The Cost Of Private Prisons Essay - 818 Words

Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness argument fails to account for the fact that private prisons typically only house healthy inmates. When cost estimates are adjusted to account for this, the results are surprising: Without adjusting for the increased medical costs imposed on state-run prisons, a 2010 Corrections Department study found that daily per inmate costs were cheaper in private prisons, at $57.97 as opposed to $60.66. However, when adjusting for medical costs, the results flipped with daily per inmate costs cheaper in state-run prisons at $48.42 compared with $53.02 in private prisons. Indeed, the Government Accountability Office stated that â€Å"without comparable data, [the Bureau Of Prisons] is not able to evaluate and justify whether confining inmates in private facilities is more cost-effective than other confinement alternatives such as building new BOP facilities.† As discussed below, even assuming arguendo that private prisons are more cost-effective than state and federal-run prisons, this is achieved through cost-cutting measures. As one commentator notes, â€Å"[m]uch of the presumed cost savings of private prisons are achieved through lower staffing costs: private prisons pay their employees less than public prisons.† Cost-cutting can threaten prisoner safety and lead to deplorable prisons conditions.. For example â€Å"[a] private prison in Idaho run by CCA (which operates 3 out of 4 active private prisons in Oklahoma) established a reputation as a â€Å"gladiatorShow MoreRelatedPrivate Prisons1463 Words   |  6 PagesPrivatization of Prisons As state budgets throughout America become tighter because of rising costs, many are looking at private prisons as a way to reduce the cost in detaining inmates. Just like everything else in America there has to be a debate about it. There are those that are for the privatization of prisons and those that are against it. James A. Fagin introduced this topic in his text book CJ2013; he discussed the major selling point of private prisons, and the problems that states areRead MorePrivate Prisons And Public Prisons815 Words   |  4 Pagesis essentially the Enron of the private prison industry, has long touted private prisons as an alternative to government-owned prisons. Indeed, CCA has set forth three reasons justifying the creation of private prisons for federal inmates: †¢ Cost Effectiveness. Private prisons are less expensive to operate and will save the federal government millions of dollars. †¢ Safety. Private prisons are effectively protect inmates’ safety. †¢ Humane Treatment. Private prisons are modern facilities that provideRead MoreThe Use Of Private Prisons For Federal Inmates1604 Words   |  7 PagesPhase Out Use of Private Prisons for Federal Inmates. This was an article title created by Charlie Savage, a Pulitzer Prize winner and correspondent for the New York Times in Washington on August 18, 2016. Savage wrote how the Obama administration would begin to phase out the use of private run prisons to hold inmates. This was ultimately due to the research done on the quality of life for inmates, the safety of inmates and prison employees, and the security of private run prisons. In the articleRead MorePublic Facilities And Private Prisons1116 Words   |  5 Pages Prison is an institution designed to securely to house inmates who have been convicted of crimes. The United States holds the records for having the largest inmate population residing within the walls of the correctional system. The inflation in correction al spending and the largest prison population have impelled lawmakers and the government to look toward the privatization of prisons. Privatization of prisons is the use of private sector or corporation in financing, constructing, andRead MoreDo We Need Private Prisons? Essay1337 Words   |  6 PagesDo we really need private prisons? Prison overcrowding is one of the most burdensome problems plaguing our criminal justice system, but privatization is not the answer. The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013. (Pelaez, 2016).This is a much faster rate than the most state prisons could accommodate in their own facilities. In an effort to manage the rising prison population, many states began contracting with privately operated correctional institutions toRead MorePrivatization of American Prisons1661 Words   |  7 Pagesrunning prisons out of the hands of state and federal authorities and contracting it out to private organizations. Along with the drift to privatization is a plethora of research pertaining to the subject taking many different approaches to analyzing the effectiveness. The majority of research focuses on one of three areas. The first questioning whether or not it is cost effective to make the switch. The second being the ethical problems that can and have ri sen from the privatization of prisons. TheRead MorePrivatization Within The Criminal Justice System Essay1510 Words   |  7 Pagesevery level of the criminal justice system, from incarceration to probation. Many states have turned to private institutions in an attempt shed operating costs, while also increasing effectiveness throughout the criminal justice system. These acts can include anything from providing treatment programs to full blown management of the entire prison system. Overcrowding at prisons and the rising costs associated with them has led many states to turn to some form of privatization within the criminal justiceRead MoreIs Prison Privatization Really a Long Term Fix? Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesPrison Privatization is a term used for which local, state and federal correction facilities hire companies from the private sector to run prisons and provide prison-related services. Some private companies are contracted only to provide things such as medical care, c ounseling, food services, and maintenance within publicly owned jails and prisons. Today, more and more private companies are being contracted to not only design and build, but also to operate new jails and prisons on both the stateRead MorePrivate Prisons Vs. Federal Prisons1175 Words   |  5 PagesPrivate prisons are supposedly more cost effective than state or federal prisons. Or that is what their representatives say. But regardless of whether they save money or not, are they truly beneficial for our communities? This article hopes to break down some of the myths these private prison corporations have used to push their agenda and discuss how that is far from the case. By doing so, the reader can form his/her own conclusions on how pervasive and detrimental private prisons have become withinRead MoreArticle Critique Of Prison Privatization967 Words   |  4 Pages Article Critiques of Prison Privatization Tammy Martin Liberty University Abstract The following paper will examine two articles pertaining to prison privatization, and the reasons for advocacy for prison privatization, or for the opposition of prison privatization. Three authors write the first article examined the authors are Shaun Genter, Gregory Hooks, and Clayton Mosher. The article is entitled â€Å"Prisons, jobs and privatization: The impact of prisons on employment growth in rural