>I also understand that the prison system was privatised in the US.
The prison system was not privatized in the US. Some places do have private prison but it is by no means the norm. As of 2012 less than 8% of the 2.2 million incarcerated persons in the US are in private prisons [1]. This is less than 1% of the population. Although 20% of federal prisoners are in private prisons as of last year [2].
The recidivism rate is even worse. In 2005 almost a half a million inmates were tracked after their release, more than 75% were rearrested within 5 years.[3]
The prison system was not privatized in the US. Some places do have private prison but it is by no means the norm. As of 2012 less than 8% of the 2.2 million incarcerated persons in the US are in private prisons [1]. This is less than 1% of the population. Although 20% of federal prisoners are in private prisons as of last year [2].
The recidivism rate is even worse. In 2005 almost a half a million inmates were tracked after their release, more than 75% were rearrested within 5 years.[3]
>financial incentives to incarcerate...
Do you have any sources for this?
[1]http://www.propublica.org/article/by-the-numbers-the-u.s.s-g...
[2]http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/06/private-prisons-prof...
[3]http://www.nij.gov/topics/corrections/recidivism/pages/welco...