Private & public prisons

PRIVATE & PUBLIC PRISONS

ON TRIAL

BY LARRY N. C. WARNER

PRIVATE PRISONSPROS

1. NO COST TO THE PUBLIC FOR CONSTRUCTION

2. LOWER RATES OF VIOLENT CRIMES3. SAVES $24.25 PER INMATE, PER DAY4. FACILITIES BUILT QUICKER IN TIME OF

NEED

PRIVATE PRISONSCONS

1. POSSIBLE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

2. HIGHER RATES OF NON-VIOLENT CRIMES

3. INMATES ESCAPE & INCREASED DRUG USE

4. RAPID EXPANSION / SUPPLY & DEMAND

PUBLIC PRISONSPROS

1. THE CONCERN IS NOT FINANCIAL PROFIT2. ATTEMPTS TO MEET THE OBLIGATION OF

GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT SOCIETY3. TRANSPARENCY REQUIRED UNDER THE

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT4. INMATES ARE LESS LIKELY TO ESCAPE

PUBLIC PRISONSCONS

1. INCREASED RISK OF VIOLENT CRIME

2. OFTEN CROWDED & OVERPOPULATED

3. FINANCIAL COST IS NOT A PRIORITY

4. LACK OF EFFICIENCY / SLOW IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW POLICIES

THE SUPERIORITY OF PRIVATE PRISONSWHEN ALL ASPECTS ARE CONSIDERED, THE HIGHER DRUG USE IN PRIVATE

PRISONS MAY LEAD TO HIGHER HEALTH CARE COST IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER, ON A SOCIAL STANCE WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PREVENT THOSE

INCARCERATED FOR MINOR OFFENSES FROM BEING VICTIMIZED BY THE MORE VIOLENT CONVICTS. VIOLENT INCIDENTS ALSO INCREASE THE COST FOR HEALTH CARE, AND OUR OBLIGATION TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING

VICTIMIZED GREATLY OUTWEIGHS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE. FURTHER, THE EFFICIENCY OF PRIVATE PRISONS IS MUCH GREATER THAN THAT OF PUBLIC PRISONS. WHILE THERE IS A DANGER OF A PRISON CULTURE BEING

CREATED TO MEET THE SUPPLY OF NEW PRISONS, THAT MAY BE BETTER ADDRESSED AT SUCH A TIME AS IT BECOMES THE CASE. MEETING THE

CURRENT DEMAND FOR BEDS AND PREVENTING OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS IS OF AN URGENT CONCERN. THUS IT IS MY POSITION THAT PRIVATE PRISONS

ARE CURRENTLY SUPERIOR TO PUBLIC PRISONS.

PUBLIC PRIVATERIKER’S ISLAND LANDFILL STILL LEAKS POISONOUS

GASSESPRIVATE PRISONS SUBJECT

TO OSHA COMPLIANCE

REFERENCESMCGLOTHLIN, DAVID (2016). ARIZONA TOPS IN GUARANTEEING PRIVATE PRISONS NEW CUSTOMERS. JUSTICE POLICY INSTITUTE. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.JUSTICEPOLICY.ORG/NEWS/10144

RAKIA, RAVEN (2016). A SINKING JAIL: THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER THAT IS RIKER’S ISLAND. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://GRIST.ORG/JUSTICE/A-SINKING-JAIL-THE-ENVIRONMENTAL-DISASTER-THAT-IS-RIKERS-ISLAND/

SEITER, RICHARD (2014). CORRECTIONS: AN INTRODUCTION. PEARSON EDUCATION. UPPER SADDLE, N.J.

SPINWALL, CARY (2014). MONDAY: PRIVATE PRISONS AND TRANSPARENCY. TULSA WORLD. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.TULSAWORLD.COM/HOMEPAGELATEST/MONDAY-PRIVATE-PRISONS-AND-TRANSPARENCY/ARTICLE_87A99CB4-9CC9-11E3-B082-001A4BCF6878.HTML

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (2016). OSHA NEWS RELEASE – REGION 3. RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://WWW.OSHA.GOV/PLS/OSHAWEB/OWADISP.SHOW_DOCUMENT?P_TABLE=NEWS_RELEASES&P_ID=30123