The use of private prisons is a debate that is expanding as the privatization of prison services is spreading throughout the area of corrections. In Canada as of 2012, correctional facilities had no affiliation with the private sector (Griffiths & Murdoch, 2014, p. 39). In 2001, the government of Ontario speculated the use of privatization. Under a five-year contract, a private company was to operate a mega-jail in Penetanguishene, but it failed to be renewed for reasons unclear (Griffiths & Murdoch, 2014, p. 39-40). Subsequent to this, there is still question as to if there should be the use of private prisons in Canada. The reasons opposed to privatization are overpowering, therefore Canada should not develop and implement the use of private
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Though increased accountability is supposed to be an advantage of privatization, there have been questions raised about if minimal standards can be met. Since maximizing shareholder profit is one of the main objectives of private prisons, there needs to be a process to assure the there is attention paid to the responsibility of inmates, but this has not been the case in some private prisons in other countries such as the United States (Schwartz & Nurge, 2004, pg. 142). Joel Dyer (2000) went undercover to a private correctional facility in Texas where, among other atrocities, there was no system of classification to separate violent inmates from those who were non-violent (Schwartz & Nurge, 2004, pg. 144). Inmates need to be kept safe, but because private prisons lack transparency, society is not made aware of the happenings within the facility’s walls. Correctional facilities should be focused on rehabilitation and the safety of their inmates, but the privatization of prisons would shift this focus towards the facility acting more as a …show more content…
In private prisons, staff are often less-experienced, and the staffing model results in a deficient system (Crewe, Liebling, Hulley, 2015, p. 314). This was found relevant in five private-sector prisons in England and Wales, where there have been reported experiences with many officers who lacked the knowledge to assist with inmates’ problems (Crewe et al., 2015, p. 323). The staff may have had good responsiveness, but most prisoners’ negative experiences were correlated with inadequacy in staff professionalism. (Crewe et al., 2015, p. 324). Meanwhile, prisoners in public facilities found value in the experience and competence of staff (Crewe et al., 2015, p. 325). In private prisons, if staff are not competent or trained, the inmates can find themselves in situations of uncertainty or feeling as if the officers would be useless in times of conflict or conduct. It is crucial for inmates to have a sufficient authoritarian structure so they can learn and become accustomed to rules and
Though increased accountability is supposed to be an advantage of privatization, there have been questions raised about if minimal standards can be met. Since maximizing shareholder profit is one of the main objectives of private prisons, there needs to be a process to assure the there is attention paid to the responsibility of inmates, but this has not been the case in some private prisons in other countries such as the United States (Schwartz & Nurge, 2004, pg. 142). Joel Dyer (2000) went undercover to a private correctional facility in Texas where, among other atrocities, there was no system of classification to separate violent inmates from those who were non-violent (Schwartz & Nurge, 2004, pg. 144). Inmates need to be kept safe, but because private prisons lack transparency, society is not made aware of the happenings within the facility’s walls. Correctional facilities should be focused on rehabilitation and the safety of their inmates, but the privatization of prisons would shift this focus towards the facility acting more as a …show more content…
In private prisons, staff are often less-experienced, and the staffing model results in a deficient system (Crewe, Liebling, Hulley, 2015, p. 314). This was found relevant in five private-sector prisons in England and Wales, where there have been reported experiences with many officers who lacked the knowledge to assist with inmates’ problems (Crewe et al., 2015, p. 323). The staff may have had good responsiveness, but most prisoners’ negative experiences were correlated with inadequacy in staff professionalism. (Crewe et al., 2015, p. 324). Meanwhile, prisoners in public facilities found value in the experience and competence of staff (Crewe et al., 2015, p. 325). In private prisons, if staff are not competent or trained, the inmates can find themselves in situations of uncertainty or feeling as if the officers would be useless in times of conflict or conduct. It is crucial for inmates to have a sufficient authoritarian structure so they can learn and become accustomed to rules and