"Stop corporations from profiteering off of incarceration. Biden will end the federal government’s use of private prisons, building off an Obama-Biden Administration’s policy rescinded by the Trump Administration. And, he will make clear that the federal government should not use private facilities for any detention, including detention of undocumented immigrants. Biden will also make eliminating private prisons and all other methods of profiteering off of incarceration – including diversion programs, commercial bail, and electronic monitoring – a requirement for his new state and local prevention grant program. Finally, Biden will support the passage of legislation to crack down on the practice of private companies charging incarcerated individuals and their families outrageously high fees to make calls."

Source: Joe Biden, "Justice," joebiden.com (accessed Nov. 12, 2019)

"Most people care about right and wrong. The problem is that what most people want does not translate into public policy. We need system change that takes the profit-making and institutional racism out of the prison/industrial complex, including bail, private prisons, contracts for police equipment and public jails, and costly private lawyers. Bail bondsmen, private prison corporations, public contractors, and trial lawyers are among the biggest sources of private campaign financing, especially in local jurisdictions where the overwhelming majority of criminal prosecutions take place."

Source: Howie Hawkins, "No Justice, from Jonny Gammage to Eric Garner," howiehawkins.us, July 18, 2019

"Private prison contractors AND prison worker unions should both be banned. Both have a financial incentive to keep the incarceration rate high. They lobby to keep innocent people locked up to protect their jobs rather than allow them to go free. I would end the War on Drugs and stop prosecuting victimless crimes."

Source: Communication from the Jorgensen campaign to ProCon.org on Aug. 26, 2020