International perspectives on the privatization of corrections

• Author: James Byrne,Kimberly R. Kras,Lina Maria Marmolejo
• Date: 01 May 2019
• Published date: 01 May 2019
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12440

DOI: 10.1111/1745-9133.12440

RESEARCH ARTICLE

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

International perspectives on the privatization

of corrections

James Byrne1Kimberly R. Kras1Lina Maria Marmolejo2

1University of Massachusetts Lowell

2George Mason University

Correspondence

JamesByr ne, Schoolof Cr iminology

andJustice Studies, University of

MassachusettsLowell, 113 Wilder Street,

Lowell,MA 01854.

Email:james_byrne@uml.edu

Research Summary: In this article, we provide a global

snapshot of the recent (2000–2018) expansion of the

private sector’s involvement in both institutional and

community corrections systems. Variation in the use of

private-sector organizations to manage both institutional

and community correction populations is examined within

and across global regions, with a focus specifically on

the utilization of privatization in the 50 countries with

the highest prison populations. The key private-sector

organizations in each global region are also identified, and

the “new technology” acquisitions by these companies—

documenting the expansion of prison-based organizations

into community corrections—are considered. In addition,

the available evaluation research on the comparative

effectiveness of private- versus public-sector management

of both prisons and community corrections is reviewed.

Based on this review, we offer our assessment of the

available data on global developments in the privatization

of corrections, as well as the available research on the com-

parative performance of public-sector and private-sector

corrections.

Policy Implications: Policy makers considering the

advantages and disadvantages of privatization in either

their institutional- or their community-based corrections

system need to consider not only whether performance

improves when the private sector gets involved but also

Criminology & Public Policy. 2019;18:477–503. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/capp © 2019 American Society of Criminology 477

478 BYRN E ETAL.

whether private-sector involvement directly or indirectly

undermines or enhances the legitimacy of either system.

By examining how and why private-sector involvement

varies both within and across global regions, policy

makers will likely glean critical insights into the need

for public–private corrections partnerships. Through our

review of the available research in which the performance

of public versus privately operated corrections programs

is directly compared, we underscore the need for inde-

pendent, high-quality evaluations in countries currently

using privatization to help manage prison, jail, and/or

community corrections populations.

KEYWORDS

community corrections, prisons, privatization

1INTRODUCTION

In the following article, we provide a global snapshot of recent private-sector expansionin both institu-

tional and community corrections systems. We haveattempted to document t he extentof pr ivatization

of prison systems globally, while describing the increased involvement of the private sector in the

community control and treatment of justice-involved individuals within and across global regions.1

Although recent attempts have been made to document the level of private-sector involvement in the

construction and operation of prisons and jails globally (see, for example, Allen & English, 2013;

Mason, 2013), we know much less about the private sector’sinvolvement in the community corrections

system. Aside from the private sector’s role in the global expansion of electronic monitoring (Allen,

2015), several other areas of private-sector involvement in community corrections systems globally

have not been fully documented. These areas include the use of proprietary risk and needs assessment

instruments, the design and management of residential and nonresidential community treatment pro-

grams by private for-profit and private nonprofit organizations,fine collection by private agencies, day

reporting centers operated by private agencies, work programs and community service programs oper-

ated by private companies, the development of newpersuasive technology designed in conjunction with

electronic monitoring systems (Pattavina, Corbett, Nader,& Ge, 2018; Pattavina, Miofsky-Tusinski, &

Byrne, 2010), and most recently, reentry programs designed to offer a continuum of care and control

for offenders leavingpr ivate-sectorpr isons. We attempt to address this knowledge gap in the following

global review, but our primary focus will be on the expansion ofpr ivate-sector companies that manage

prisons (using full-service and/or hybrid models) into the community corrections arena.2

To some observers, the global expansion of public–private partnerships in the provision of cor-

rections services is yet another example—a negative one, in our view—of American exceptionalism.

They argue that large U.S.-based multinational corporations are constantly looking to expand their

business by applying their “successful business model” to new markets in other countries (Biron,

2013). Although evidence exists to support this view, it can also be argued that the consideration of

private-sector alternatives to public-sector construction and management of all or part of adult (and