Debate concepts and frameworks

Probation, Parole, & Prison Privatization

Prison Privatization: Pro

Privatization saves taxpayers money: The state of New Mexico has privatized 45% of its prison system, a greater percentage than any other state in the union. A 2003 study by the New Mexico-based Rio Grande Foundation showed that New Mexico spent $9,600 less per prisoner in 2001 than did states with no prison privatization programs. The state saved more than $50 million in 2001 over the previous year without prison privatization by contracting out for management of less than half its prison system (La Faive, 2004).

2003 study published by Vanderbilt University researchers showed that states using privately owned and/or run prisons saw their daily cost of housing prisoners grow almost 9% slower than states not privatizing their prison facilities at all (La Faive, 2004). To ensure proper safety and security of the community under tightening budgets for states, this is of vital consideration in maintaining an effective prison system that can incarcerate offenders for the entirety of their sentences.

Private companies must use more transparent accounting procedures according to the law. Studies have shown private prisons consistently exhibit more truth about their spending practices. When "most of the costs associated...are parts of a private-sector business contract and, therefore, easily identifiable" this reduces waste (La Faive, 2004).

Privatization is not a quirk of the U.S. prison system, it is used internationally: "Governments around the globe have been hiring private companies to manage prison populations for decades" (La Faive, 2004).

Privatized prisons often provide better services and conditions for inmates: A prospective study of prison privatization in Alabama concluded that "private construction would create more prisoner bed space faster, thereby relieving overcrowding. Private construction could replace many aging facilities in Alabama with more efficient, state-of-the-art prisons (Ciamarra, 2006).

Parole: Pro

When used for genuinely repentant inmates, offering the possibility of parole psychologically eases the transition into the 'real world' for prisoners.

The prospect of parole provides an incentive for good behavior for inmates, reducing the costs of constant vigilance over unruly prisoners.

Parole reduces the financial strain on prison system in terms of costs of feeding and housing prisoners as well as overcrowding and the need to build more prisons.

Parole sentences that require prisoners to volunteer involve prisoners in the local community and enable prisoners to 'pay' their debt to society and thus pay for their incarceration.

Most probationers in the system are nonviolent: "three-quarters of probationers were supervised for a non-violent offense" (Probation and parole statistics, 2008, Bureau of Justice Statistics).