NEED A DATATABLE

2

Running Head: Should private "for profit” corporations be allowed to run U.S. prisons?

Should private "for profit” corporations be allowed to run U.S. prisons?

October 15, 2019

Should private "for profit’ corporations be allowed to run U.S. prisons?

Burkhardt, B. C. (2019). Does the public sector respond to private competition? An analysis of privatization and prison performance. Journal of Crime and Justice, 42(2), 201-220.

This article provides a performance comparison between public and private prison sectors. This article is an excellent support to my study because it highlights the importance of profit and gives various reasons as to why the for-profit corporations should be allowed to run the US prisons. However, it also emphasizes the importance of public prisons and how have they achieved higher performance in regards to the rights of prisoners. Additionally, this article collects important data through a survey based on four main elements; safety, order, activity, and conditions. Supplemental analysis reveals this finding to be robust to most modifications to the sample as well as to the model. (Peer Reviewed Journal Article in Journal of Crime and Justice)

Carrie, A. (2017). The Demoralization of the US Judicial System Through the Promotion of Private Prison Industries. FAU Undergraduate Law Journal, 1, 91.

Carrie focuses on how the privatization of prisons has had a negative effect on the US judicial system. It gives various reasons as to why these prisons should not be established and maintained and how they contribute to mass incarceration. These include, the structural racism observed, the lack of sufficient facilities, low standards for food and medication, and their strict labor working policies. Although, this paper suggests that savings for one year in the Department of Corrections expenditures for public prisons could be approximately $13 to $15 million if prisons became private, private prisons are not a viable option. In summary, this research highlights the important reasons as to why the private prisons should not be permitted and why for profit organizations cannot handle the prison management system. (Peer reviewed journal article in the Undergraduate Law Journal)

Cooper, R., Heldman, C., Ackerman, A. R., & Farrar-Meyers, V. A. (2016). Hidden corporate profits in the US prison system: the unorthodox policy-making of the American Legislative Exchange Council. Contemporary Justice Review, 19(3), 380-400.

Cooper takes a negative view of the prison system in the US by providing various examples of hidden profits that are being generated at the expense of many prisoners. Cooper underlines the fact that the American Legislative Exchange Council is trying to raise the number of private prisons through the promotion of the prison labor and increasing the number of prison inmates. Primarily, this factor suggests that the rules and regulations might get strict and many people might be put to prison unfairly so as to have a higher prison labor. This paper it uses a leaked document containing important bills which have been passed regarding privatization of prisons and how could that improve the profits as its centerpiece. (Peer Reviewed Journal Article in Contemporary Justice Review)

Gaes, G. G. (2019). Current status of prison privatization research on American prisons and jails. Criminology & Public Policy, 18(2), 269-293.

This published in 2019 provides updated figures regarding the impact of private prisons on the American economy. This paper also focuses on criminal justice and various elements in prison which are being violated by these private prisons. It represents a true picture of the prisons at the American economy. This being said, it also provides a positive aspect by claiming that states with increases in prison privatization have lower public‐sector costs. A strong aspect of this research paper is its use of empirical data to support its claims. (Article in an Encyclopedia on an Online Website)

Haney, C. (2015). Prison overcrowding . American Psychological Association.

The book written by Haney speaks to the problem of prison overcrowding and how in encompasses a larger question of the deserved rights of prisoners. The book also focuses on the implications of prison overcrowding and how this is leading to more for-profit firms taking over new prisons and focusing on lower running costs to gain maximum advantage. The book will be an excellent value towards my research as it significantly emphasizes on the different types of drawbacks that are arising from prison overcrowding and how this is leading to more for-profit firms taking over the prison system. However, this book does not give a definite solution to the problem regarding more privatization. Overall, it is clearly written and highly detailed which would help me in my research. (Book)

Khey, D. N. (2015). Privatization of prison. The Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment, 1-8.

This important article significantly claims regarding the alarming rise in the number of private prisons as well as the organizations that are running them. In fact, it is becoming such an industry where multiple firms are competing against each other due to excessive privatization. As a result, many prisoners are suffering in terms of healthcare and basic facilities. The author highlights various financial figures regarding the operational costs as well as the profits being generated by all these prisons. This paper will help me in my research because it will highlight the various pros and cons of having private prisons which generate massive profits. This article will explain the impact of private profits on an economy as well as the inmates. However, one weakness regarding this article is the fact that it does not clearly give an answer to the research problem whether there should be more prisons under private ownership or not. (Article from an Academic Website)

Schultz, C. (2015). Prison Privatization: Driving Influences and Performance Evaluation. Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science, 3(1), 5.

This important research article not only focuses on private prisons but also highlights their performance over the past 10 years. Schultz suggested that the work of making money from different types of bodies gets in direct conflict with the justice system being practiced in the United States. In order to have economical forces and political forces in line, different types of policy measures can be taken but bringing the prison-industrial complex is not essential. This paper suggests that prison privatization must be reformed or abolished to improve the corrections system in the United States. This is important towards my research as it gives a wider perspective on why for-profit organizations should not be made responsible to run these prisons. (Peer Reviewed Journal Article in the Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science)

Simon, M. (2019). New York Could Become First State To Be Completely Done With Private Prisons. Retrieved 11 October 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/morgansimon/2019/06/18/new-york-to-become-first-state-to-be-completely-done-with-private-prisons/.

According to Forbes, the state of New York is going to soon diminish all types of private prisons due to the extreme resistance being seen by the members of the various social groups as well as public citizens. In the last year, there have been more than 30 protests against the concept of private prisons due to the horrifying treatment of the inmates living there. The term “People over Profit” has been quite viral too. This article is extremely important for my research because it provides me with an aspect of one of the biggest cities of the United States and what more implications does it bring with the decision to completely end the private prisons. (Article from a well renowned, authentic, magazine website)

Wassenaar, M., Gradus, R., & Molleman, T. (2018). Are nonprofit prisons an alternative? Some experiences in the Netherlands. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 28(4), 529-537.

This is a good research article for my research because it gives a broader perspective by taking into account the prison culture being followed at Netherlands. This research article has a detailed concept regarding the other side of the topic which is how effective could be the non-profit prisons rather than the profit-making prisons. Considering the alternative is very useful since it gives a wider scope towards the study. The research article is based on actual experiences from nonprofit prisons in the Netherlands. A strong point regarding this research is that it is recent but a drawback for this article is that it does not directly relate to the topic rather it gives an indirect approach towards a qualitative analysis. (Peer Reviewed Journal Article in Nonprofit Management and Leadership)

Wood, P. J. (2007). Globalization and Prison Privatization: Why Are Most of the World's For-Profit Adult Prisons to Be Found in the American South?. International Political Sociology, 1(3), 222-239.

Wood focuses on the point as to why most of the prisons in the world are being privatized. A strong point regarding the research paper is the fact that it has focus on various theories like political economy, overcrowding, as well as the globalization theory. Wood suggests that there is no clear theoretical mapping which means there is no definite answer to the research problem involved and it becomes quite subjective. This study can be useful for my research because it provides a detailed aspect on the South American prisons and how one of the biggest economies of the world is using turning prisons as a privately managed institution for profits. It will help me in analyzing the various reasons that have been pointed out by the author on his claims. It is a well written article although it is approximately 12 years old. (Peer Reviewed Journal Article in International Political Sociology)