Introduction
About 35 years ago, the U.S. concluded that private prisons are more effective and cost-effective than state-owned institutions. Observing this, though, has yet to bring about the hoped-for results since conflicts have enveloped private prisons, questionable motivations as well as recidivism rates that are similar to those recorded in public jails. In this essay, two opposing views are presented, but with insights from Lauren-Brooke Eisen’s work ” How to Create More Humane Private Prisons” and an article ” zed prisons lead to more inmates, longer sentences, study finds,” which concludes that private prisons lead to higher inmate numbers and longer sentences.
Thesis Statement
While the Proposed Eisen strategy for the correction of the private prisons operates on a performance-based principle, which is to motivate humane treatment and reduction in the level of the prisoners returning to the community, the study by Washington State University maintains that the expansion of prisons in the country is more of an avenue for more prisoners serving longer sentences. This essay looks out for the reform of the public and private prison systems by drawing on the ideas of scholars and the changed approaches to imprisonment in Australia and New Zealand.
The Private prison industrial space has increased in the United States and now houses approximately 9% of all the inmates in the country, which results in severe criticisms. Eisen says that the money-making structure of private prisons makes their priorities uncertain, posing a danger (Lauren-Brooke Eisen). Hence, such prisons might be preoccupied with whether their contracts entail awarding a certain number of prisoners often. As it stands now, there needs an outcome-based system in place, and therefore, the crime rates remain at the same level due to a lack of proof that private prisons are cost-efficient, according to the findings of the Government Accountability Office.
Conversely, Australia and New Zealand explored the new model’s opportunities and embraced it for its performance-based approach to reducing the risk of crime repetition. As Eisen’s article states, the private prison sector is financially rewarded for reducing crime rates compared to government establishments (Lauren-Brooke Eisen). The stress on definite objectives without prescribing methods permits private prison operators the flexibility to transform and implement rehabilitation-focused approaches, as shown by the Auckland South Corrections Facility in New Zealand.
A research team from a university in Washington State proposes an alternative and offers a possible answer to the problems of inadequate public facilities. The study ascertains that the widespread establishment of private prisons is accompanied by an annual average increment of up to 178 inmates per million in the population and that these, in turn, lead to huge expenditures on the prison systems (Gregmar Galinato). On top of that, the research highlights that the private prison gives urge to some inmates with longer prison terms, especially during non-violent offenses. This demonstrates that potential corruption and increased capacity are the reasons behind this phenomenon.
In his investigations at the Auckland South Corrections Facility in New Zealand and Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Australia, Eisen provides an alternative angle. Each facility demonstrates that the prison is more than a punitive institution, as it sets up training and vocational programs, hence providing humane living conditions (Lauren-Brooke Eisen). These innovative approaches demonstrate a much better blueprint globally for reforming private prisons, focusing on the issues that matter to significantly reduce criminal behaviors.
The U.S., Australia, and New Zealand examples are substantial enough to assess private prisons’ performance. On the one hand, the study conducted by Washington State University reveals the damage that privatization might inflict on the sector (Gregmar Galinato). However, Eric Eisen’s reading describes how privatization can be a positive reform in the prison sector. The essay closes by pointing out the need to embrace private jails, investigate diverse choices, and promote healthy discussion about both views.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the private prisons discussion in the USA is a wide topic, as Lauren-Brooke Eisen and a study from Washington State University present their opposing views. In his way, Eisen proposes that the entire approach of private prisons should be changed to a performance-based approach where they are paid for their humane treatment institute and crime reoccurrences are reduced. Additionally, the study proposes that creating private prisons decreases the punishment of the most severe offenses and sentences. The manifestation of Australia and New Zealand’s creative solutions in private prisons exhibits what could be a valid model for reforming private prisons worldwide.
Work Cited
Lauren-Brooke Eisen. “How to Create More Humane Private Prisons.” Brennan Center for Justice, 2018
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-create-more-humane-private-prisons
Gregmar Galinato “Privatized Prisons Lead to More Inmates, Longer Sentences, Study Finds.” WSU Insider, 2020,
https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2020/09/15/privatized-prisons-lead-inmates-longer-sentences-study-finds/
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