Prisons can be a real plus in political terms. First they help integrate the lily-white farm towns of rural American, bringing in blacks and Latinos. Second since the U.S. has all but dropped the goal of rehabilitation, prisons are now set up to warehouse convicts, which spells long-term growth. In terms of the census, prisoners swell the population, and since most of them are poor, they reduce the overall income level, making communities eligible for federal and state economic aid that they otherwise would not receive. In addition, if a prison operates industry, it can attract related business. Best of all, except in Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts, inmates cant vote. Of course, one states gains in prison population are anothers lost prisoners mostly from urban areas. This worries big-city politicians since loosing population in inner-city neighborhoods can lead to loss of seats in Congress. From the book You cant win by James Ridgeway