prison industrial complex

American  

[priz-uhn in-duhs-tree-uhl kom-pleks] / ˈprɪz ən ɪnˈdʌs tri əl ˌkɒm plɛks /

Or prison-industrial complex

noun

1. the network of government agencies and private industry that foster, benefit from, and contribute to mass incarceration, the imprisonment of large numbers of people.

   The cheapness of prison labor is just one way that the prison industrial complex is used for profit.

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Etymology

Origin of prison industrial complex

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prison industrial complex

The poem “I Am You” by Forrest Reyes — someone who is still incarcerated at CRC — is central to the show, cementing the theme that the prison industrial complex affects all of us.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2023

Many films have sought to capture the impact of America’s prison industrial complex, but “Time” is something else.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2020

Where is the article exposing the prison industrial complex?

From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2016

By midseason, it’s clear that Kohan is railing harder against the prison industrial complex than ever before.

From The Verge ● Jun. 20, 2016

But in relation to the modern liberal state, ideas like civilian defense and restorative justice as alternatives to military defense and the prison industrial complex hold promise.

From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2016