Prisons, Privatization, Patronage
Summary
In June of year 2012, the New York Times has reported certain terrifying news about the system of New Jersey for halfway houses, which privately manage appendages to the regular prison system. The course is a form of analytical reporting that everyone should view, and the course should also be viewed in context. The horrors identified are part of a wider pattern, wherein essential roles of government are being both degraded and privatized.
This article described the news as a terrible story. However, people should see this news in the deeper context of a force nationwide on the part of the right of America to privatize government roles, most importantly including the prisons’ operation. People may say that this force reflects traditional belief in the power of marketplace, in the supremacy of free-market rivalry over government planning. This is the way conservative politicians like to outline the issue (Krugman, 2012).
Implication
Primarily, regarding the halfway houses, in year 2010, Christie, who was the governor of the state and has close private ties to the Education Centers in the community, described the operations of the company as representing the excellence of the human spirit. However, reports of The Times represent something very opposite about the system, such as lack of personnel, inadequately run system, with a discouraged workforce, of which the most dangerous people usually escape to wreak chaos, while comparatively mild lawbreakers face abuse and terror at the dispense of inmates (Krugman, 2012).
The New York Times also reported several issues about how a company dominates the system of New Jersey for these halfway houses. The Times reported that as escapees flow out, a corrective business thrives, and there has been slight oversight in the state, despite the problems that are widespread. After years of strict criminal justice rules, states have been struggling with loaded prisons that are straining funds. In response to these crises, New Jersey has developed into a leader in a movement nationally, to save funds by redirecting prisoners to a new type of privately managed halfway houses (Dolnick, 2012).
The issue about the halfway houses relates to the field of corrections because the General Accounting Office or GAO created a study about the lessons learned from experiences on privatization of several states in the U.S. the study did not directly address the issue of correctional privatization, but many laws were proposed in the field of corrections for privatization (Austin & Coventry, n.d.).
Evaluation
The article would be an eye-opener to the government and society if everyone focuses on the message that the article is trying to deliver. People need to see that privatization can work as a secrecy form of government lending, wherein governments abstain from reporting direct expenses while establishing their long-term costs in means taxpayers cannot notice.
Privatization is an important issue to the field of corrections because implementing the correct process of privatized prisons will lead to huge cost savings, which had been broadly studied by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (Krugman, 2012). The field of corrections relies on the positive outcome the private prisons may provide.
Conclusion
This article has changed my personal perspective and I became more concerned on how privatization really works. I will involve myself more on the issue of this article by checking news and updates on how the idea of privatization is doing, and the developments as well. The government should focus on the weak points that this issue produces, and should provide an immediate solution to this issue to avoid bigger problems in the future.
References
Austin, J., & Coventry, G. (2001). Emerging Issues on Privatized Prisons. Washington, DC.
Dolnick, S. (2012, June 16). In New Jersey Halfway Houses, Escapees Stream Out as a Penal Business Thrives - NYTimes.com. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/nyregion/in-new-jersey-halfway-houses-escapees-stream-out-as-a-penal-business-thrives.html?_r=2
Krugman, P. (2012, June 21). Prisons, Privatization, Patronage - NYTimes.com. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/opinion/krugman-prisons-privatization-patronage.html?_r=0
