NCJ Number
178292
Journal
Corrections Management Quarterly Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: Summer 1999 Pages: 43-56
Date Published
1999
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article examines juvenile crime and sentencing trends, as well as trends in the privatization of juvenile correctional facilities, and discusses risks and benefits of privatization.
Abstract
Whether juvenile correctional programs are in the profit or the nonprofit sector, there is a growing trend toward mergers, consolidations, buy-outs, acquisitions, and strategic alliances in the marketplace. A significant number of nonprofit correctional agencies may convert to a for-profit status, perceiving greater market advantage as they do so. Head-to-head competition is now a fact of life in juvenile corrections. In the past, however, many nonprofit organizations have fought against competition by resorting to broadly articulated values and principles. They argue they do not just provide services; rather, they are the repositories of civic values and volunteer spirit and must devise solutions to difficult social and cultural problems. Nonetheless, nonprofit firms are at a disadvantage in a competitive marketplace. They are not familiar with modern marketing practices, rarely use financial incentives to motivate employees, and pay poorly. In addition, many are too small to operate efficiently and lack the capital for growth. The success of both nonprofit and for-profit firms involved in juvenile corrections in the 21st century will depend on showing positive outcomes in such areas as recidivism, arrest rates, and school or work productivity. Demographic characteristics of the juvenile population and population projections for at-risk youth are examined, along with changes in child welfare programs and risks and benefits of nonprofit and for-profit firms (cost, quality, quantity, flexibility, security, liability, and dependency). 25 references and 2 figures