Energy Companies Pay Prisons to Cut Power During Heat WavesAmanda Warren This recent absurdity may or may not have to do with privatization, but some signs say yes. As if the prison industry isnt bloated enough, ushering in recruits all the time with new laws waiting to be broken and using prisoners for slave labor (another form of outsourcing) Ohios prisons are now accepting gobs of money to cut power at peak hours. Most of the prisons in Ohio are in a program that takes money from KOREnergy that happily pays out to the prisons that switch to generator power when demand is most like heat waves. Last week, temperatures in Ohio reached the high 90s, even surpassing those in Miami, Florida on some days. Ohios ACLU is urging officials to stop accepting these payments. Unlikely, as they have already shored over $1.3 million over a three-year period but ACLU cautions that the savings is not worth the risks to the people involved. Mike Brickner, one ACLU director said: One response often uttered at news like this is: Good! They deserve it! Lest, you feel the urge to join in out of fear and a better them, than me attitude please remember that the U.S. leads the world in the prison industry and they are always looking for recruits. The most popular recruits are those who commit victimless crimes. The same level of consciousness that seeks to punish also creates more crime and criminals it would be a brave step to first stand up for prisoners facing this type of deprivation before we find ourselves facing the same situation. Image Wikimedia Commons Source: Read other articles by Amanda Warren 