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How did this sad state of affairs come about in America, the enlightened republic of historical imagination? How did the land of the free become the home of the jailed? Three strikes, the war on drugs, and mandatory minimum sentencing were prominent factors that contributed to the record number of approximately 2.3 million people behind bars.

It is in the vested interests of corporations like CCA to keep jails and prisons 90 percent full, with no mind to rehabilitation and revolving doors. If you are an investor, directly or indirectly, it is in your best interests to keep it that way. It is, after all, an $80 billion business.

While the federal prison system had a crowding rate of 137 percent in 2013, the average rate for maximum-security facilities was 154 percent. In May, rioting at a severely-crowded Nebraska prison caused multiple fatalities.