Prisons in Colorado as across the United States are funded and operated by the state’s Department of Corrections (DOC). They are exceptional as state-run institutions in both the way that they function and their governance by state legislative bodies. Colorado State prisons’ economic status and legislative management has evolved throughout the more than 140 years of their existence. “Prison Industrial Complex” here investigates how public prisons like Colorado State Penitentiary (CSP) sustain themselves economically. “Financing CSP” looks at assets, industries, revenue, and expenses of CSP. “Cannery and Tag Plant,” “Inmates and Animals,” and “Gardens and Hatcheries” address specific industries within the prison.