Group Challenges Privatization in Arizona

The AFSC, a Quaker organization, has just filed a formal protest along with the NAACP in an attempt to block Arizona's request for proposals to construct 2,000 new private prison beds.  Arizona loves private prisons, with multiple facilities housing Arizona prisoners, prisoners from other states, and immigration detainees.  The AFSC conducted a report last year, in the absence of one mandated by the government, that found private prisons in the state were considerably more expensive than government-run facilities.  Once the government finally got around to conducting its own report, it found the same thing; private prisons don't save money and they are more dangerous than government ones.  But the legislature is pushing ahead with the request anyway, and is even considering legislation that would relieve the state of its responsibility to conduct cost-benefit analyses of private prisons.  Because what better way to stop a problem than ignore it altogether and allow it to fester?