Privatization began in the 1980s but its use skyrocketed in the last decade in step with an increase in the prison population.
The impact of the measure is, however, limited to the federal level.
Of these 131,261, 40,017 – 19 percent of the total federal inmate population – were housed in private prisons.
These prisoners make up 6.8 percent of the total inmate population in the states.
Privately run federal prisons saw an astronomical increase: 945 percent compared to 35 percent in the states.
Fuente: http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/08/19/inenglish/1471612276_528734.html
