For-profit prisons have created a “neo-slavery” in the US, according to award-winning journalist Chris Hedges. Inmates work eight hours per day for major corporations such as Chevron, Motorola, Nordstrom’s and Target, yet only have the possibility of making up $1.25 an hour. In addition, companies that provide services like phone calls overcharge prisoners on even the most basic services, making hundreds of millions in profits annually. RT’s Ben Swann speaks to Hedges, who explains how this shadowy system came into existence. This system is now even expanding around the world. First by crossing the boarder down south to make more Neo-Slavery prisons in Mexico and soon expanding this same Neo-Slavery prison system into Canada, Europe and the rest of the world if we are not vigilant and careful of what kind of Neo-Slavery these Slave masters will try to force onto all of us.
As well as thanking God for his success, CEO Chris Hyman is a Pentecostal Christian who has released a gospel album in America and fasts every Tuesday. Coincidentally he was in the World Trade Centre on 9/11 on the 47th floor addressing shareholders.
Serco run navy patrol boats for the ADF, as well as search and salvage operations through their partnership with P&O which form Maritime Defence Services.
Serco run two Australian Jails already, Acacia in WA and Borallon in Queensland
They’re one of the biggest companies In the UK for running electronic tagging of offenders under house arrest or parole.
Serco are in one of the two favoured bid consortiums for the new Sydney metro rail line.
Here are some amazing corporate videos from Serco, we fully recommend both if you’re a fan of Verhoeven-esque corporate propaganda. You can watch the video here:
Serco Group plc is a British government services company based in Hook, North Hampshire in the United Kingdom. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Among its operations are public and private transport and traffic control, aviation, military and nuclear weapons contracts, detention centres and prisons, and schools.
Serco was founded in 1929 as a United Kingdom division of the Radio Corporation of America and initially provided services to the cinema industry.[3] It changed its name to Serco in 1987[3] and has been a London Stock Exchange listed company since 1988.[3]
On 29 December 2008, Serco completed its acquisition of SI International.[4]
Operations
The Guardian has called Serco “probably the biggest company you’ve never heard of”.[5]
Serco operates in various sectors:
Home Affairs: Serco operates the National Border Targeting Centre for the UK Border Agency and provides the Carrier Gateway – the interface between carriers and the Agency.[6]
Detention: Serco supplies electronic tagging devices for offenders and asylum seekers.[22] In Britain, Serco runs four prisons, a Young Offenders Institution and a Secure Training Centre.[23] It also operates two Immigration Removal Centres.[24][25] Serco is also responsible for the contracted-out court escort services in the south-east area (formerly a role undertaken by HM Prison Service).[26] In addition, Serco runs partly privatised Hünfeld Prison in Hesse, Germany.[27] In Australia Serco runs Acacia Prison in Western Australia[28] and Borallon Correctional Facility in Queensland[29] as well as the national contract for immigration detention centres, including Christmas Island and the Villawood detention centre in Sydney.[30][31] In Auckland, New Zealand Serco runs the Mt Eden remand prison[32] and in March 2012 was awarded the contract to build an operate a 960 bed prison at Wiri.[33]
Aviation: Serco provides air traffic control services at international airports in the United Arab Emirates[42] and at some smaller airports in the USA and Canada.[43][44] Since 2004 Serco have also had £5m a year from the US government to manage airports in Iraq.[45] Serco also operate Scatsta Airport on Shetland.[46] In June 2010 Serco signed a £4million contract to operate all air traffic control services for Coventry Airport.[47]
Education: Serco holds a 10 year contract with Bradford City Council to manage and operate the local education authority,[53] providing education support services to the City’s schools, and similarly manages and operates Walsall[54] and Stoke-on-Trent local education authorities.[55] Serco is one of Ofsted‘s three Regional Inspection Service Providers, responsible for school inspections in the English Midlands.[56] Serco is also the provider of a Student information system, Facility, used in schools and colleges in several countries.[57]
Drivers’ licensing: Serco, through a purpose-made division Serco DES, holds a 10 year, $114 million contract with the Province of Ontario to operate the province’s DriveTest driver examination centres. These tests include vision, road, and knowledge tests for all persons seeking to become a licensed automobile driver in the province.[43]
Serco publishes a magazine, Ethos Journal, to stimulate thought and provoke reaction to the big issues shaping the world of public services. Ethos is aimed at public sector leaders, politicians, academics and policy specialists debating the future of public services today.[62]
Serco operates waste collection services for local councils.[63]
Serco operates in Continental Europe, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific region and North America, but the majority of its turnover still comes from the UK.
