NCJ Number
96886
Date Published
1984
Length
159 pages
Annotation
Joint ventures in prison administration can help both States and the Federal Government deal with crowding, reduce costs of construction and operation, simplify siting of new prisons, and expand facilities and programs for special inmate populations.
Abstract
Joint management means shared decisionmaking only at the level of broad policymaking. It may involve joint planning, joint funding, and ongoing shared responsibility for the facility. However, the concept does not envision shared operational management of prisons, because of the need for unified command at the institutional level. Questionnaires sent to corrections directors in all States and to 51 administrators of the Interstate Corrections Compact revealed strong support for 3 types of shared or concurrently operated prisons: a medical/psychiatric facility capable of handling the aged and the developmentally disabled, a high-security facility for men who are assaultive or high escape risks, and a protective custody facility for men. Four possible forms of intergovernmental cooperation are the special-purpose contract facility, joint siting, the compact or joint powers model, and the public corporation. The report concludes that joint ventures are feasible and should be routinely considered in any planning for prison construction or modification of existing arrangements. Additional recommendations and findings on incentives and barriers to joint ventures are provided. Maps, data tables, a bibliography listing 104 references, and appendixes presenting the Interstate Corrections Compact and related materials are supplied.