgovernmenttoendtheoutsourcingofalldetentioncenters,includingthoseholdingmigrantsandasylumseekers,aftertheUSannouncedthedecisiontostopusingprivately-runfederalprisons.“GiventhemagnitudeofmassincarcerationintheUS,thisdecisionwillbenefitonlytheverysmallpercentageoffederalprisonerswhoareheldinprivateprisons,andspecificallyexcludesvulnerablepeopleheldinmigrantandasylumcenterswhoareatparticularriskofserioushumanrightsviolations”,saidJelenaAparac,Chair-RapporteuroftheWorkingGroupontheuseofmercenaries.InastatementreleasedonJan.10,2022,theexpertscalledontheUStoclosetheGuantánamoBaydetentionfacility,anddeclaredthattwodecadesof“practicingarbitrarydetentionwithouttrialaccompaniedbytortureorilltreatmentissimplyunacceptableforanygovernment,particularlyagovernmentwhichhasastatedclaimtoprotectinghumanrights”.ConcernsofthemediaResearchandjournalarticlesconcerningtheshockinginhumaneincidentsinUSprivateprisonshaveappearedinmainstreammediasincearound2016,includingTheNewYorkTimes,TheWashingtonPost,TheGuardian,etc.,whileplentystillremainuncommitted.AmericanPrison:AReporter’sUndercoverJourneyintotheBusinessofPunishmentbyShaneBauter,anAmericanjournalist,waspublishedin2018,revealinghowprivateprisonsbecameentrenchedinthesouthernpartofthecountryasasystemicefforttokeeplaborforceinplaceintheaftermathofslavery,andhowtheechoesoftheseshamefuloriginslinger.TheNationalPublicRadiodescribedthebookas“anenraging,necessarylookattheprivateprisonsystem,andaconvincingclarioncallforprisonreform.”Editor:ZhangZhouDisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.