Under a new law signed on Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California will begin moving towards the end of the private prison system in the coming years. While at first this legislation was exclusive to private, for-profit prisons only, immigration detention centers were added into the language late in the legislative session.
Why for-profit prisons?
According to The Sentencing Project, there has been a 500% increase in inmate population over the last 40 years. This fact stands true even though there has been an overall decrease in crime. As inmate populations have risen, various companies and corporations have operated alongside the state-managed prison system, earning profits for full prisons. However, this has resulted in numerous human rights’ issues, largely in pursuit of profits at the expense of inmates and their loved ones.
Assembly Bill 32
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Assembly Bill 32 will go into effect as of January 1, 2020. At the start of the new year, the bill will prevent the state from entering into or renewing any existing contracts with for-profit prison companies. Ultimately, the bill has the goal of phasing out for-profit prison companies in the state of California by 2028.
Gov. Newsom has promised to end the for-profit prison system since his inauguration as governor, claiming that “these for-profit prisons do not reflect our values.” As migrant detention centers have now been included in this bill, Gov. Newsom has taken a clear stance that he will stand in strong opposition to the existing Trump administration on immigration issues.
Will the nation follow?
Private prisons currently operate in 27 states nationwide and are a part of a multi-billion dollar industry, with many state governments contributing to these companies’ profits. As prison overcrowding and migrant justice continue to be hot issues across the nation, California has set an incredible precedent for other states. Right now, for-profit prison companies are still allowed to operate in other states outside of California, and for the moment the pattern seems likely to continue. However, only time will tell if other state governments will choose to follow in California’s footsteps and end any formal contracts with both for-profit prisons and migrant detention centers.
