Pros & Cons of Privatization of Jails

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Privatizing Jails and Prisons: The Pros & Cons Name Institution Privatizing Jails and Prisons: The Pros & Cons The movement to privatize correctional facilities has gained a lot of impetus in the USA following the need to cut the cost of incarceration at both the state and federal levels. According to Chen (2008), a number of factors are causing an inflationary shift in the numbers of inmates, a pattern projected to continue into the foreseeable future. These factors include the recent emphasis placed on controlling illegal immigration, the crackdowns resulting from this lead to the swelling up of correctional facilities. The second reason involves the lengthening of jail terms for a number of crimes. The net result has been an increase of inmates by about 25% between 2006 and 2011 in 10 states. Private correctional facilities - those managed by non-government entities on behalf of the government – have, thus, gained limelight as possible efficacious alternatives to public-run prison facilities. This study explores arguments for and against (the pros and cons of) private correctional facilities and the fiscal responsibilities, finally, taking the position private correctional facilities are the way to go. The Arguments against Private Correctional Facilities: Cons Verkaik (2009) provides a detailed analysis of private prison facilities, arguing that a number of disadvantages accompany them. The main argument made by the author revolves around the issue of quality of service, where private correctional facilities in the UK have been shown to perform poorly in comparison to their state-run counterparts. Verlak cites studies showing that about twice as many prison complaints arise in the private run correction institutions when compared to those run by the state. Verlak’s source is the Freedom of Information Act based on data from

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