NCJ Number
148741
Date Published
1994
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This study analyzes ways to expand the private sector's role in reducing crime and lessening the criminal justice costs for taxpayers.
Abstract
One proposal is to contract with private security agencies for non-crime, non-emergency police functions. This would allow public law enforcement officers to concentrate more of their own efforts on crime. Bonuses or special incentives could be given to agencies that achieve independently verified crime reductions. Communities could also make greater use of reserve law enforcement officers and explore ways to expand their ranks. Pretrial release bureaus and so-called free bonds could be shut down in favor of competitive, commercial bail bonds. Another measure is the increased use of private rewards for criminal convictions, including bounties offered by commercial insurance policies. Bounty hunters could be paid for recovering criminals who are wanted on bench warrants (orders by judges or courts to arrest persons charged with criminal offenses). Greater use could be made of private attorneys to prepare and litigate criminal cases at private expense, so as to expand prosecutor resources at no taxpayer expense. Other measures are a reduction in legal obstacles to the integration of criminal prosecution and civil remedies, probationer and parolee posting of a private bond to guarantee good behavior, the acceleration of private construction and operation of prisons to control costs and raise quality, and acceleration of the private employment of prison labor. 2 tables and 110 notes