Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
The interlocking interests of government and industry that promote expanded incarceration for profit and control.
The Prison-Industrial Complex (PIC) refers to the network of private corporations, government agencies, and political interests that benefit from and sustain high rates of imprisonment. Beyond punishment, it involves economic incentives that make incarceration profitable, for example through private prisons and prison labor. Critics argue that the PIC perpetuates mass incarceration, especially of marginalized communities, while diverting resources from social welfare.
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