Private Prisons Found to Offer Little in Savings

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

PHOENIX — The conviction that private prisons save money helped drive more than 30 states to turn to them for housing inmates. But Arizona shows that popular wisdom might be wrong: Data there suggest that privately operated prisons can cost more to operate than state-run prisons — even though they often steer clear of the sickest, costliest inmates.

The state’s experience has particular relevance now, as many politicians have promised to ease budget problems by trimming state agencies. Florida and Ohio are planning major shifts toward private prisons, and Arizona is expected to sign deals doubling its private-inmate population.

The measures would be a shot in the arm for an industry that has struggled, in some places, to fill prison beds as the number of inmates nationwide has leveled off. But hopes of big taxpayer benefits might end in disappointment, independent experts say.

“There’s a perception that the private sector is always going to do it more efficiently and less costly,” said Russ Van Vleet, a former co-director of the University of Utah Criminal Justice Center. “But there really isn’t much out there that says that’s correct.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19prisons.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

[Egnever]

1. Love this part

“There’s a perception that the private sector is always going to do it more efficiently and less costly,” said Russ Van Vleet, a former co-director of the University of Utah Criminal Justice Center. “But there really isn’t much out there that says that’s correct.”

Would like to see more studies done on other things that have been privatized.

[TheDebbieDee]

5. Some nations in Europe recently experimented with privatization

of some services like railways and banking services. Privatization always lead to reduced services and sometimes slowly increasing costs!

There are some things that only a government can do, like cancer research or cleaning up after a hurricaine, or building an airport........

[TheDebbieDee]

2. We ARE a prison nation..........

I'm sorry but you just pulled my string Alp227.

The US has 5% of the world's population yet 25% of the world's prisoners!

Prison is where ALL violent offenders belong - non-violent offenders should get probation!

The "Three Strikes" rule should be rescinded: Three Strikes requires mandatory prison sentences for non-violent offenders.

[Newsjock]

3. It wasn't about 'savings' to begin with

The "industry" is doing quite fine, thanks to the government handouts.

[Avant Guardian]

4. It cant be efficient because there is a profit motive

[LetTimmySmoke]

6. You mean corporate greed hasn't magically helped society?

Whatever will the Ayn Rand cult say?

[Exultant Democracy]

7. Little saving, try negitive savings. Private jail owners bribe judges to toss them more people

since the rise of the prison industrial complex we have become the number one jailer in the world.

[yurbud]

8. anybody who thinks it was EVER about saving money is an idiot--it was corruption from the get go

privatizing government functions is the perfect perpetual motion corruption machine: a politician gives the contract and taxpayer dollars to a crony, the crony gives it back in donations, gets more and bigger contracts, and so it goes until the politician leaves office and becomes an exec, board member, or lobbyist for the company.

[liberalla]

9. Exactly. Privatization just helps them get their hands on the money

easier and faster, and to keep the money flowing. It's cyclical as you point out in your post, but you say it better, "the perfect perpetual motion corruption machine."

[yurbud]

11. and a risk free business investment for the crony

[No Elephants]

10. Privatization is for transfer of taxpayer $ to private investors, not for savings for taxpayers.

Duh.

[bemildred]

12. Could we call them DMOs? (Detainee Management Organizations).

Privatization is about profit, not savings, that ought to be obvious to all by now. One need merely consider past experiments in this direction like the Military Industrial Complex, the "Health Care" industry, and lower and higher Education.

[Courtesy Flush]

13. When there's a profit involved, more people go to jail

Arizona laws have been revised to assure more prisoners are locked up. The private prison industry lobbies for it. They're more than willing to put people behind bars to increase their bottom line.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130833741

[earcandle]

14. A fresh song for you all regarding "prisons for private profit goals" This is early X-tal 1992

Pacemaker

[Blue_Tires]

15. Not just in prisons; privitization of any service exists only to maximize profits

Businessmen wouldn't be getting into it if they weren't cashing in...