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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue

Time: 3:49 am

Results for private prisons (u.k)

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Author: Tanner, Will

Title: The Case for Private Prisons

Summary: The U.K. Government made two major announcements on prisons at the end of 2012: the effective abolition of whole prison contracting to private companies and the decision not to introduce local pay in the prison system. Instead the Government will pursue a “new approach” limiting competition to rehabilitation and ancillary services. It will introduce an “efficiency benchmark” for public sector prisons. It will maintain national pay scales in prisons. The evidence shows that the Government’s new approach is mistaken. The Ministry of Justice rates prison performance under four headings (“domains”). New Reform analysis of this data shows superior performance by the private sector against comparable public sector prisons: >>Resource management and operational effectiveness: 12 out of 12 privately managed prisons are better than comparable public sector prisons >>Decency: 7 out of 12 privately managed prisons are better than comparable public sector prisons >>Reducing re-offending: 7 out of 12 privately managed prisons are better than comparable public sector prisons. >>Public protection: 5 out of 12 privately managed prisons are better than comparable public sector prisons Reform has also conducted new research into reoffending rates by prison, which also show superior private sector performance: >>10 out of 12 privately managed prisons have lower reoffending rates among offenders serving 12 months or more than comparable public sector prisons >>7 out of 10 privately managed prisons have lower reoffending rates among offenders serving fewer than 12 months, compared to public sector prisons. Existing research has shown that flexible terms and condition are one of the key reasons why private operators have been able to deliver better performance. Flexible working conditions have resulted in better staff-prisoner relationships, more positive prison environments, higher staff satisfaction and a more diverse workforce. Existing research has made clear that the threat of competition has itself been a spur for innovation in public sector prisons. 2 The evidence therefore suggests that a different approach is needed, based on the following recommendations: >> Market test all prisons. Market testing has been limited to just 17 of the 131 prisons in the estate. >> Introduce fixed term contracts for all prisons. >> Publish comparable cost and performance data for all prisons. >> Give prisons flexibility over pay and conditions.

Details: London: Reform, 2013. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Reform Ideas No. 2: Accessed February 27, 2013 at: http://www.reform.co.uk/resources/0000/0635/Reform_Ideas_No_2_-_The_case_for_private_prisons.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.reform.co.uk/resources/0000/0635/Reform_Ideas_No_2_-_The_case_for_private_prisons.pdf

Shelf Number: 127727

Keywords:
Prison Administration
Private Prisons (U.K)
Privatization