Privatization of Prison Systems in the United States Assignment

Privatization of Prison Systems in the United States - Assignment Example career-orientated and not so likely to create large staff turnovers, thus causing added expenditures in training new personnel to take the empty positions. Working through the state system provides correction workers with better benefits and there is less turnover of the staff. A) Corrections officers receive a fairly stringent education process in how to conduct their jobs when engaging with the prison population (Dempsey & Forst 2013). The emphasis is now more on keeping staff in place and encouraging open lines of communication, mentoring with senior partners, encouraging professional pride and development, and also providing efficient compensation in salaries and benefits (Peak 2012). In alignment with the state employees, who observe the state guidelines in handling inmates through their daily processes, rehabilitative services, which are provided to inmates as part of their incarceration, also have state guidelines to be observed (Culp 2012). Therefore, the state-administrated facility will operate strictly on the state’s guidelines in handling prisoners and also making sure the public is protected as well, while in the process of engaging in rehabilitative services (Allen & Sawhney 2009; Peak 2012). Accordingly, state standards must be met, particularly where the well-being of the prisoner is concerned, B) The second argument in favor of keeping the corrections system under public administration is the financial aspect in regards to building and running correction facilities. It has been shown in research (Culp 2010) that even while private-sector facilities, run by companies who tout the money-saving advantages of using private sector facilities, often will begin costing more as the years go by, and eventually costing just as much as state run facilities, but... This paper reviews the aspect of whether it is better to move the Federal prison system into the private sector, or maintain them as federally run. There are pros and cons to both systems, but the most glaring issue is whether private sector companies which run prisons, will actually stay in business, or disappear overnight because of insolvency or by being bought out by another larger company.At present, there is an oligarchy of four to five companies who run the nation’s prison systems nationwide. This does not leave much room for a smaller actor to get into the business, particularly as expenditures are usually the same for both public and private sector facilities, as based on federal standards in service provisions. In the review of whether prison systems should move to privatization or not, the final outcome is that there needs to be a secure system in place, particularly where financial accountability is concerned. There must also be government oversight and audits to m ake sure the billing system is also accurate and that charges for non-existing products and personnel do not occur, as has been seen in some previous cases.If it is a question of whether more institutions might be built to house the offenders, then going to the private sector may be the best way to go. However, it is hardly likely that costs to the prison systems will actually be reduced accordingly, especially when only four to five private companies exist to accomplish these goals.