Prisons have found something that keeps them from having to hire more guards--you probably have one too!

Working in a prison can be a seriously dangerous job—especially if you're vastly outnumbered by the hordes of dangerous inmates. The most logical way to deal with an unruly crowd would be to hire more guards to keep everyone in line. Luckily, there's a much more economical solution, and one that probably keeps a lot of us out of trouble as well!

The Nielson Company reported that TV viewing in the United States was at an all time high in 2009, with children averaging about eight hours a day on TV, video games, movies, the Internet, cell phones, iPods, and other non-school related tech. It works as a way to pacify agitated individuals—which is why cable television is so prevalent in prisons.

Private prisons recognize that inmates with cable television are much more quiet and subdued. This is how they get around having to spend more money on staff while keeping a safe and relatively quiet prison. Of course, you probably shouldn't let them watch “Prison Break” in case they start getting some crazy ideas!

(Source)