Prez Biden signs Executive Order "to Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities" in the federal prison system

I had heard reports that today was going to be a day for Prez Biden to sign a number of executive orders related to criminal justice, but it seems as though only one such order was actually signed today during an event that was focused more broadly on racial equity.  Still, as reported in this AP piece, the one criminal justice executive order signed today is still notable:

President Joe Biden on Tuesday ordered the Department of Justice to end its reliance on private prisons and acknowledge the central role government has played in implementing discriminatory housing policies. In remarks before signing the order, Biden said the U.S. government needs to change “its whole approach” on the issue of racial equity. He added that the nation is less prosperous and secure because of the scourge of systemic racism....

Beyond calling on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons and address housing discrimination, the new orders will recommit the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty and disavow discrimination against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community over the coronavirus pandemic....

The order to end the reliance on privately-run prisons directs the attorney general not to renew Justice Department contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities. The move will effectively revert the Justice Department to the same posture it held at the end of the Obama administration. “This is a first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarceration,” Biden said.

The more than 14,000 federal inmates housed at privately-managed facilities represent a fraction of the nearly 152,000 federal inmates currently incarcerated. The federal Bureau of Prisons had already opted not to renew some private prison contracts in recent months as the number of inmates dwindled and thousands were released to home confinement because of the coronavirus pandemic.

GEO Group, a private company that operates federal prisons, called the Biden order “a solution in search of a problem.” “Given the steps the BOP had already announced, today’s Executive Order merely represents a political statement, which could carry serious negative unintended consequences, including the loss of hundreds of jobs and negative economic impact for the communities where our facilities are located, which are already struggling economically due to the COVID pandemic,” a GEO Group spokesperson said in a statement.

David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison Project, noted that the order does not end the federal government’s reliance on privately-run immigration detention centers. “The order signed today is an important first step toward acknowledging the harm that has been caused and taking actions to repair it, but President Biden has an obligation to do more, especially given his history and promises,” Fathi said.

The full EO, which is titled "Executive Order on Reforming Our Incarceration System to Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities," can be found at this link, and it has this interesting "preamble" in its first section:

Policy.  More than two million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, including a disproportionate number of people of color.  There is broad consensus that our current system of mass incarceration imposes significant costs and hardships on our society and communities and does not make us safer.  To decrease incarceration levels, we must reduce profit-based incentives to incarcerate by phasing out the Federal Government’s reliance on privately operated criminal detention facilities. 

We must ensure that our Nation’s incarceration and correctional systems are prioritizing rehabilitation and redemption.  Incarcerated individuals should be given a fair chance to fully reintegrate into their communities, including by participating in programming tailored to earning a good living, securing affordable housing, and participating in our democracy as our fellow citizens.  However, privately operated criminal detention facilities consistently underperform Federal facilities with respect to correctional services, programs, and resources.  We should ensure that time in prison prepares individuals for the next chapter of their lives. 

The Federal Government also has a responsibility to ensure the safe and humane treatment of those in the Federal criminal justice system. However, as the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General found in 2016, privately operated criminal detention facilities do not maintain the same levels of safety and security for people in the Federal criminal justice system or for correctional staff.  We have a duty to provide these individuals with safe working and living conditions.