Private prisons in America

The term private prison means a place upon which those who go against the law are confined not directly by the government but by third party agents. A third party agent is appointed by the government to incarcerate those who go astray as to the given or stated law. As such, the private prisons organizations sign contract with the government upon which they are demanded to pay the prisoners per diem or on monthly basis. In the world today most of the countries are opting to privatize prisons facilities for the purpose of enhancing service delivery and upholding high management (David, 1995). In the recent decades, it is keen to observe that America has postulated a trend that tends to align itself towards the privatization of prisons. The idea has seen more of the prison facilities being contracted, designed, and staffed in most of the American states. The only problem or uncertainty is whether this idea of privatizing prisons in America will have positive effect or will yield fruits and go to its success. Research shows that, most of the companies of private nature have found themselves in squabbles of lack of funds with some clinging on the mediocre of incomes.

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It is a divide though on the citizens about the need of private prisons, to some the notion is of high relevance as it will save the tax payers funds and to some the idea is of no importance as it will bring to an end the real intention of prison-rehabilitation of prisoners. The use of prisons is influenced by the real cause of crime and the idea on how to curb the criminal activity. The real intention of having prison is to postulate some set goals viz a viz incapacitation, difference, transform, punish and rehabilitate those who against the society set laws and guidelines. There has been an argument poised by many as to public prisons being better than the private prisons.

Private prison in the national spotlight

Privatizing the prisons is a national matter that needs to be checked as it directly affects the people of America. Studies accentuates that a private prison is cheaper to be run and managed, efficient as compared to those ran by the government. Letting the prisons department to be tied by monetary value and more so to the human confinement and to the justice is something that should be allowed. When the prisons are allowed to be for-profit centers, this leads to the perpetuation of slave trade in America.

Actually, those who have been agitating for the postulation of private prisons ascribe to the idea of labor, financial issue and management. Their argument has taken many turns with them alluding that the idea is cost cutting measure that at the end give the private prisons to be profitable. This has been the main issues as to insecurity, standard of the facilities and accountability. There has been a lot of evidence as to this penitentiary unit being a home of violence, managed by few, inexperienced, untrained, unpaid staff which at end has resulted to chaotic scenes. More so, the issue of corruption, more pay to the CEO and cronyism has been common factors in the private prisons (Upchurch, 1996).

In the recent days, the state governments have had to wrestle with the problem of shortfalls in budget and it is clear Wall Street giant has been on the receiving end to provide solution via cash exchange in return of state property, prisons. There are some of the corporations that have put private prisons on the spot light with the idea of bringing sanity and sound management. Corrections Corporation of America which is one of the largest operator ascribe to prison and for-profit. This is some of the organizations that have pioneered the issue of bringing it to a national spotlight. There have been concerns to ensure that the prisons run effectively and for this most of the state organs have come out boldly to say that the reasons as the need of privatizing the prison. There bold move has led to the issue cropping at the national level. Media has been on the high alert as to the management and working of prison. For this reason they have offered any information putting private prisons on spotlight by the national government. Inter-governmental departments are on the forefront in putting the issue of prison privatizes on the spot by national government.

The inmate escape has put spotlight on the state of the private prisons. There are many inmates who break and escape in the private prisons thus bringing on board the discussion as to the need and guarantee of private prisons. The national government has been keen on the number of escaped prisoners out of private prisons thus being an issue that needs to be taken into considerations (Hallett, 2006).

Private prisons a popular topic

It is quite true that, private prisons has became such popular topic in America for the reason that any issue that relates to American citizens is a trivial matter that needs to be discussed. Today, private companies or prisons are responsible of accounting up to 16 percent federal prisoners and 6 percent in state prisoners and most of them in other states in America. This answers the questions as to why private prisons have become popular with those supporting being on the notion that it helps the government in saving via privatization. Furthermore, the private prisons are not only applauded for the good, but there are some reports that atrocities and violence have been reported.

In addition, privatization of prisons pinpoints on the American incarceration of masses which is attached to private incarceration. This has been termed as the worst as compared with public incarceration. This makes the topic be a popular aspect (Harding, 2001). Most of the people are trying to ascertain as to the kind of incarceration poised by private prisons. There have been two points that need to be distinguished between public and private confinement. The idea to have prisons being run by private firms can be a good move to the government as this saves the taxpayers money, but on the other hand this is a cross violation of the human rights as they are less accountable to the prisoners. This might result in violence; this has highlighted the issue to be of the high spot.

It has been noted by few people that the adoption of private prisons in the entire States of America has led to the growth and expansion of markets with the inclusion of giving homes to illegal immigrants, those detained by federal, those who offend the juveniles and those who are mentally ill. In addition to the above, the private prison has been on the forefront in adulating for parole and probation. This makes the topic have great relevance as all individuals are on the run to get the real information on the privatization of prisons in America. Ideally, in America, there is a high use of private facilities notwithstanding the issue of private prisons. This has created a concern by the public and the state officials as to the emerging trend and wave. There have been a large number of prisoners confined in a private prison as oppose to the public thus initiating a great concern as to the attached reasons.

To sum them all, the privatization of prison in America has impacted on both politically and economically. This is to say; privatization has come a long way in its history with many injustices suffered being social with some having attempted to offer punishment. This as such has postulated a bad history of the main issue.

Small percentage of prisons in the country that are privatized

The problem to have or not have the prisons privatized is an issue that will not affect the entire system. Those who have gone for private prisons have not gone on smoothly without encountering some problems, and this doesnt guarantee that the entire system is not good. The privatized prisons have proof to be the best management, upgrading of the facility and high service delivery. Private prisons have pioneered the solving of prison-prison conflict, prison-staff violence, and long-term confinement, and all this has been termed as an incubator of psychosis. However, as time goes by the idea can get out of hand and lead to high cases of mental of illness which has been termed by the Human rights as torture. All this doesnt point out that the system of private prison will have a negative influence on the entire systems rather it will pick on some sections. Most of the correction officers have been against the idea of private prisons, and they have designed laws in some states which prohibit such (Selman et al. 2010).

Privatizing prisons will help in creating a two-way system that has full potential of improving the practices, objectives and standards of any public prison system. The introduction of a counter force will ensure that the public is at par in service delivery, management and cost effectiveness as which at end will lead to improvement of the two prison systems.

Work cited

Hallett, Michael A. Private Prisons in America: A critical race perspective. University of Illinois Press, 2006.

Harding, Richard. "Private prisons." Crime and Justice (2001): 265-346.

Selman, Donna, and Paul Leighton. Punishment for Sale: Private Prisons, Big Business, and the Incarceration Binge. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2010. Print.

Shichor, David. Punishment for profit: Private prisons/public concerns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1995.

Upchurch, Carl. Convicted in the Womb: One Man's Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker. New York: Bantam Books, 1996. Print.