| Spending in Our Federal Prisons: Where does all that | | | | action needs to be taken. One such solution is the |
| money go? | | | | privatization of prisons. |
| One out of every ninety-nine people in the United | | | | If only 30% of the prison population went to private |
| States is currently incarcerated in a Federal Prison. | | | | facilities, we could save $100 million annually. And |
| With numbers like that, increases in prison costs have | | | | private prisons also would provide better care. But |
| skyrocketed over the past 20 years. Since 1988, the | | | | only 28 states allow privatization; and only in certain |
| Department of Corrections has increased their | | | | minimum-security prisons, juvenile correction centers, |
| spending by 127%--which outweighs Higher Education | | | | half-way houses and illegal alien detention centers. |
| spending; with only a 21% increase in the past 20 | | | | But why aren’t all states taking full advantage of |
| years. Why is more money pumped into our prisons | | | | this option? |
| than into our children’s schools? And what can | | | | Privatization can be broken down into different |
| we do about it? | | | | forms. The most common form is contracting out |
| The major contributing factor in our escalating prison | | | | certain services to a prison. For example, private |
| costs is the amount of prisoners we have | | | | firms are hired to provide services such as medical |
| incarcerated. By 2011, there will be 1.7 million inmates | | | | and mental health treatment, drug treatment, education, |
| in the United States. And that high volume of | | | | staff and vocational training and counseling; instead of |
| prisoners will cost the American tax payers $27.5 billion | | | | publicly funded companies. |
| over the next five years. Where is that money | | | | Another form of privatization is contracting out prison |
| going? The majority of the money is going to the | | | | labor; and the benefits that come with it. Private |
| construction of new prisons to hold the ever increasing | | | | companies are putting prisoners to work and paying |
| number of inmates. The amount of money needed | | | | them competitive wages, which allows for a reduction |
| for each new construction is based on a combination | | | | in prison costs for the government by withholding tax |
| of building structure, the housing area design and layout, | | | | earnings, room and board expenses, family support |
| the mix of security levels needed, and the geographic | | | | and victim’s compensation. Employing prisoners |
| location of the prison. On top of that are daily | | | | also provides them with the skills and work experience |
| operating costs, attributed to: personnel salaries and | | | | that will prepare them for the real world when they get |
| expenses, inmate-to-staff ratios, and the costs of | | | | out. The ultimate goal is to rehabilitate a prisoner as |
| supplies, materials and food. But the biggest cost | | | | much as possible so they can become a functioning |
| (and the most controversial one) is that of inmate | | | | member of society upon release. |
| health care. $3.3 billion was spent last year on prison | | | | The ultimate goal behind privatizing prisons is |
| health care services. Every inmate is guaranteed | | | | efficiency. Its purpose is to improve the quality of the |
| access to health care when they require it. | | | | service provided without raising the costs, or to |
| To investigate the spending in one specific state, | | | | decrease the costs without decreasing the quality of |
| let’s look at Pennsylvania. With nine federal | | | | the service. The supporters of prison privatization |
| prisons, P.A. ranks second in the United States for total | | | | believe that it will ultimately cost the American tax |
| number of federal prisons in state. For every $1 | | | | payer less and require the prison facilities to operate |
| spent on Education, $.81 was spent on Corrections. | | | | more efficiently. |
| Pennsylvania has actually cut their budget for Higher | | | | Bottom line: our prisons are becoming over flooded |
| Education to compensate for a rapid growth in prison | | | | with inmates, and the number of incarcerated |
| populations and prison construction. In the past 5 | | | | individuals increases more and more every day. |
| years, 2 new prisons have been constructed. At the | | | | More inmates equal more pull on funds to operate, |
| end of 2007, a total of $1.6 billion was spent by the | | | | service, maintain and construct more prisons. The |
| Corrections Department. There are 46,000 inmates in | | | | amount of money spent on prisons and inmates every |
| P.A and $90 is spent on each inmate per | | | | day is at an all time high: and it doesn’t look like |
| day—which covers food, health care recreation, | | | | it’s going to stop anytime soon. But with |
| etc. (The national average is only $63). | | | | privatization and better cost allocation procedures, we |
| Pennsylvania is one of the most costly states in | | | | can reduce the amount of money being pumped into |
| Corrections spending (surpassed by Texas and | | | | the Corrections Department, and use it for better |
| Ohio). When we start to take money away from our | | | | means: like schools for our children. |
| children’s futures to afford our nation’s criminals, | | | | |