Discussion 4
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Liberty University *
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530
Subject
History
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
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2
Uploaded by jrascoe13
Briefly summarize the history of private prisons in the United States and advise their current status
and/or popularity.
The history of private prisons in the United States trace back to the early 1600s in the state of
Virginia. The English colonists would take a handful of convicted felons, who were transported
by private entrepreneurs to America as a condition of pardon to be sold into servitude.
Transporting convicts to America and later many more to Australia following the American
Revolution was an innovation that radically transformed the administration of criminal justice.
During the 18th century, the modern prison emerged in America as an alternative to servitude or
the death penalty. Also during this time, the use of privately operated facilities became popular.
Although appointed by the government, a head jailer was considered an independent operator of
a profit-making enterprise functioning as a government contractor. Often jailers employed
prisoners in American jails, this was characterized as exploitative. Private entrepreneurs
persuaded state officials that the facility could best be operated under a long-term lease
arrangement with an entity that had experience in law enforcement. Even back then the debate
centered on costs, with the argument made that a private-sector entity would be less expensive
and less corrupt than the government. However, after a number of major scandals surfaced
surrounding the mismanagement of the facility by the private provider, the state decided to turn
the facility over to the control of state government. Eventually, the government turned out to be
as ineffective and corrupt as the private provider. Beginning in the early 20th century and until
more recently, the custom in American correctional agencies was to provide virtually all
correctional services as governmental functions in institutions constructed and maintained at the
government’s expense. The 1980s, seen a new era of prison privatization resulting from the “war
on drugs” and increased use of incarceration, prison overcrowding. In response to this private
business interests saw an opportunity for expansion, and consequently, private-sector
involvement in prisons moved from the simple contracting of services to contracting for the
complete management and operation of entire prisons. Privatized prisons are on the declined
because there are not that many in the United States any more. I believe that is a good thing
because private prisons do not think of the rehabilitation of the offenders. It looks at offenders as
money-making objects and not individuals whom behavior could possibly be change with the
right type of programs in the prison system.
References
Gordon Trina. Price Byron. (2012) Privatized Prisons And Unions: Personnel Management
Implication.
Public Personnel Management. Edition 05.
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