PRIVATIZING JAILSReduced Costs, Increased Control and High-quality Services

As is the case all over the country, county officials in Texas face the daily challenge of providing necessary services for citizens within the finite limits of their fiscal resources. More and more counties are finding this to be an increasingly difficult proposition, especially in the area of corrections.
At the same time that jail populations are growing, many facilities are old and need to be renovated or replaced. Some have structural problems that make them unsafe, not only for the prisoners and staff, but for the community as well. As county leaders weigh these concerns, they must also consider their obligation to be prudent in spending taxpayer and county money.
As a result, many counties across the country are outsourcing corrections responsibility to a professional private corrections management company to build and/or manage their jails. Working with a private partner can help lower corrections costs, protect a county from tort claims such as inmate or employee lawsuits, increase control over corrections operations, and improve the services provided to inmates.
Liberty County is one such county that has made the decision to partner with a private corrections management company. County Judge Lloyd Kirkham said his county’s contract with Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the largest company of its kind in the United States, was a sound move.
“Liberty County was one of the first counties in Texas to privatize its county jails,” said Kirkham. “Over the past 10 years CCA has saved Liberty County many dollars. We’ve been nothing but thrilled with CCA.”
REDUCED COSTS
Facing the realities of tight budgets and increasing jail populations, many counties and municipalities are discovering what the federal government and many state governments already know: Privatizing corrections operations saves money. Some experts estimate that privatization saves between 5 percent and 15 percent annually.
A private partnership provides county officials and sheriffs with greater stability and predictability for budgeting and overall jail management through the controls made possible by contract mandates. Full-service management by a company such as CCA means all jail needs and services are handled in-house by the company, including:
Day-to-day oversight and management of all jail operations.
Complete facility management, including design, construction, maintenance and renovation.
All personnel services including hiring, training, payroll and benefits.
Screening, booking and releasing of all inmates.
Complete health care for all inmates, including medical evaluations, behavioral health services, dental care and vision care.
Educational, vocational, work and faith-based programming for inmates.
Food and nutrition services for all inmates.
Transportation services for all inmates, including extraditions and court appearances.
Richard Wesch, county administrator in Citrus County, Fla., said CCA’s standards of accountability and responsibility have eased any concerns he may have had about privatization.
“CCA has been an outstanding partner with Citrus County in civic responsibility, cost effectiveness, and responsiveness,” he said. “I make a point to show up unannounced at the local CCA facility, and I’m never disappointed in the service and quality of the facilities and the employees. CCA shares our values of human dignity for both inmates and correctional officers.”
Construction
Jails are expensive to build and to maintain. That is a fact of life, but it is also a fact that the political climate in most counties makes it virtually impossible to fully fund jail construction, renovation and maintenance. At the same time, many counties already have a high level of bonded indebtedness, which further restricts a county’s ability to spend the money necessary to build an adequate jail.
Private companies such as CCA