California's Pay to Stay Prisons

Cities have found a new source of revenue.  Take an old city jail that is empty or near empty, and turn it into a luxury prison.  That's exactly what's being done in several cities in California, including Seal Beach.  The existence of these jails was discovered by the Marshall Project, a non-profit focused on criminal justice.

Here's how it works.  You are suspected of a crime, and your defense attorney advises you to plead.  You go to the district attorney and the judge and say you plead, but you want to go to a "pay to stay" prison.  If the judge agrees, you serve your time in a prison that is far more desirable than a county jail.  It most likely will house you in a small room with two bunk beds, with a phone nearby to be used whenever you want.  You will have your own TV, cable stations and a big library.  You will also have a small grocery store for your use, whenever you want.  All this for about $150 per day!  The most important thing you get is peace of mind.  You will not be in jail with the general population, and most likely won't face any danger from gangs.  Sounds like a sweet deal, but is this fair?

We talk about equal justice for all.  We already know that the rich have a far less chance of doing jail time than the poor or men and women of color,  and if they do, it is usually less time.  Now, the time they do serve is also unequal.  Those that have money, pay to stay in more luxurious quarters with few rules.  Cities are doing this to increase revenue.  They have buildings sitting empty, and they turn them into jails.  This doesn't seem fair to me.  What do you think?