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| Study Finds Contract Facilities More Cost-effective |
| By Victorville Daily Press |
| Published: 07/31/2002 |
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Following Gov. Gray Davis' recent shift from privately operated prisons, a new study has found that contract prisons are a cost-effective option for the future of the nation's prison system. The study by the Harvard Law Review indicates that private prisons save money compared to public prisons, and maintain or exceed quality standards. 'The most rigorous studies find clearly positive cost savings ... none of the more rigorous studies finds quality at private prisons lower than quality at public prisons on average, and most find private prisons outscoring public prisons on most quality ratings,' the study found. It also concluded that private prisons are 'more accountable for their constitutional violations than are public prisons.' It costs state prisons $26,894 to house an inmate for a year, but private prisons such as the Victor Valley Medium Correctional Facility in Adelanto can do it for as little as $10,000 to $12,000 a year, said Randy Morreira, director of development for the prison. The state is restricted to certain places where it can purchase building supplies, uniforms, food service and even toilet paper. Private prisons are in charge of their own buildings and supplies and can look for the lowest bidder, usually a local vendor. Personnel costs are also lower at private prisons. Officers at the private prisons, who only deal with non-violent inmates (usually parole violators), are paid less than the state-employed peace officers, who deal with high-security prisoners. A correctional officer for the California Department of Corrections starts working with an entry level salary of approximately $13 an hour, while privately employed officers in Adelanto start working at $8 or $9 an hour. Adelanto prison officers are still held to high standards. They must attend the academy at Victor Valley Community College and pass the Board of Corrections Exam. Private prisons operate under the same guidelines as state prisons and have to meet the same standards or face financial penalties. Standards are enforced by auditors from the CDC, who are on site seven days a week. The Harvard Law Review article, called 'A Tale of Two Systems: Cost, Quality and Accountability in Private Prisons,' study comes at a time when private contract prisons are under fire from the state. Five private prisons across the state, including a minimum security prison in Baker, were shut down on June 30. |
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