Private Prisons Essay

Oct. 18, 2001 Thesis cloak-and-dagger prisons can be a profitable and secure alternative to politics activity run Statement prisons. onwardstage prisons are able to be profitable by controlling the administrational hail of operating the facilities. At the same time, they must adhere to high political standards to maintain the right to operate.Background As a nation, we have legion(predicate) looses that we must face. One of those issues is the administration of the, already overcrowded, prison system. This issue is unmatchable of the most taxing problems facing our criminal justice system. According to U.S. department of nicetys Bureau of justness Statistics, the prison population at year-end 2000, there were 1,381,892 men and women in State or national prison (U.S. Department of Justice). Luckily, the offstage domain has stepped up to, not nevertheless help with this problem, simply also take advantage of the profitability in this venture.Evidence 1 Containing labo r tolls is a crucial issue of the privatization movement. Approximately 70% of the costs of operating a prison go to staff salaries, fringe benefits, and overtime (Logan 2). The administration of this cost is difficult to strike with unionized government stoolers. In contrast, private institutions use nonunion and contract labor, aloneowing for the lowest benefit packages. With nonunion and contracted labor, government restrictions that interfere with economical personnel management such as hiring, firing, promotion, salary setting, assignment of duties, work schedules, vacations, and overtime can be avoided. Overall, private institutions contend that they can assuage around 15% in prison operations when labor cost is efficient handled (Logan 2).Evidence 2 other way the private sector can control cost is that the private sector has greater flexibility in the procurement process. The private sector contractors are not terminus ad quem by the same cumbersome and stiff governm ent procurement system. Private vendors can purchase skilfuls and utilitys quicker. They can maintain lower food, supplies, and equipment inventories as well as negotiate better prices for these goods. Competition between contractors, that lead supply these goods, will help hold down costs and suffer for superior service. Contract renewals are always on the lineif service becomes questionable.Evidence 3 One of the most asked questions is what happens in the case of a strike? The answer is about the same as for a government-run prison. assure prison guards may not have the right to strike further the absence of this right has not prevented guards from participating in strikes, sick-outs, and other personal credit line actions. At a private prison in Rhode Island, all but a few contract guards walked off their jobs. On the other hand, all but a handful of guards at New Yorks 33 state-run correctional facilities went on a strike that lasted 17 days (Logan 6). Of course, a disrupt ion at a in private run facility could permit the government to terminate a contract. The threat of termination due to prejudice of a contract or simply being fired from the posture is a strong incentive against a strike. In any case, the field of study Guard and state police will provide the ultimate patronage for prison staff, be it private or public.Evidence 4 Another question is what happens in the case of a riot or campaign? In fact, the experience of privately run prisons has been no worse off than that of the government-run facilities. Most contracts require that privately operated prisons conform to the law, rules, and regulations set down by the government. This is, at times, more tightly monitored than the government-run facilities. Keep in mind that the privately operated prison contracts will always include a contingency excogitation to deal with strikes, riots, or bankruptcy.Refutation One activist against private prisons said, private prisons cannot be as safe a nd secure as a government run prison they are only interested in the profits (Yeoman 284). According to report done by the Bureau of Justice assist from July 1, 1994 to June 30, 1995, violations per 1,000 inmates were 42.3% and deaths per 1,000 inmates were 2.9% for government facilities (Austin and banishment 48). Compared to the private facilities, violations per 1,000 inmates were 50.5% and deaths per 1,000 inmates were 0.7% between January 1 and December 31, 1997 (Austin and Coventry 48). This would suggest that there are no more problems at a private prison then a public prison.Concluding With many investors becoming interested in the profitability of investing in the argumentation private prison system, there seems to be more facilities opening yearly. The government echoes the is happy with this trend, as it has enabled them to keep up with the growing prison thesis population at a reduced cost. As far as the government is concerned, the private prison statement system is a good thing, and they are here to stay.Berry Yeoman, The Best Business Stories of the Year 2001 Edition, time of origin Books, New York, 2001, p. 282-296 Charles H. Logan, http//www.ucc.uconn.edu/wwwsoci/fraser.html, Prison Privatization Objections and Refutations, University of Connecticut, 1998 James Austin, Ph.D., Garry Coventry, Ph.D., http//www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/bja/181249.pdf, Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons, U.S. Department of Justice speckle of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Washington, DC, Feb. 2000 U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/p00.htm, Prisoners in 2000, Aug. 12, 2001