NCJ Number
107135
Date Published
1986
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report by South Carolina's Privatization of Prisons Subcommittee discusses the potential benefits and problems of a 'total privatization' concept and recommends current policies for privatization in South Carolina.
Abstract
Potential benefits of privatization -- private investment and involvement in prisons -- are the decreased time and money required for prison construction, the promotion of competitiveness and cost efficiency in corrections, and the generation of revenues for State and local governments by the additional private businesses. Potential problems associated with corrections privatization are the absence of laws and regulations to govern such a private enterprise, the status of private prison employees implementing State responsibilities, State liability, the influence of the profit motive on the quality of prison conditions, State vulnerability to exploitation as it becomes dependent on private enterprise for corrections services, and disputes associated with the types of inmates assigned to private institutions. The subcommittee recommends that the privatization of medium- and maximum-security facilities not be pursued at this time due to unknown risks and the inability to compare costs between privately operated and State-operated prisons. The privatization of specific services is recommended when the cost effectiveness and quality of services can be assured. The privatization of minimum-security prisons in the State is recommended as a cost-effective alternative to the public operation of such facilities. Materials received by the subcommittee are attached.