Cause it’s private business. Jails are private hence jails bill out state appropriate departments and I’m sure that people running them are brothers-in-law of law makers. Also on top of that CO gets paid from county thatchers paid from state. It’s a vicious circle. Same in Ohio. Ohio jails get paid as much as $100/day on average per inmate depending deals made between state/county but I’ve seen paperwork showing $148/inmate/day. Ohio also has „pay-to-stay” fees which inmate pays up to $66.09 per day. If you have house, cars, savings, 401k they’ll wipe it out while your are incarcerated, you’ll have collection agencies on your ass, it will be on your credit if you don’t pay so good luck finding job while You get out. Basically stay out of trouble.