Benefits Of Prison Privatization

Introduction

Expanding numbers of privately run prisons is a highly controversial issue that has the potential for enduring global repercussions. Prison privatization occurs when a non-governmental third party is contracted by the government oversee the management of a prison. While potential benefits that may occur because of prison privatization has influenced its rapid growth in recent decades, pervading concerns about the running of private prisons cannot be ignored. In this essay, the history of prison privatization, its benefits, unique problems and its placement in New Zealand will be discussed to scrutinize what has become one of the most substantial changes in the framework of the contemporary prison system.

History of Prison Privatization

Arguments that compare privately run prisons to that of publically run ones often highlight the notions of cost saving, prison conditions and efficiency to be benefits of transitioning to privately run prisons. In regarding overcrowding specifically, Glyn (1996) highlights the opening of Borallon Correctional Centre (1990-2016), Australia’s first fully privately-run prison, to be direct result of issues with overcrowding in Australia’s publically run prisons. This example emphasises the beliefs held about how prison privatization could benefit the penal system through relieving prisoner congestion. Furthering this understanding of the argued need for privately run prisons that occurred at this time, James and Bottomley (1998) found that the construction of HM Prison Wolds, and in fact prison privatization in England and Wales in general was influenced by increasing prison populations and declining prisoner conditions in existing prisons. Dorfman and Harel (2016) highlight this period’s catalyst for change in corrections to reflect the same causes centuries earlier when elements of privatization were attempted; overcrowding and prisoner conditions. This suggests that issues that occurred during the medieval development of privatization could be used to help perfect the process of the modern attempt. Efficiency is another important benefit that was touted by prison privatization proponents. Critics of state-run prisons argued that they were constricted by rigid procedures and customs which impacted their ability to be managed productively. Arguably an attempt to counter this efficiency, the development of modern prison privatization worked to differentiate it from state run prisons. Lukemeyer and McCorkle (2006) found that private prisons were viewed to be able to use their flexibility and innovation to provide