Private prison corporations depend upon their relationships with government players to supply business. “Public-private partnerships”—established with local, state, and federal agencies—provide groups like Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) the financial incentives that contribute to mass incarceration in the United States.

The contracts that make this happen are invaluable means of finding out what kind of deals governments are making with the incarceration industry. For example, In the Public Interest, a research group interested in the privatization of public services, first reported on the “lockup quotas” that require governments to keep facilities full, which they discovered via these contracts.

MuckRock has submitted requests for nearly every contract currently maintained between a government agency and CCA and plotted them by facility on the map below. Requests were submitted at the local, state, and (when applicable) federal levels, and the facilities are divided by agency holding the largest contract: a state or local government to host local inmates, a state government to hold inmates out-of-state, and then Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Marshals, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Many of these requests are fresh. If a particularly prison is interesting or relevant, be sure to follow the request and an alert will be sent when the request is updated. Check back in as additional requests are filled, or let us know if you’d like to file your own request!

As always, send comments, suggestions, questions, and insight to beryl@muckrock.com or info@muckrock.com.

Image of North Fork Correctional Facility via Oklahoma Department of Corrections