Background As a nation, we have many issues that we must face. One of those issues is the administration of the, already overcrowded, prison system. This issue is one of the most taxing problems facing our criminal justice system. According to U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics, the prison population at year-end 2000, there were 1,381,892 men and women in State or Federal prison (U.S. Department …show more content…
The answer is about the same as for a government-run prison. Contracted prison guards may not have the right to strike but the absence of this right has not prevented guards from participating in strikes, sick-outs, and other job actions. At a private prison in Rhode Island, all but a few contract guards walked off their jobs. On the other hand, all but a handful of guards at New York's 33 state-run correctional facilities went on a strike that lasted 17 days (Logan 6). Of course, a disruption at a privately run facility could allow the government to terminate a contract. The threat of termination due to loss of a contract or simply being fired from the position is a strong incentive against a strike. In any case, the National Guard and state police will provide the ultimate backup for prison staff, be it private or public.
Evidence #4 Another question is what happens in the case of a riot or escape? In fact, the experience of privately run prisons has been no worse off than that of the government-run facilities. Most contracts require that privately operated prisons conform to the law, rules, and regulations set down by the government. This is, at times, more tightly monitored than the government-run facilities. Keep in mind that the privately operated prison contracts will always include a contingency plan to deal with strikes, riots, or …show more content…
According to report done by the Bureau of Justice Assistance from July 1, 1994 to June 30, 1995, violations per 1,000 inmates were 42.3% and deaths per 1,000 inmates were 2.9% for government facilities (Austin and Coventry 48). Compared to the private facilities, violations per 1,000 inmates were 50.5% and deaths per 1,000 inmates were 0.7% between January 1 and December 31, 1997 (Austin and Coventry 48). This would suggest that there are no more problems at a private prison then a public prison.
Concluding With many investors becoming interested in the profitability of investing in the statement private prison system, there seems to be more facilities opening yearly. The government echoes the is happy with this trend, as it has enabled them to keep up with the growing prison thesis population at a reduced cost. As far as the government is concerned, the private prison statement system is a good thing, and they are here to