Today we begin a conversation around the topic of private prisons. Private prisons are facilities that are privately owned and/or contracted out by the US government for housing incarcerated people. 

Critics of private prisons argue that when a prison is run for profit, that it can create incentives to increase incarcerations and extend sentences in the name of increasing revenue. They also argue that private prisons can reduce costs by employing less staff and cutting costs in training, leading to unsafe environments for both the prisoner and the employee.