Is Private Time Quality Time? A National Private-Public Comparison of Prison Quality

• NCJ Number: 240611
• Journal: Prison Journal Volume: 3 Issue: 92 Dated: September 2012 Pages: 336-357
• Author(s): Matthew D. Makarios; Jeff Maahs
• Date Published: September 2012
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses prison privatization.

Abstract

The prison privatization debate has thus far formed around both normative and empirical frameworks. Although not denying the importance of the debate over whether private prisons should exist, the fact that privatization has occurred necessitates empirical examination. The authors, therefore, use census of Federal and State correctional facilities data to compare the quality of confinement across federal, state, and private prisons. After controlling for important institutional differences, the authors found that across many of the domains of quality, public and private prisons are similar. Public and private prisons did differ on some measures. Private prisons experienced less crowding than either State or Federal prisons. Conversely, Federal prisons scored higher on measures of activity (work, treatment, education) than privately run institutions. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.