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Rioting at a Private Prison

Privatizing governmental services might not always be a bad idea, but adding a profit motive to governmental functions that have nothing to do with profit often spawns disaster. Take the case of privately run prisons. They can be quite profitable, and states (urged along by lobbyists) are increasingly turning to private enterprise to deal with the prison crisis that politicians have manufactured. This despite evidence that private prisons are neither more accountable nor more cost effective than government-run prisons.

Perhaps the New Castle Correctional Facility in Indiana was dysfunctional before the state turned over its management to the GEO Group, Inc., but it's fair to ask why a riot broke out in its first year of private management.

A "full-scale riot" broke out Tuesday at a medium-security men's prison, according to the mayor, and pictures taken from television helicopters showed at least two fires burning in the courtyard.

Will GEO Group, Inc. pick up the tab for all the taxpayer-funded law enforcement that's trying to clean up the mess it couldn't control?

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    "Privatization" ... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by lightning on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 08:13:48 PM EST
    ... means "privatization of profit and socialization of costs."

    I'm sure that GEO Group and similar companies have all sorts of legal protections.  Otherwise, think of the expense (or insurance premiums) against civil suits.


    No (none / 0) (#1)
    by Mimir on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 04:18:29 PM EST
    It's probably picked up in the Force Majeure clause of their standard contract.

    I'd be in a rioting mood as well... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Tue Apr 24, 2007 at 05:24:08 PM EST
    if I was convicted of a crime in Arizona by the state of Arizona, and sent to Indiana to serve my time....far far away from any family or friends.

    If Arizona doesn't have enough cages...maybe they should look to some alternatives to the cages.