Discussion

In this section, we will help you discuss the role of private corporations in the American prison industry. 

Negative roles of corporations

The main focus of the source “The Prison Industry in the United States: Big Business or a New Form of Slavery?” is on the negative role of corporations in the American prison industry.

First, the source claims that private companies and investors have much to benefit from the prison industry. Hundreds of companies, including “IBM, Boeing, Motorola, Microsoft, AT&T, Wireless, Texas Instrument, Dell, Compaq, Honeywell” (l. 83) choose to hire inmates for their operations. However, inmates “generally receive the minimum wage for their work” (l. 87) and do not get much money to send home. 

Secondly, the source shows that corpo...