美国监狱私有化原因研究

私有化是将政府整体或部分职责转移到私人部门的过程,监狱私有化意味着私人部门参与提供传统上由政府提供的管教服务.探究美国监狱私有化的原因,有助于估计私人监狱运动的发展前景.美国监狱私有化现象的主要动因在于快速增长的囚犯、监狱过度拥挤和成本问题.尽管监狱私有化不一定向声称的那样能够大幅度降低成本和提高效率,但是真正重要的是认识到私有化节约成本和提高效率本身是竞争过程的结果.最为重要的事情是决定如何最好地提供有关服务,而不是简单地选择要么由公共部门,要么由私人部门负责监狱体系的运转.通过引入竞争力量与机制,监狱私有化也许仍然有发展的空间.

A Study on the Causes of Privatization of Prison in the U.S.

Privatization is commonly defined as any process aimed at shifting functions and responsibilities, in whole or in part, from the government to the private sector. Prison privatization means that the private sectors' participation of criminal correction which was traditionally seen as the sole accountability of government. Exploration into the causes of prison privatization in the U.S. will help us to estimate the future of private prison movement. In the U.S., rapid growth of prison population, overcrowding and cost problems are the driving force behind the prison privatization phenomenon. Although claims of significant cost - saving and improved efficiency of private prisons have not proven true, what really counts is the recognition that cost saving from privatization and efficiency improvement are themselves products of competition process. The most important thing is the decision on how to best deliver programs and services, not a simple dichotomized choice between the public sector and the private sector in running prison system. By introducing the force and mechanism of competition, the future of prison privatization may have enough room to develop.