PRIVATIZATION AND CORRECTIONS POLICY

Because corrections is a multibillion dollar growth industry it is attractive to profitmaking firms. The issue is not whether private firms should b e involved in corrections, for they already are; the issue i s how much Involvement should there b e and in what areas. The principal argument used in favor of private involvement is that they will be more efficient than public agencies. But, while this may well be true, the problem is, what impact will this have on corrections policy? Will it increase the move toward retribution and away from rehabilitation? Existing private involvement in corrections has been primarily in the direction of finding workable alternatives to prisons. Private profitmaking firms may take us in the opposite direction. A number of other issues and problems of privatization also are discussed. Copyright 1986 by The Policy Studies Organization.