Privatization of Prisons: Costs and Consequences

Room A, Hirsch Hall

The privatization of prisons is generally undertaken by states to lower the cost to the public of housing prisoners. Whether cost savings actually result is debatable. Importantly, the ways in which private prisons do cut costs are problematic from the perspective of public safety, human rights, and public policy. In some well-documented cases, prisoners have escaped due to lax security and poorly trained staff. More generally, staff turnover rates are often high and the compensation packages of private prison guards may be inadequate to attract the best candidates. The U.S. Department of Justice produced a report in June of 2013 documenting that over 30% of juvenile detainees were sexually victimized at Paulding Regional Detention Center – a privately run facility northwest of Atlanta. While that facility’s contract will not be renewed, the trend towards privatization of juvenile detention facilities continues. This panel will discuss the consequences of entrusting vulnerable populations to a system run for profit.