The Downfall of Private Prisons The privatization of jails and prisons in the United States are becoming more and more popular with 122 adult prisons and 252 juvenile facilities, capable of holding more than 160,000 inmates for the past 8 years. These facilities have pros and cons however, 32 states contract with private sector prisons and almost 17 percent of adult inmates are held in private prisons. (Allen, Latessa, and Ponder) The major arguments against privatization are cost, insurance, control, and corruption. Private sector prisons claim they can provide the same services as government-ran prisons for cheaper the cost. However, after research and studies conducted there has been no significant difference found. The only way private
…show more content…
Most government agencies are self-insured and are protected by the entire government entity. However, the private prisons are not and have become a target for attorneys to sue, when in return, raises insurance prices and effects both governmental facilities and private facilities. (Allen et al. 281) There are high levels of violence in private prisons, many incidents not being brought up to the public sector or investigated. In return, this can potentially cause negative outcomes (Allen et al. 290). Similarly, private prisons have control problems with their inmates. Private facilities house diverse prisoner populations in both small and large facilities. That plays apart in common inmate-on-inmate assaults, inmate-on-staff assaults, minor disturbances, riots, and escapes (Allen et al 287). Privately owned prisons spark the interests of public business men and women. At the state level there are only three major beneficiaries the government, taxpayers, and offenders, however, with privately owned prisons the beneficiaries include stockholders, investors, hedge funds, lobbyists, upper-level managers, corrupt public employees, politicians, and rainmakers, all looking for the biggest profit (Allen et al 289). With this large number of beneficiaries there is more room for corruption and would cost more due to the number of people it
Most government agencies are self-insured and are protected by the entire government entity. However, the private prisons are not and have become a target for attorneys to sue, when in return, raises insurance prices and effects both governmental facilities and private facilities. (Allen et al. 281) There are high levels of violence in private prisons, many incidents not being brought up to the public sector or investigated. In return, this can potentially cause negative outcomes (Allen et al. 290). Similarly, private prisons have control problems with their inmates. Private facilities house diverse prisoner populations in both small and large facilities. That plays apart in common inmate-on-inmate assaults, inmate-on-staff assaults, minor disturbances, riots, and escapes (Allen et al 287). Privately owned prisons spark the interests of public business men and women. At the state level there are only three major beneficiaries the government, taxpayers, and offenders, however, with privately owned prisons the beneficiaries include stockholders, investors, hedge funds, lobbyists, upper-level managers, corrupt public employees, politicians, and rainmakers, all looking for the biggest profit (Allen et al 289). With this large number of beneficiaries there is more room for corruption and would cost more due to the number of people it