Legal landscape note: This article was originally published in 2016 and describes the law as it stood at that time. New Jersey law changes frequently.
If someone you care about is serving federal time, the name on the prison gate matters. A privately run facility can mean different staffing, different safety records, and different conditions than a government-run one. In 2016, the U.S. Justice Department moved to end that distinction, announcing plans to phase out private prisons amid allegations that the facilities are less safe, less effective, and overall offer fewer benefits.
Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates announced the decision, citing an important report on findings about private facilities. The report concluded that privately contracted prisons are more likely to have assaults on both inmates and staff, not to mention a climbing contraband rate each year.
Problems at private prisons are out of the bag. Even Netflix Originals like “Orange is the New Black”, are displaying the reality of private prisons. According to Yates, the Justice Department and Bureau of Prisons officials had been discussing and pushing for the discontinuation of private prisons for months. However, Yates assures us that private facilities will not close overnight. She says it’s a process and existing contracts will remain, while those who are up for renewal may not be reviewed.
At a point in time private prisons were fulfilling an important role but as times have changed, Yates wrote they have become less effective than prisons run by the government. According to the inspector general report, The Bureau of Prisons spent $639 million on private prisons in a fiscal year of 2014; where all payments were paid to three companies: Corrections Corp. of America, GEO Group, and Management and Training Corp.
The Justice Department announcement will not affect the majority of prisoners who are currently in prisons by the state and local authorities. However, federal officials are hoping their actions will be an example to everyone across the correctional field.
How do you feel about this decision?