Prison is a GROWTH INDUSTRY???

The other day I was listening to NPR doing a piece on how the downturn in the Stock Market was affecting small towns in New York state (as one example of a larger problem).  The global economic crisis is causing states and municipalities to slash their budgets which has a bigger impact on small towns that may not have access to as many resources as a larger city.  But, the stock market downturn is also causing businesses to lay-off and close down which greatly affects small towns where a major portion of the economy is fueled by one or two businesses.  A corrections officer for a detention facility located in one of these New York towns was interviewed for this piece voicing concern over the state cutting positions in the prison system and stopping some of the prison programs.  This correction officer referred to prison as a growth industry during economic harship. 

My reflections are in no way intended to criticize or demean the correction officer’s comments.  This is a person who works in a occupation that involves an incredible amount of risk and danger and should be commended for being willing to take on a dangerous responsibility.  But, his comments reflect our culture’s perspective and view of the world being shaped by business mindset.  This is not necessarily wrong but neither is it necessarily healthy for all circumstances.  To refer to prison as an industry transforms convicts into products to be packaged and marketed to borrow business terms. 

This business mindset allows government, society in general, to develop institutions and programs for accomplishing tasks that fail to realize or account for the humanity of people.  People are not objects that are bought, sold, traded, or manufactured like lifeless commodities in the business world.  People are beings of love whose significance and meaning in life is not given by ecnomic/business models no matter how hard we try to make this so but in relationships that reveal ourselves to one another.  True, authentic relationships can’t be commodified but are freely entered into with no strings attached. 

The prison system is not a business or an industry but a means whereby society attempts to bring justice (no matter how flawed) for the victems and transformation for the victimizer (or at least this should be the goal).  To say prison is an industry not only dehumanizes criminals who, according to the teachings of Christ are still human beings (Jesus ate and had fellowship with the criminal elements of his society such as the woman caught in adultery and Matthew the tax collector) but it sells justice to the highest bidder.  Industry is about producing a product that a business markets to people in order to make a profit.  Prison is about justice and peace in society.  It’s not a business or a growth industry but a part of society whose goal isn’t growth or decline but ensuring society is able to function in a holistic way.