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A report of the Montana-based Institute on Money in State Politics showed that for the 2002 and 2004 election cycles that private prison companies, directors, executives and lobbyists gave $3.3 million to candidates and state political parties across 44 states (12 ). The Private Prison industry is part of a little known group called American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The main function of ALEC is to draft model legislation. Then members who are elected reps. take this model legislation to their home states and they try to turn it into law. In 2000 alone over 3,100 bill based on the ALEC model where introduced into state legislature and 450 were signed into law. A third of all state and federal legislators are members of ALEC. Minimum dues are $5,000 further dues called "applicable Task Force Dues" may be needed these range from 1,500 to %5,000. CCA and Wackenhut have been "private sector members" for some time(13 ). Laws like "three strikes" and "truth in sentencing" the prison population went from 740,000 in 1985 inmates to 2.1 million inmates (14 ). ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force has in the past chaired by two CCA executives. ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force, helped draft among other things the "Truth in Sentencing Act" and a "Habitual Violent Offender Incarceration Act" (15). Mandatory minimum sentencing has been called "the politician's criminal justice snake oil". In 1987 the Canadian Sentencing Commission called for doing away with it. On the grounds of cost and not allowing Justice to be properly served. In California the results of its effect on crime were mix, but its increase in cost and negative side effects were more apparent (16 ). ALEC also helped draft Arizona tough new immigration law in 2010. This law would benefit the private prison industry (17 ). |
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