Supreme Court Rules Against Private Prison Corporations' Push for Secrecy

October 11, 2017
Shadowproof

The Supreme Court ruled against two private prison corporations, GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America, which sought to block the release of records related to government contracts with them.

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court has finally put an end to private prison contractors’ relentless attempts to keep their secrets buried,” declared Mary Small, the policy director of Detention Watch Network. “With this decision, the Supreme Court has signaled agreement that private prison contractors must not act with impunity and dictate government secrecy.”

“This victory is especially important as we face a presidential administration committed to mass privatization, as well as mass detention and deportation,” Small added.

Detention Watch Network (DWN) and the Center For Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit for records on a “detention bed quota” that requires funding for 34,000 beds for detained immigrants “at any given time.” Immigrant rights groups believe this incentivizes immigrant detention and adds to profits for contractors.

Read the full piece here

Last modified 

October 12, 2017