The video "Origin of Everything: Why Do We Have Private Prisons?"' explores the history and implications of private prisons in the United States. Highlighting staggering incarceration statistics, it questions the purpose and function of prisons, whether for punishment or rehabilitation. The video examines the rise of private prisons alongside increasing incarceration rates, and scrutinizes their role and responsibilities. It delves into the historical intersection of prisons with private industry, focusing on practices like convict leasing that exploited inmate labor under harsh conditions. The video discusses systemic issues leading to mass incarceration, such as policy shifts in law and mental health deinstitutionalization. Finally, it raises contemporary debates around prison reform and restorative justice, invoking questions of justice and societal debt. Insightful for understanding prison-industrial complex history, the video encourages critical thinking about ethics in the justice system. Part of the "Origin of Everything" series.