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REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Private prisons respond quicker, cost less
From the
Bluegrass Institute, an independent
research and educational institution offering free-market solutions
to Kentucky's most pressing problems.
Critics point to a recent riot at the private Lee Adjustment Center near
Beattyville as proof that privatizing prisons is unsound policy. But Kentucky
Corrections Commissioner John Rees says the way the incident was handled
actually shows the benefit of privately run facilities.
While there was significant physical damage to the facility’s administration
building and residence wing, no inmates or staff members were hurt, no prisoners
escaped and order was restored quickly, Rees said. He formerly worked for
Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which owns and operates the Lee County
facility.
Following the riot, CCA promptly restored order among the 800 inmates and
replaced the warden – actions that usually take much longer at public prisons
“because of the nature of government and bureaucratic red tape,” Rees said.
Private prisons can respond quicker and are more accountable, including being
shut down for handling situations poorly. When was the last time a
government-run prison was shut down or a warden lost his job within a week for
inadequately managing an incident?
Credible research also shows that government-run facilities are more costly to
operate.
The Reason Foundation identifies 28 studies comparing the cost of government
prisons with their private counterparts that house 150,000 inmates across the
country. Twenty-two of the studies conclude that private prisons cost taxpayers
an average of 15 percent less than state facilities; six found the costs to be
about the same. None of the reports found that private prisons are more costly.
Naysayers suggest that private prisons offer poor care and have more chaos. But
the Reason Foundation’s extensive research found that private prisons rank as
high or higher in quality of care than their state-run counterparts.
The prompt and proper response of this private prison operator at Beattyville
should provide the necessary momentum toward privatizing more Kentucky prisons.
Sources:
“Prison warden relieved of duty” by Darren Allen, Rutland Herald
“Privatize prisons, unlock savings” by Geoffrey F. Segal, Bluegrass
Institute for Public Policy Solutions
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