Privatizing Prisons

Privatizing Prisons

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to expand the boundaries of our knowledge by exploring some relevant information relating to privatizing prisons and its affect on community. The topic of privatization of prisons has gained much attention in recent years. Private prison is a term used to describe the prison run by a private company under an agreement with the relevant state authorities (on a public-private partnership). Such private prisons are being operated in the United States. In the next section, we will examine different aspects of privatizing prisons also evaluate its affect on the community.

Discussion

The functioning of private prisons in the U.S. is precisely regulated by the states. They impose an obligation to obtain a license to operate a correctional facility. To obtain the license, the entrepreneur must fulfill several conditions. Only after obtaining the license, the courts may direct penitentiary prisoners to its base. Prison loses concessions, if proven to be even one case of breach of its terms. These include the prisoner escape, human rights violations (such as mistreatment of prisoners by guards), loss of documents, fire, explosion, etc. The owners of state prison authorities are paying a flat-rate, regardless of number of victims. During the visits, they have their freedom to speak with prisoners (James, 1997).

Private owners are well aware that the slightest failure can cost them a lot. Therefore, they strictly comply with all rules and procedures. The private prisons have introduced an advance security system to prevent escape. So far, the system has been successful, as no case of convict escape or suicide of an important prisoner, has yet occurred. There were few cases of prison violence (those that were aired, took place in state institutions). In these plants the prisoners are serving a penalty usually in small, single cells. And the staff of the prisons did not complain of their earnings, because they are relatively high, as compared to those paid in government owned prisons (Welch, 2005).

In recent years, there has been a major public debate on the privatization of prisons that started making sense since the late sixties. The main problem is that the private system owned companies, are only concerned to business success and in the growth of the prison population and the extension of penalties. A growing number of U.S. prisons are being franchised as businesses for profit. Companies are paid by the State, and their earnings depend on spending as little as possible on prisoners and prisons. It's hard to imagine a bigger disconnect between public good and private profit: the interest of private prisons is not in the obvious social good of having the fewest number of inmates, but as many as possible, staying at least possible cost (MacDonald, 1996) .

The growth is generally dependent on the private owner's ability to obtain new contracts to develop and manage new correctional and detention facilities. The demand is there for facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation in the efforts of law enforcement, moderation in ...