British Penal Policy and the Idea of Prison Privatization (Private Prisons and the Public Interest, P 42-65, 1990, Douglas C McDonald, ed. -- See NCJ-127372)

• NCJ Number: 127374
• Author(s): A Rutherford
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 24 pages
• Sale Source: Rutgers University Press
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This analysis of recent developments in British correctional policies focuses on the emergence of the concept of privatization of prisons and argues that privatization will not usefully contribute to British corrections and thus it may distract attention from the underlying penal crisis.

Abstract

The concept of privatization is part of the free-market ideology of the Thatcher government and some of its supporters. Opposition parties have also adjusted their positions on the subject. However, the current penal crisis results from the increasingly harsh decisions made throughout the criminal justice process and the resulting increase in the use of imprisonment. As a result, about 40 percent of the total prison population is housed in overcrowded facilities, particularly local prisons and the remand centers that house pretrial detainees. The proponents of privatization emphasize pragmatic factors, although ideological considerations are also important. The debate centers around efficiency, accountability, the role of profit, the appropriateness of delegating the power involved in custodial situations, and personnel issues. However, the private sector's role in prison management will probably be marginal at most in the immediate future and would not resolve the underlying crisis.