Rural towns in the U.S. are turning to prisons as a "recession-proof form of economic development."
"According to the 2000 census, prisons have been helping to revive large stretches of rural America. More than a Wal-Mart or a meat-packing plant, state, federal and private prisons, typically housing 1,000 inmates and providing 300 jobs, can put a town on solid economic footing. As communities become more and more familiar with the benefits that prisons bring, they are also becoming increasingly adept at maximizing their windfall through collecting taxes and healthy public service fees."
Thanks to Jennifer Lobenhofer
FULL STORY: Rural Towns Turn to Prisons to Reignite Their Economies
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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research