The Penalty for Reducing CrimeWhy contracts demand full facilities to avoid fees

From the show

When Rewards Backfire

Occupancy guarantees in private prison contracts force states to pay fees if facilities aren't nearly full. This creates a perverse incentive to pursue harsh sentencing and deny parole to avoid financial penalties. Instead of prioritizing public safety, the legal system is pressured to maintain high incarceration rates to satisfy a corporate business model.